KOC to Feature NBA Athletic Rehabilitation Director at Second Annual Coaching Conference

Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic (KOC) will partner with Prisma Health to host a multi-faceted coaching conference offering free sports medicine training and insight for local coaches, athletic trainers and healthcare professionals who work with student-athletes.

The groundbreaking conference, which was introduced in 2025, will be held Friday, June 5, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Maryville, located at 202 W. Lamar Alexander Parkway.

The conference will feature at least 10 speakers, including Brandon Gilliam, who has a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and is a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) with more than a decade of experience working with NBA players with the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat.

Additional speakers include Don Reagan, performance physical therapist, Carson-Newman University athletics; Rhett Brooks, strength coach, University of Tennessee athletics; KOC’s Dr. Greg Mathien, team physician for UT athletics; KOC physician Dr. Amber Luhn, who works with Lady Vols athletics at UT; and Dr. Kyle Boden, KOC sports medicine surgeon who conceived of the conference, along with additional experts in the field.

The one-day event will cover a wide range of topics impacting athletes, including injury prevention and return-to-sport protocols, strength and conditioning, nutrition and player mental health.
“This is designed to inform coaches and others who work with athletes about all avenues of care,” Boden said. “It is not a medical conference—it is a practical overview of how to show up for student-athletes and help maximize performance by prioritizing overall wellness.”

Boden has experience treating elite-level athletes and was the starting quarterback at Emory & Henry University. After medical school, he helped care for the University of Kentucky football team as a chief resident before joining the Cleveland Browns medical staff as an orthopaedic surgery sports medicine fellow. Boden has now returned home to East Tennessee where he serves as team physician for Alcoa High School in addition to treating patients at KOC Maryville and KOC West in Knoxville.

“I have spent the last decade enhancing my expertise and building connections to bring elite sports medicine care to Blount County and beyond,” Boden said. “I am excited to watch this conference grow and provide comprehensive information and support to all of those who work with student athletes.”

The one-day conference will also include presentations by Dr. Ben England of Prisma Health Sports Medicine; Jenna Waters, registered dietician with UT Internal Medicine and Integrative Health; Joe Black, Prisma Health Total Rehabilitation; and personal trainer and author Henry Matthews.

The event is free to coaches, athletic directors and trainers. Coaches can receive in-service credit for attending, and the seminar also qualifies for athletic trainers’ recertification credit.

Registration is encouraged for a complimentary lunch, but last-minute attendees will also be welcome.

KOC has a longstanding tradition of investing in medical education and community outreach. Events like the conference emphasize KOC’s role as a community leader in health education, outreach and service across the region.