Local physician serves Wave Futbol club
By Ashley Shah
Brian Kurose, a resident of Scripps Ranch, is the team physician for the San Diego Wave Futbol Club, San Diego’s first women’s soccer team for the National Women’s Soccer League.
“The National Women’s Soccer League has been around for 10 years. This is the first time San Diego has had a team,” Kurose said.
Kurose practices family medicine as well as sports medicine at Kaiser Permanente.
“Kaiser had won the bid to be the medical provider for the San Diego Wave team,” he said.
With his experience in sports medicine as well as being the lead physician for the San Diego Sockers team, he was enlisted alongside orthopedic surgeon Dr. Joan Williams to aid the team.
“Dr. Williams handles all the musculoskeletal problems. I also help out with that, but primarily cover all the medical needs with regards to injuries: concussions, and anything else medicine related,” he said.
The San Diego Wave also has a trainer and a physical therapist who are with the team at all times alongside Kurose and Williams.
“Working with the trainer has been great. She has medical training as an athletic trainer. If something happens to the athlete, she could take care of it, unless it needs higher medical attention like at the physician level, and that’s when we get involved,” Kurose said.
The team began practicing earlier this year. Their first game was in mid-March. Since the team started practicing, Kurose and Williams are called to help at any time in case of need.
“Every week it’s different. A couple weeks back, I was with the team every day, but there are some weeks where I do not see them at all,” Kurose said. “I would say on average, I spend a couple hours a week with the team.”
Usually, he is able to help the athletes remotely.
“I would say about 75 percent of the time I am able to help the athlete over the phone, and about 25 percent of the time I have to go in to see the athlete,” Kurose said.
Kurose and Williams attend as the team also holds ‘training room,’ which happens once a week for a couple hours on-site at the polo grounds in Del Mar.
“During training room, we are able to help the athletes with whatever they need right then,” Kurose said.
Kurose described the injuries he sees most frequently now that the team has been in season for a couple of months.
“Hamstring strains, quadriceps strains and knees are the most common injuries,” he said. “Thankfully, we have not seen any major injuries this season.”
The season ends in September and playoffs start shortly after that.
“We are in first place at the moment, so I think we will definitely make it to the playoffs,” Kurose said. “This team is a first year team, but they are phenomenal. All of the athletes gel together, and there is a great coaching staff.”
Outside of the San Diego Wave team, Kurose is the medical director for the Rock n’ Roll Marathon.
“The Rock and Roll Marathon happens every year. We had it about a month ago. I’ve been their medical director for about six years,” he said.
Kurose is also on the board for the Southern California Special Olympics in San Diego.
“I’ve been on the board for about five years. We meet every other month with the committee and the board,” Kurose said.
Kurose’s start in medicine began shortly after earning his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of California, Irvine in 2005.
“I was a high school teacher before I became a physician – this was right out of college,” he said.
Kurose started medical school in 2007 at the University of California, Davis (UCD).
“I always had a passion for helping other people, and especially with sports. I had been in sports my whole life,” he said.
Kurose graduated from UCD in 2011.
“I did my residency at Kaiser in Los Angeles in family medicine for three years, and then I did a fellowship at the same Kaiser for sports medicine for an extra year,” he said.
Kurose is board certified in both family and sports medicine.
In 2015, he moved down to Kaiser Permanente in San Diego, and has been here ever since.
To keep up with the San Diego Wave team, visit sandiegowavefc.com.