[06/19/02]A looming crisis over a lack of access to free physicals for Warren County’s student athletes is close to being averted.

Mississippi Sports Medicine in Jackson and Vicksburg Warren school district officials have come to a tentative agreement to provide free physicals for Warren County’s public school athletes on July 15.

The agreement still requires approval from the Vicksburg Warren School District Board of Trustees, and there are several other issues to work out such as transportation to and from the clinic, Vicksburg Warren athletics director Lum Wright Jr. said.

“The physicals have been approved (by MSM), but there are some organizational things that have to be worked out,” Wright said.

Citing increased costs for liability insurance, Vicksburg’s doctors as well as others around the state decided in late May to stop a longstanding tradition of providing free physicals for high school athletes. Students may not participate in sports without proof of having had a physical.

Most athletes at Warren Central had their physicals earlier in May, but the decision forced the cancellation of a clinic that would have provided free physicals for athletes at Vicksburg High, St. Aloysius and Porters Chapel.

Without the free clinic, a student-athlete would have had to pay for their physical. Doctors typically charge $35-$50 for the exam, causing a potential hardship for lower-income families or those without medical insurance.

MSM has already completed its scheduled free physicals for fall sports, but agreed to let athletes from VHS and WC attend a clinic in July for athletes competing in state football and basketball all-star games.

“The Vicksburg coaches have asked for some help and we have added them on to some physicals we are already doing. This isn’t a special thing just for Vicksburg,” said MSM administrator Bob Lodes. “There’s no difference if we’re doing 100 physicals or 400 physicals.”

The clinic will be the last chance for athletes from VHS and WC who play fall sports to receive a free physical. MSM will have other, regularly scheduled free clinics for winter and spring sports, but no more before the school year starts.

“Our intention is to still do them at this time. We talked to our insurance carrier (Monday), and as of (Monday) they were still comfortable with us doing them,” Lodes said.