ESG - Behind the scenes
Ken East grad helps keep athletes in top form
by JASON NADOLINSKI Reporter

Bryan Hanypsiak knows what it's like to get roughed up competing in the Empire State Games. That's part of the reason he was among the 142 medical professionals and athletic training students who volunteered their services this past week to ensure the health of the thousands of participating athletes.

Hanypsiak, a 1990 graduate of Kenmore East High School who earned both his bachelors and doctorate degrees from the University at Buffalo, spent his four days at the 30th annual Games splitting time between The Ice Hutch and the Playland Ice Casino as one of the medical staff tending to the scholastic men's and women's hockey teams.

Hanypsiak, who specializes in arthroscopic surgery at the Orthopedic Associates of Long Island, was well-qualified for the role since one of the hats he wears in the working world is that of team physician to the American Basketball Association's

Strong Island Sound. Aside from his professional credentials, though, Hanypsiak

knew of the need for having enough people with medical knowledge on hand from his days as a team handball player.

"I fell in love with the Games when I participated and I'm also marred to (Games founder and former governor) Hugh Carey's granddaughter, so this is my way of giving back for some of the best times I've ever had," Hanypsiak said. "It was something I knew was available from being part of the Games."

Hanypsiak, who has lived in Long Island for the last few years and is still seeking - in vain - a comparable substitute for Duff's wings, played in the Games from 1988 to 1992 and then coached Western's team handball squad in 1993. Western won a bronze the first and last years Hanypsiak competed, and took home silver all three years in between.

Team handball, which hasn't been offered as a sport at the Games since 1993, isn't as physical as ice hockey, but it's pretty close. The rough and tumble atmosphere on the handball courts led to numerous

visits with the medical staff, the memories of which gave Hanypsiak all the motivation he'd need to bring his expertise to the Games.

"When I played, team handball was a rough sport," Hanypsiak said. "I used up a lot of medical resources back in the day. One day I called up the Games director and asked if I could volunteer, and that led to me going to Lake Placid for the first time last year. This is the first summer that I've been able to make it up to do this, though."

Hanypsiak and his co-volunteers at the ice hockey venues didn't exactly have time to sit back and enjoy the competition; they were there to work. Each volunteer had a laundry list of potential duties depending on what a player needed on any given day or during any given game.

"In a typical day, we'll cover any emergencies that arrive, any injuries," Hanypsiak said. "We'll stabilize any fractures or torn ligaments, we'll hand out ice, we'll tend to bumps and bruises … basically we'll take care of anything that comes up on site. If anyone is seriously injured, we'll refer them by ambulance to a local medical center."

"They really put a lot of time and effort into organizing the entire medical production, right down to counting out the medical supplies, assigning personnel, making sure the ambulance crews are available … all the things you never really think of. Their biggest problem is making sure we've got enough ice for all the injuries," Hanypsiak added.

Hanypsiak is as proud of his service to the Games as he is of everything he accomplished as a participant nearly 20 years ago. Through the Games, he's made and kept friends for nearly half his life, and that's something he hopes this year's athletes take away from their time as well.

"I think the best thing about being in the Games was the friendships you made," Hanypsiak said. "For me, it's really lasted a lifetime. It's just been a fantastic experience."

e-mail: jnadolinski@beenews.com