Tim Ream gets wrapped up in a bear hug. Mark McKenzie daps him up. Tim Weah has a special handshake.<\/p>\n
Every time U.S. men\u2019s national team players get off the bus \u2014 whether it\u2019s arriving at a training or a game \u2014 they’re greeted by their biggest hype man, Harris Patel.<\/p>\n
“He\u2019s barking, he\u2019s hugging you, he\u2019s dapping you up, he\u2019s picking you up,” McKenzie told me before a recent pre-World Cup training session. “That shock to the nervous system is sometimes necessary. It shows how much he cares about this team.”<\/p>\n
“And it\u2019s times 10 on game day,” Christian Roldan added.<\/p>\n
Patel is one of the U.S. squad\u2019s athletic trainers who is on staff for his second consecutive World Cup. The USA starts its campaign vs. Paraguay on Friday at Los Angeles Stadium (9 p.m. ET on FOX\/FOX One<\/u> and streaming for free on Tubi<\/u>). But it would be doing Patel and the team a disservice if he was simply described as one of their physios.<\/p>\n
“He\u2019s an energy guy,” said Weston McKennie, who sometimes likes to joke with Harris and pretend he doesn\u2019t see him while getting off the bus. “It\u2019s like taking a shot of espresso getting off the bus. Whenever you may feel like you don\u2019t have the energy or the jet lag is kicking in, he\u2019s someone that sparks energy and wakes people up.<\/p>\n
“I always think that I\u2019m the energy guy of the group. But then he always tops me.”<\/p>\n
USA midfielder Malik Tillman alongside team trainer Harris Patel. (Photo by John Dorton\/ISI Photos\/USSF\/Getty Images for USSF)<\/span> <\/p>\n Patel, who U.S. Soccer did not make available for this story, has been with the team since before the 2022 World Cup. He\u2019s also served at five Olympic Games and 10 World Championships with USA Track and Field, and he was one of a select few trainers inside the NBA Bubble during the COVID pandemic. His resume includes stints with the New York Jets and the Indianapolis Colts, as well as the Alabama and Georgia football programs.<\/p>\n Most importantly, to his athletes, he\u2019s their guy.<\/p>\n “That man is an energizer bunny,” said Ream, who joked that Patel\u2019s hugs are so strong that they give him a good back crack. “He brings such an infectious positive energy. He comes in the morning ready to go, pumping guys up, getting guys really ready to put their best foot forward and put them in a place where they feel comfortable and welcome. And he transfers that energy to each of us every single day.”<\/p>\n Added Weah: “He\u2019s like a dad to all of us. We call him Unc. Just the energy that he brings, the vibes daily, keeping us on track. He\u2019s our physio, so he keeps our bodies right. He has blessed hands, and he\u2019s the guy to go to, and we love him so much.”<\/p>\n Patel grew up about 30 miles northeast of Atlanta in Suwanee and attended the University of Georgia in the late ’90s. As a college freshman, he was part of the first athletic training and sports medicine programs there, which is where he met his mentor, Ron Courson.\u00a0<\/p>\n Courson, now Georgia\u2019s Executive Associate Athletic Director for Health and Performance, spent decades leading the school\u2019s sports medicine efforts after becoming Director of Sports Medicine in 1995. He has also worked at multiple Olympic Games and helped shape health and safety policies throughout the NCAA, SEC and NFL.<\/p>\n He knew right away that Patel was special.<\/p>\n “One thing about Harris is, he\u2019s all in,” Courson told me by phone. “He really buys a team concept. He\u2019s got a tremendous work ethic, and he\u2019s going to do whatever it takes to help athletes get well.<\/p>\n “He has an engaging personality and is really dedicated to learning more and trying to grow in the profession.”<\/p>\n Patel was a student trainer at Georgia before getting his masters at Alabama, where he specifically helped out the softball team as a graduate assistant. After two years in Tuscaloosa, he returned to Courson\u2019s staff in Athens.<\/p>\n He later went to physician assistant school at Emory University and has crafted a unique business in concierge sports medicine that\u2019s allowed him to work with a variety of prestigious organizations and famous athletes.\u00a0<\/p>\n What makes Patel so endearing, though, is the way he connects with people. He\u2019s the type of guy who says hello in a hotel lobby and then immediately introduces you to the two colleagues he\u2019s meeting for breakfast. He\u2019s the one roaming the U.S. training field with water bottles in hand, shouting encouragement \u2014 “Let\u2019s go!” \u2014 with a huge smile on his face.<\/p>\n USA trainer Harris Patel with captain Tim Ream. (U.S. Soccer\/Getty Images)<\/span> <\/p>\n Aside from his warm demeanor and outgoing personality, Courson says another thing that sets Patel apart is his commitment to learning more about his own profession.\u00a0<\/p>\n For example: A couple weeks ago, he introduced Courson to a pair of innovative “core shorts” he discovered during a trip overseas. The compression style shorts help manage groin and core muscle issues, which is particularly helpful for soccer and football players who are prone to soft tissue injuries. This model had new technology that Patel was eager to try out.<\/p>\n “I think Harris is one of those people who is always on the cutting edge,” said Courson, who visited Patel at U.S. Soccer\u2019s new National Training Center before the team left for the World Cup. “Sometimes you get accustomed to doing things one way, and one of the unique things working with the Olympics or the World Cup and having the ability to do international travel is you get exposed to different concepts, you meet different people, and that\u2019s how you get new ideas.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Harris is always finding new ideas and not only using them himself, but sharing them with other people. And that\u2019s how we all get better.”<\/p>\n While players love being around Patel, seeing him often means something has gone wrong, whether it\u2019s a minor knock or a more serious injury. It helps that he\u2019s one of the friendliest faces around the team.<\/p>\n “I don\u2019t know anybody who ever met Harris and didn\u2019t love him,” Courson said. “Sports medicine is tough because most everybody who comes into the training room comes there because they have a problem. You have a responsibility to take care of them and help them with what they\u2019re dealing with.<\/p>\n “And to have somebody who is always positive, who cares about you not just as an athlete but as a person, I think that\u2019s one of the most engaging qualities.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" POPULAR SEARCHES BROWSE BY Tim Ream gets wrapped up in a bear hug. Mark McKenzie daps him up. Tim Weah has a special handshake. Every time U.S. men\u2019s national team players get off the bus \u2014 whether it\u2019s arriving at a training or a game \u2014 they’re greeted by their biggest hype man, Harris Patel. 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