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In the backfield
By LOGAN D. MABE, Times Staff Writer CARROLLWOOD -- In college, Susan Welsh was beset with vicious migraine headaches. When a classmate suggested she visit a chiropractor, Welsh was willing to try anything to stem the pain. It worked. Not only did Welsh find relief, she found her calling. Now, the 48-year-old Odessa woman runs her own clinic and has carved out an interesting niche for herself as a chiropractor to sports stars. Walking through her offices on Ehrlich Road is like visiting a sports memorabilia shop. There are autographed jerseys on nearly every wall, hockey sticks stacked in the corner, and signed pucks and balls on desk tops in every room. Welsh is the team chiropractor fo the Tampa Bay Lighting, Tampa Bay Storm arena football team, Tampa Bay Mutiny, the University of South Florida athletic department and Leto High School. She even works on the back of PGA Tour pro and Sarasota resident Paul Azinger, who snags flags from famous golf courses to add to the decor. "We see him quite a bit," Welsh said. "I tell you, he's one of the funniest men on earth. "There's not a piece of memorabilia in here unless I've treated the person," said Welsh, who has tweaked everyone from Olympic soccer stars and Buc punters to pro wrestlers and Sports Illustrated swimsuit models. "Everybody in here is a patient or has been treated here." Because of her affiliation with USF, she even got the chance to treat ersatz pop singer Yanni when he performed at the Sun Dome. "Someone called and asked, "Dr. Welsh, can you treat Yanni,' " Welsh said. "And I asked, "What is it?' But really, he couldn't have been a nicer guy." Welsh's clinic, which she runs with two other chiropractors, specializes in sports injuries, nutrition and acupuncture. Lynette Berven handles the nutrition side with Neal Sayers does acupuncture. "We get a lot of weekend warriors," Welsh said. Welsh, who lives with her husband Tom Martin on Lake Keystone in Odessa, said she has an affinity for water. She grew up in Rock Island, Ill., on the Mississippi River and came to appreciate the gentle rhythms of country life. "I love living on a lake," Welsh said. "And I have an iguana now. He just showed up on my dock one day. He comes down off his tree three times a week to be fed. We have foxes, ducks, and the peacocks have adopted my new house." When she's not working, Welsh said she enjoys fishing, flying airplanes and watching sports. "I have the world's greatest job," Welsh said. "If somebody asked me what else I might do for a living, I'd have absolutely no clue." -- Logan D. Mabe can be reached at 226-3464 or at mabe@sptimes.com Do you have a neighbor who belongs in the newspaper? Please let us know. We're looking for people who have done remarkable things, but might not otherwise be featured in the newspaper. Please send your idea -- including where the person lives -- to sokol@sptimes.com.
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From the Times |
