MAINE, USA — Two Maine sports medicine professionals who will treat the women’s hockey team in the Winter Olympics were on Team USA’s charter flight to Beijing Thursday.
Dr. Allyson Howe is the team physician. She works at InterMed in South Portland as a family and sports medicine doctor. This is her third trip to the Olympics. Her first was to Sochi in 2014 with the Olympic Committee. In 2018, she traveled with the U.S. women’s hockey team to Pyeongchang as the team physician, a role she is taking on again in Beijing.
Wayne Lamarre is the director of the University of New England’s athletic training program and a clinical professor. He also worked with the U.S. Women’s National Team at the USA Hockey Women’s Winter Training Camp in Blaine, Minnesota, in December 2015, and has more than 30 years of sports medicine experience. The 2022 Winter Olympics will be Lamarre’s first Olympic experience.
Howe threw Lamarre’s name in the ring when she was asked who would be a good fit for the medical team heading to Beijing.
They both know the athletes well, which they say is an advantage.
“It’s like a family. They’re some of the patients I know the best in the world, if you will, but they’re my people. They’re great, so I’m already starting three steps ahead with that trust,” Howe said.
They also said they are proud to represent Maine and its legacy of sports medicine professionals at the international level.
“As somebody who has devoted my career to athletic training and advancing the profession, it means a lot to be able to represent not only myself and the University of New England but also the athletic training profession,” Lamarre said. “This is a dream come true for any AT. We sort of fly under the radar, but we’re well-represented. We literally stand on the shoulders of the giants that came before us.”
Lamarre said he works on the bench with Team USA women’s hockey. The team is undefeated against its rival Canada, whom they beat in the last winter games in Pyeongchang.