June 23, 2011

Scott Waugh has a lot to be proud of in his professional career. He's the Director of Rehabilitation for the Boston Red Sox, co-owns the Boston-based Sports and Physical Therapy Associates and serves as Clinical Director for Sports Therapy with Massachusetts General Hospital. However, all of that falls short of the events of June 15, 2011.

The culmination of a 14-year career as the Boston Bruins' Physical Therapist, Waugh stood on the ice at Rogers Arena in Vancouver and was handed Lord Stanley's Cup by Zdeno Chara.

"To hold onto the Stanley Cup and see the names of Ray Bourque and Bobby Orr and to see other guys like `Rocket' Richard and Wayne Gretzky, and to know that this was the exact same trophy that they held onto--you really don't find that in any other sport," said Waugh. "I don't know if it will ever really sink in."

Filling Water Bottles at Costello Gym

The foundation of Waugh's professional success relies in his tireless work ethic and energetic personality, but he likes to credit a different source: the education and training Waugh received at UMass Lowell, then known as the University of Lowell.

Before he was holding the Stanley Cup, Waugh was filling paper cups in Costello Gymnasium. A 1990 graduate of the university, Waugh served as a student trainer for four years in the Athletic Training office while working towards his degree. Studying under then-Head Athletic Trainer Charlie Rozanski and his assistant Artie Poitras, he worked closely with the school's football and men's basketball programs.

"Scott had a plan and being in professional sports was in his plan," said Poitras, who just completed his 29th year at UMass Lowell. "He went through his entire career here with that goal in mind and took steps to get there."

"He was a very skilled clinician and was very good with people. Scott had a great work ethic and ultimately he put himself in position to obtain those goals and objectives. He has turned from a former student into a good friend, a colleague and someone I go to for advice."

The athletic, but oft-injured Waugh knew at an early age that his dream of a career as a professional athlete was unlikely to come to fruition. He entered college to pursue a degree in physical therapy, but credits Rozanski and Poitras for truly opening his eyes to the opportunity within reach.

"Everyone's aspirations are to play professional sports," Waugh remarked. "I knew I wasn't going to play at the professional level as an athlete, but found working as a trainer and physical therapist was my avenue to get there."

"I was so blessed to work with Artie and Charlie because those guys instilled the passion and excitement in me about this profession. It really all started at ULowell."

Life After Lowell

Following graduation, Waugh interned with the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL before working as a physical therapist and athletic trainer at Boston College.

The Bruins hired the ambitious Waugh in 1992, where he spent a season and then stepped away for two years before returning permanently in 1995. He works as a two-man crew with Athletic Trainer Don DelNegro behind the scenes to keep Boston's best healthy and on the ice.

"We, together, manage every single injury from an ankle sprain to a severe concussion," said Waugh.

During practices, the Bruins' injured players become Waugh's sole responsibility as he administers treatment to return the players to the ice. Then Waugh becomes part-athletic trainer on game nights, working the bench alongside DelNegro. In his role with the team, he has built many close relationships with Boston's players.

"The relationships with these guys are critical," Waugh added. "You have to have a relationship where you can communicate with them. There's trust--you trust them, they trust you--if you don't have that at this level you'll never be successful."

Giving Back

As important as the fundamentals taught in the classroom are, Waugh felt that part of what made him successful was his ability to apply that knowledge in the field at a young age.

"My ability to work with athletes every afternoon and learn what it takes to evaluate and rehab injuries was invaluable," Waugh said of his college experience.

In an effort to afford someone else that opportunity, Waugh has started a fellowship at UMass Lowell in which he pays the tuition of two students who have a financial need and want to work in the physical therapy and sports medicine field. The inaugural students, Michael Caeran and Raymond Goddu, each worked in the athletic training office for close to 150 hours a semester this past year, learning the profession under the guidance of Poitras and his assistant Keri Ann Maresca.

"I'm at this level now that people dream about, but I'm not forgetting where it all started me," said Waugh of his career. "That's back at Lowell in Costello Gym with guys like Artie and the athletic training program. That's where everything started for me and it's important that I give back so kids can share the experience I had. Hopefully it propels them in their career, the same way it did in mine."

Boston Marathon on Skates

That level Waugh references is a tribute to his positions with the Boston Bruins and Red Sox, his surging business and respected stature within his field. The level also speaks to a signature moment and in his case, that moment was being a part of a Stanley Cup winning team.

"I have so much respect for what these guys do physically and mentally to play in the NHL" said Waugh. "To not only play, but to get through two months of playoffs and three seven game series--to win it and be the best is incredible. This would certainly be the biggest highlight in my 20 year career."

Obvious to the casual observer, hockey is a physical sport that demands a great deal from its athletes. That resolve is tested by the NHL Playoffs that Waugh jokingly compares to "running the Boston Marathon on skates".

The Bruins survived that test in grand fashion, winning a seven-game series against the Vancouver Canucks and capturing the organization's first Stanley Cup Championship since 1972. Waugh described the final moments of game seven as tense.

"Everybody was pacing, but no one wanted to say `Oh my gosh, I think we're going to win this'," recalled Waugh. "When there were three minutes left everyone started looking around saying "Oh my God, we've done it!'. Then when the final two seconds went off, the place just went bananas."

"From the trainers to the therapists, the coaches, the equipment guys, everybody played such an integral role in making it happen and everyone feels they've got some ownership in the Bruins winning the cup."

Echoing the importance Waugh played in Boston's season was none other than former player and Bruins President Cam Neely. During the celebratory parade through the streets of Boston, Neely publicly thanked Waugh for his contributions.

"In our profession, if we're in the limelight that's not a good thing," said Waugh. "We take internal pride knowing that we're keeping these guys on the ice. To not only have a president of a team, but a guy like Cam Neely, who is a Hall of Fame player and one of the hardest working players to ever play the game, sit back and say `Thank you' and `You were responsible, you played a big role` it was a special feeling."

The Path Worth Taking

In a span of 25 years, Waugh traveled from Costello to Causeway Street as he climbed to the very peak of his professional field.

"I went from covering practices at Costello Gym to having Zdeno Chara hand me the Stanley Cup and having him applaud me for helping him win it," Waugh said.

The path he traveled started with countless hours in the training room at UMass Lowell and now allows him to pass along the lessons he's learn to others.

"The fundamentals I teach to the students that come to me are you have to be passionate about what you do, be energetic and have an incredible work ethic," said Waugh.