Jul. 24, 2026
Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic (KOC) will host the annual KOC Kick-Off Classic, a preseason football showcase featuring high school teams from across Knox County as part of its ongoing commitment to student-athletes and physical activity.
The two-day event takes place Thursday, Aug. 13, at Halls High School and Friday, Aug. 14, at Bearden High School with games beginning at 7 p.m. Participating high schools include Austin-East, Bearden, Carter, Central, Farragut, Fulton, Gibbs, Halls, Hardin Valley, Karns, Powell, South-Doyle and West.
“KOC is committed to supporting student-athletes on and off the field each year,” said Dr. Michael Kern, sports medicine surgeon at KOC. “The Kick-Off Classic is a great opportunity to promote injury prevention and wellness while celebrating the start of another exciting football season with athletes we’ve watched prepare in training rooms and at practice.”
| Halls High School Thursday, Aug. 13, at 7 p.m. | ||
| Austin-East (light) Offense | vs. | Karns (dark) Defense |
| Central (light) Offense | vs. | Gibbs (dark) Defense |
| Halls (light) Offense | vs. | Carter (dark) Defense |
| Bearden High School Friday, Aug. 14, at 7 p.m. | ||
| Fulton (light) Offense | vs. | Hardin Valley (dark) Defense |
| Farragut (light) Offense | vs. | West (dark) Defense |
| Bearden (light) Offense | vs. | Powell (dark) Defense |
| Bearden (light) Offense | vs. | South-Doyle (dark) Defense |
*Teams in light-colored jerseys sit on Press Box side of the field.
KOC performed 800 low-cost preparticipation physical evaluations in May to help prepare youth athletes from across East Tennessee for summer conditioning, practice and the season ahead. It’s part of KOC’s commitment to support youth athletes, schools and the broader community.
As the official sports medicine provider for Knox County Schools, KOC places certified athletic trainers at 13 Knox County high schools, as well as schools in numerous surrounding counties to provide sports medicine coverage at practice, in training rooms and on the sidelines at games.
These healthcare professionals specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries. They also work closely with KOC physicians and physical therapists to ensure injured athletes get the best care possible to get back to their sport.
In addition to athletic trainers who work with individual teams, KOC physicians and other healthcare providers are routinely on the sidelines at games to provide immediate assessment, treatment and support for student-athletes.
Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic has a longstanding history of supporting local athletes with KOC doctors serving as team physicians for area high schools and post-secondary institutions, including the University of Tennessee, Carson-Newman University, Maryville College, Lincoln Memorial University and Johnson University. KOC providers also support professional teams including the Knoxville Smokies, One Knoxville Sporting Club and the Knoxville Ice Bears.
For more information about the KOC sports medicine outreach efforts, visit kocortho.com/services/sports-medicine-outreach.
About Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic
Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic is the region’s largest provider of orthopaedic care and services with more than 520,000 patient visits annually at 12 East Tennessee locations. As a network of convenient and accessible clinics that provide exceptional orthopaedic care across the region, KOC comprises 10 office locations; two ambulatory surgery centers; and additional services including urgent care, MRI, orthotics and bracing, physical and occupational therapy and sports medicine outreach. KOC’s more than 150 orthopaedic experts, supported by over 1,000 team members, provide a superior quality of diagnostic proficiency; when needed, an unmatched level of surgical expertise; and a patient-centered approach to deliver unparalleled personalized treatment. The network recently earned a 2025 “Top Workplace” ranking from Knoxville News Sentinel based on employee surveys measuring company culture. For more information, visit kocortho.com.
