Opening of William J. Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center Begins New Era for Sports Research, More

A first-of-its-kind facility, designed with intentional “collision spaces” for collaboration between medical doctors, faculty researchers and students, celebrates a vision six years in the making with the recent opening of the William J. Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center in Colorado.

The start of the fall semester at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs brings together students and faculty for education and research with the medical providers and clinical experts at Centura Penrose-St. Francis Health Services. Led by co-directors Bill Lueck from Centura and Steve Johnson from UCCS, the facility uses a liberal amount of glass and open space to enable the “collision” philosophy. Students, faculty, clinicians, doctors, patients and athletes will also have access to a collection of equipment rarely found in a single facility, such as:

• Altitude chamber to transport users from a sea-level atmosphere to the heights of the Himalayas
• Environmental chamber to allow control of altitude, temperature and humidity
• Nutrition laboratory and kitchen to optimize the fuel needed for athletes of all skills and abilities
• Biomechanics laboratory to permit enhanced study of movement
• Specialized equipment to allow athletes with physical disabilities and tactical athletes, like firefighters and police officers, to train
• Sports medicine clinic to allow medical providers to see patients
• Sports performance clinic to help athletes train and optimize achievement

Funded as part of the City for Champions project approved by the Colorado Economic Development Commission in 2013, the Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center is designed to attract users from across the nation. When athletes or patients are not completing treatment or training, they can enjoy the sites in Colorado Springs, including another City for Champions project, the recently completed United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum. The two facilities will later be joined by other project initiatives like a new visitor’s center at the Air Force Academy, Robson Arena at Colorado College and Weidner Field in downtown Colorado Springs.

Architects HOK and RTA established an integrated team to design the facility. The Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center is expected to achieve LEED Gold status by the U.S. Green Building Council. J.E. Dunn executed the construction as general contractor.