SportsCare Canberra has been a cornerstone of Canberra health care for over 25 years. From what was originally a single physiotherapy clinic located in Dickson, SportsCare has never wavered from its initial goal of providing excellent quality care for patients. Since opening back in 1999, we have done so by embracing growth opportunities in both our clinical offering and team to continue supporting our clients.
SportsCare Physiotherapy was first born in 1999 when Graeme Sproule and David Parsons opened the first clinic on Cowper Street in Dickson. It was that same year when we also started two of our first and most long-standing community partnerships with Wests Rugby and ACT Triathlon. These relationships are still going strong today, demonstrating how we have forged connections that would help create a strong sense of community.
It was only three years in that we had our first expansion, and we opened our O’Connor clinic. In 2004, we were lucky enough to have our partner, Cassandra Hodgkinson join the SportsCare team.
Jumping forward to 2008, we opened the Garran clinic and warmly welcomed Gareth and Louise Roantree as partners who have guided the team ever since.
By 2010, change was in the air. We closed the Garran clinic, but this was just the beginning of an exciting evolution. The doors of our Barton and Parliament House clinics swung open, and we introduced our Hand Clinic for the very first time.
In 2012, we started our partnerships with Ergoworks and Freerain Theatre, while in 2013 we opened the doors to our Weston clinic and introduced massage therapy to our service offering. It was also during this time that our partner Kylie Kook joined us, bringing her expert skills in sporting injuries, concussion management and so much more.
In 2014, we said goodbye to our chapter at the O’Connor clinic and hello to a next chapter with the opening of the Bruce clinic. We continued to grow in 2015 and 2016 as we introduced Exercise Physiology, and our Concussion Clinic services, as well as starting our partnership with Arawang Netball Association.
2018 was a busy year as we opened a second clinic in Dickson on Woolley Street and began our partnerships with the UC Capitals.
In 2019, we expanded our community reach even further with our Molongolo Juggernauts and the Gungahlin United Football Club partnerships.
Then came 2020, a year that tested us all as individuals and as a community. The Covid-19 pandemic changed everything overnight. Suddenly, telehealth appointments became the norm. We were very proud of our team which adapted swiftly and embraced new technologies to ensure our clients enjoyed continuity of care. Our clinics were recognised as essential health services and remained open throughout this challenging time for our community.
In 2021, the opening of our Mawson clinic and the start of our partnership with the Ainslie Football Club marked another exciting new period. But it was in 2022 that we realised we had outgrown our previous name of SportsCare and Physiotherapy. So, along with a full brand refresh, and to better reflect our full range of core and extended services, we became SportsCare Canberra, reflecting our deep roots in the community and our commitment to specialised care throughout Canberra. We also officially recognised our specialised services with the launch of a suite of sub-brands, including Physiotherapy, the Hand Clinic, Exercise Physiology, the Concussion Clinic and our Performance Project, allowing us to cater to the unique needs of our clients.
As we closed the Bruce clinic in 2023 we welcomed our partner Lisa White with her valued experience working with several national and international sporting teams.
Throughout our journey, one thing has remained constant – our commitment to the Canberra community. Some key highlights from this include Relay 4 Life, Triathlons, Corporate Dragon Boat Regatta, City 2 Surf and FARE, Coastrek, The Aged Care Expo and Aquatots. We have also worked with numerous local gyms such as Fernwood, Northside and Curves, allowing us to build stronger connections within our community.
We’ve proudly sponsored and worked with a range of sporting groups, including the UC Capitals who we were proud to have a long-lasting relationship in support of elite women’s basketball. We have worked with various teams from soccer and rugby to netball and athletics, and each partnership reflects our belief in the power of community and the importance of supporting local talent and well-being.
We believe that there are several key pillars to helping you get the care and support you need which is why we have a strong community of outreach services we work with. These services include psychology, sports medicine, dietetics, podiatry, massage therapy, and not to mention the 42 weekly group exercises run across the clinics. Each service adds another layer to our holistic approach, ensuring we can help our clients get the right support in every aspect of their health journey.
As we reflect on the last 25 years, we look at the incredible journey that has brought us here. From our small beginnings to where we are now, we have grown to over eight locations and have had over 250 amazing staff members with us along this journey. We have celebrated the birth of 33 staff babies in this time so we can’t wait to see what the next generation of the SportsCare team looks like!
And 2024 was not just a year to just stop and reflect on this amazing milestone, we’ve been busy again expanding our Mawson clinic, and later this year our Dickson clinics will merge together as one. We are excited about the future and committed to continuing our mission of providing top-notch care to our community. Thank you for being part of our story and here’s to another 25 years of health, wellness, and building connections with SportsCare Canberra!