Thousands of young athletes from 41 countries gathered in Asuncion, Paraguay for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games earlier this year. Two pediatric sports medicine specialists from the Sports Medicine and Performance Center here at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) were proud to be in the middle of the action.
Christina L. Master, MD, and Naomi Brown, MD, were invited by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to lead the medical team supporting Team USA at this elite-level event, where athletes competed on the international stage, and winning gold meant automatic qualification for the 2027 Pan American Games.
For nearly three weeks, our CHOP physicians cared for athletes between 13 and 23, competing in 28 sports ranging from gymnastics and skateboarding to sailing and triathlons. “It was such an honor to represent the U.S. in this role,” Dr. Master said. “These athletes train at an incredibly high level and being able to support them was an unforgettable experience.”
Complete care and creative problem solving
As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Master oversaw medical care of more than 200 athletes, plus their coaches and staff. Her days were packed with running morning athletic training hours, covering competitions in the afternoons and evenings, and sometimes accompanying athletes to local hospitals when additional care was needed.
“Since these were teenagers, it was especially important that someone from the team be with them at the hospital,” she explained. “We wanted to make sure they were getting the right testing and treatment, and that nothing was lost in translation.”
Dr. Brown’s assignment took her six hours away from the main venue to cover sports including sailing and triathlon. Out in this remote setting, she worked with a much smaller team, providing sideline care, troubleshooting injuries and even doing some creative problem solving. At one point, she put a wetsuit back together with medical glue to help an athlete compete -- and win gold!
“I wore multiple hats,” she said with a laugh. “Physician, supporter, sometimes substitute team mom. You really do whatever is needed in the moment.”
Both physicians were taking care of the entire on-site delegation, not just athletes. They treated coaches, athletic trainers, and even other doctors, whenever care was needed.
Supporting the whole athlete
With so many competitions happening at the same time, the medical staff saw everything from sprains and cuts to performance anxiety. The USOPC also sent a sports psychologist to the Games, who teamed up with doctors to support athletes’ mental health.
“It’s great to see people taking that seriously,” Dr. Master said. “When you’re on your own as a young athlete in a foreign country, it’s comforting to know you have familiar support systems for both your physical and mental health.”
Dr. Brown especially noticed the emotional side of competition among the triathletes and sailors she worked with. Long stretches of waiting for the right wind, grueling training and the pressure of representing their country weighed heavily on some. “These are extremely high-performance athletes. It gave me a whole new respect for what these kids are balancing,” she said.
Bridging cultures
Working in Paraguay also meant working across languages. As the host country, Paraguay provided staff volunteers who spoke both English and Spanish and served as on-site translators. Dr. Brown leaned on her medical Spanish proficiency, while Dr. Master relied on the translators, Google Translate and a lot of patience. “I didn't feel a huge language barrier. Sports bring people together in a way few other things can,” Dr. Master reflected. “Even when we didn’t share the same language, there was a tremendous sense of goodwill and community which went a long way.”
It was critical for staff members from all countries to be able to work together, even if they had never met before. To be effective, they needed to trust each other as if they’d worked together for years. Even being hours away from the main games site, Dr. Brown knew the support was there if she needed it, and that was an amazing experience.
Why pediatric specialists matter
Both doctors agree that their pediatric sports medicine background made a difference in the care they were able to provide at the games. Young athletes may look like adults, but their bodies are still developing, and so are the ways they can understand and process medical information.
“A 17-year-old who looks 25 is not 25,” Dr. Brown said. “You have to treat them as a pediatric patient whose bones are still growing.”
Dr. Master added, “Kids are not little adults. You have to explain injuries and treatment plans in ways that make sense to the athlete, and to their parents and coaches.”
Another key difference? Doctors who practice adult sports medicine often have less experience dealing with not only athletes (youth), but also parents, coaches and athletic trainers. Pediatric sports medicine physicians have lots of experience working with families and caregivers as a team, so it comes naturally. Some athletes had parents who traveled with them to the Games, so the doctors could share treatment plans with those parents in real time.
Lessons they brought back
The experience gave both physicians new insights that positively impact the sports medicine care they provide at CHOP. Dr. Brown says she has a much deeper appreciation for the balancing act these young athletes manage. “They’re juggling training, school, nutrition, sleep and their social lives,” she said. “Understanding the complexity of their needs helps us provide better care.”
For Dr. Master, working at the Games highlighted the importance of preparation. When one athlete developed COVID in Paraguay, she had to work with local epidemiologists and navigate a system without the over-the-counter access to rapid tests or treatments readily available in the U.S. “You realize how much planning goes into large sporting events,” she said. “It sharpened the overall way we think about emergency and general sports medical preparedness.”
The growing role of pediatric sports medicine
Youth sports continue to explode, with new opportunities and new pressures. Some teens are now signing sponsorships and earning money through their name, image and likeness, blurring the line between amateur and professional. That shift, Dr. Master noted, may change relationships between coaches and doctors, especially with the added element of working with agents.
Sports medicine is also the most rapidly growing specialty in the US. Within sports medicine, pediatric sports medicine is the most rapidly growing sub-specialty, reflecting the growth of youth sports and the recognition of the need for specialized care for these youth athletes. No matter how youth sports evolve, both doctors agree they want youth athletes to learn leadership, camaraderie and confidence from participating in sports. Sports will continue to be an important part of many kids' lives, and they will be there as pediatric sports medicine physicians to help youth athletes and their families manage that in a positive, developmentally appropriate way. They remain optimistic that sports are a great way to build resilience and lifelong healthy habits.
Advice for families of young athletes
Both doctors stressed that every athlete’s path looks different. Some specialize early, like gymnasts, while others take a more varied route, playing multiple sports. But one message is clear after working with the elite athletes at the Junior Pan American Games: the child has to be the driver of their sports career.
“The highest rate of kids quitting sports is around age 14,” Dr. Master explained. “Athletes that continue do so because the motivation comes from inside them, not because of external pressure from parents. That internal drive is what makes the difference.”
Dr. Brown added a reminder that not every child is destined for elite competition — and that’s more than okay.
“Most of the athletes we treat are not competing at an elite level. We want to help foster talents but also make sure they don’t get burned out. We want to create lifelong athletes and help them bring whatever they want to whatever level they are at.”
Their advice for families is to keep things simple and focus on the basics: nutrition, sleep, injury prevention and recovery, mental health care and keeping sports fun.
Drs. Brown and Master agree that sports are something you should be able to participate in for life. It looks different when you’re older, but staying physically active is great for your overall health and wellbeing. They hope all the athletes they treat can participate in sports for life. “One of the best things to instill as a pediatric sports medicine physician is that you need a plan for what you’ll do after your current type of sports participation ends,” Dr. Brown advised. “We want parents to help their children become the best people they can, and sports can help with that.”
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Thousands of young athletes from 41 countries gathered in Asuncion, Paraguay for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games earlier this year. Two pediatric sports medicine specialists from the Sports Medicine and Performance Center here at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) were proud to be in the middle of the action.
Christina L. Master, MD, and Naomi Brown, MD, were invited by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to lead the medical team supporting Team USA at this elite-level event, where athletes competed on the international stage, and winning gold meant automatic qualification for the 2027 Pan American Games.
For nearly three weeks, our CHOP physicians cared for athletes between 13 and 23, competing in 28 sports ranging from gymnastics and skateboarding to sailing and triathlons. “It was such an honor to represent the U.S. in this role,” Dr. Master said. “These athletes train at an incredibly high level and being able to support them was an unforgettable experience.”
Complete care and creative problem solving
As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Master oversaw medical care of more than 200 athletes, plus their coaches and staff. Her days were packed with running morning athletic training hours, covering competitions in the afternoons and evenings, and sometimes accompanying athletes to local hospitals when additional care was needed.
“Since these were teenagers, it was especially important that someone from the team be with them at the hospital,” she explained. “We wanted to make sure they were getting the right testing and treatment, and that nothing was lost in translation.”
Dr. Brown’s assignment took her six hours away from the main venue to cover sports including sailing and triathlon. Out in this remote setting, she worked with a much smaller team, providing sideline care, troubleshooting injuries and even doing some creative problem solving. At one point, she put a wetsuit back together with medical glue to help an athlete compete -- and win gold!
“I wore multiple hats,” she said with a laugh. “Physician, supporter, sometimes substitute team mom. You really do whatever is needed in the moment.”
Both physicians were taking care of the entire on-site delegation, not just athletes. They treated coaches, athletic trainers, and even other doctors, whenever care was needed.
Supporting the whole athlete
With so many competitions happening at the same time, the medical staff saw everything from sprains and cuts to performance anxiety. The USOPC also sent a sports psychologist to the Games, who teamed up with doctors to support athletes’ mental health.
“It’s great to see people taking that seriously,” Dr. Master said. “When you’re on your own as a young athlete in a foreign country, it’s comforting to know you have familiar support systems for both your physical and mental health.”
Dr. Brown especially noticed the emotional side of competition among the triathletes and sailors she worked with. Long stretches of waiting for the right wind, grueling training and the pressure of representing their country weighed heavily on some. “These are extremely high-performance athletes. It gave me a whole new respect for what these kids are balancing,” she said.
Bridging cultures
Working in Paraguay also meant working across languages. As the host country, Paraguay provided staff volunteers who spoke both English and Spanish and served as on-site translators. Dr. Brown leaned on her medical Spanish proficiency, while Dr. Master relied on the translators, Google Translate and a lot of patience. “I didn't feel a huge language barrier. Sports bring people together in a way few other things can,” Dr. Master reflected. “Even when we didn’t share the same language, there was a tremendous sense of goodwill and community which went a long way.”
It was critical for staff members from all countries to be able to work together, even if they had never met before. To be effective, they needed to trust each other as if they’d worked together for years. Even being hours away from the main games site, Dr. Brown knew the support was there if she needed it, and that was an amazing experience.
Why pediatric specialists matter
Both doctors agree that their pediatric sports medicine background made a difference in the care they were able to provide at the games. Young athletes may look like adults, but their bodies are still developing, and so are the ways they can understand and process medical information.
“A 17-year-old who looks 25 is not 25,” Dr. Brown said. “You have to treat them as a pediatric patient whose bones are still growing.”
Dr. Master added, “Kids are not little adults. You have to explain injuries and treatment plans in ways that make sense to the athlete, and to their parents and coaches.”
Another key difference? Doctors who practice adult sports medicine often have less experience dealing with not only athletes (youth), but also parents, coaches and athletic trainers. Pediatric sports medicine physicians have lots of experience working with families and caregivers as a team, so it comes naturally. Some athletes had parents who traveled with them to the Games, so the doctors could share treatment plans with those parents in real time.
Lessons they brought back
The experience gave both physicians new insights that positively impact the sports medicine care they provide at CHOP. Dr. Brown says she has a much deeper appreciation for the balancing act these young athletes manage. “They’re juggling training, school, nutrition, sleep and their social lives,” she said. “Understanding the complexity of their needs helps us provide better care.”
For Dr. Master, working at the Games highlighted the importance of preparation. When one athlete developed COVID in Paraguay, she had to work with local epidemiologists and navigate a system without the over-the-counter access to rapid tests or treatments readily available in the U.S. “You realize how much planning goes into large sporting events,” she said. “It sharpened the overall way we think about emergency and general sports medical preparedness.”
The growing role of pediatric sports medicine
Youth sports continue to explode, with new opportunities and new pressures. Some teens are now signing sponsorships and earning money through their name, image and likeness, blurring the line between amateur and professional. That shift, Dr. Master noted, may change relationships between coaches and doctors, especially with the added element of working with agents.
Sports medicine is also the most rapidly growing specialty in the US. Within sports medicine, pediatric sports medicine is the most rapidly growing sub-specialty, reflecting the growth of youth sports and the recognition of the need for specialized care for these youth athletes. No matter how youth sports evolve, both doctors agree they want youth athletes to learn leadership, camaraderie and confidence from participating in sports. Sports will continue to be an important part of many kids' lives, and they will be there as pediatric sports medicine physicians to help youth athletes and their families manage that in a positive, developmentally appropriate way. They remain optimistic that sports are a great way to build resilience and lifelong healthy habits.
Advice for families of young athletes
Both doctors stressed that every athlete’s path looks different. Some specialize early, like gymnasts, while others take a more varied route, playing multiple sports. But one message is clear after working with the elite athletes at the Junior Pan American Games: the child has to be the driver of their sports career.
“The highest rate of kids quitting sports is around age 14,” Dr. Master explained. “Athletes that continue do so because the motivation comes from inside them, not because of external pressure from parents. That internal drive is what makes the difference.”
Dr. Brown added a reminder that not every child is destined for elite competition — and that’s more than okay.
“Most of the athletes we treat are not competing at an elite level. We want to help foster talents but also make sure they don’t get burned out. We want to create lifelong athletes and help them bring whatever they want to whatever level they are at.”
Their advice for families is to keep things simple and focus on the basics: nutrition, sleep, injury prevention and recovery, mental health care and keeping sports fun.
Drs. Brown and Master agree that sports are something you should be able to participate in for life. It looks different when you’re older, but staying physically active is great for your overall health and wellbeing. They hope all the athletes they treat can participate in sports for life. “One of the best things to instill as a pediatric sports medicine physician is that you need a plan for what you’ll do after your current type of sports participation ends,” Dr. Brown advised. “We want parents to help their children become the best people they can, and sports can help with that.”
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