When Dr. Edward Snell strode onto the football field at Hampton High School Friday night before Hampton's opening game with Blackhawk, he was greeted as an old friend by coaches and players -- and with special warmth by the training staff.

Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette Dr. Edward Snell examines the ankle of Hampton High School quarterback Bob Bartley on Saturday, the morning after the team's loss to Blackhawk. The quarterback had a mild sprain. Click photo for larger image.

Dr. Snell is the director of the sports medicine program for Allegheny General Hospital and an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Drexel University's medical school. He's also the team physician for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

This makes Dr. Snell a busy man. But not too busy to take on an additional assignment.

Since 1995, AGH has provided medical support to the sports teams of 12 area high schools. Dr. Snell and the five physicians from the sports medicine program assisting him each are responsible for two schools. They provide on-site injury recognition training, and visit the schools once a week to treat any injuries suffered by players during practice or doing games.

Dr. Snell attended Hampton's game Friday night, and held clinics at Hampton Saturday morning, and at his other high school, Northgate, Saturday afternoon. All this is on top of a full week at work. He'll attend 11 or 12 high school football games a year.

"This is kind of AGH's outreach to the community," Dr. Snell said. "You've got to have a love of the sport to do this."

If a player is injured during a game the AGH doctors are attending, they'll hang back unless the school's trainer requests their assistance.

"It's nice to have another opinion," said Lynn Toergi, who has been Hampton's trainer for 24 years. "It's kind of tough to be an athletic trainer and be out there on your own."

Dr. Snell "is very accessible," Ms. Toergi said. "You can call him anytime."

Ms. Toergi is one of the best trainers he's worked with, Dr. Snell said.

That view is shared by the five student trainers who work with Ms. Toergi.

"Lynn is the master. She knows everything," said Jill Dukovich, a 17-year-old senior who wants to become a physical therapist.

"There was a kid last year who had a compound fracture," Ms. Dukovich said. "I got to assist with that. It was really cool ... for me, not for him, of course."

Dr. John Plosay, who is on a sports medicine fellowship at AGH after 15 years working as an emergency room physician, attended the Hampton game with Dr. Snell.

For sports injuries, he said, "the big thing is the difference. You have freshmen who are 140 pounds and seniors who are 300 pounds, and they all play together."

The AGH physicians also focus on preventing the spread of infectious diseases.

"Lynn's been very good about preventive care," Dr. Snell said.

Hampton lost its game to Blackhawk, 24-21. But no one was injured, so Ms. Toergi was content.

"It's a win when everyone walks away healthy," she said.

At the clinic Saturday morning, Dr. Snell had only one patient, senior Bob Bartley, the quarterback, who sought treatment for a sprained ankle. Dr. Snell -- who was accompanied this past Saturday by his two young daughters -- will see anywhere between nobody and 10 patients at these sessions, which customarily are held while the team is reviewing the game film from the night before.

Besides Hampton and Northgate, the high schools AGH assists in this outreach program are Avonworth, Bethel Park, Brentwood, Carlynton, Chartiers Houston, Franklin Regional, North Hills, Montour, and Seton LaSalle.

Assisting Dr. Snell in the program are physicians Patrick DeMeo, Robert Schilken, Dennis Phillips, Greg Altman and William Greer.