Contributor Bio
Sports Physical Therapist
Dr. Raymond Siegelman
1977 - Present
A friend and mentor to Patriot coaches and athletes for more than three decades, Ray Siegelman has
been the man behind the teams since arriving in Concord in 1977. In his role as Sports Physical
Therapist, both official and unofficial, Ray has witnessed thousands of Patriot athletic events, and has
served as a friend, mentor, sounding board and therapist of all types to athletes and coaches alike.
Born and raised in Queens, NY, Ray attended Jamaica High School with anywhere from 5,000-6,000
kids on triple sessions, and went on to Columbia University for his studies in physical therapy. Ray
moved to Massachusetts for the first time in 1968 when the US Navy ordered him to report to the Naval
Hospital in Chelsea as a physical therapy officer.
In 1972, he returned to Massachusetts, after time in
Washington State, to further his graduate education at Boston University and was offered a
professorship there in 1973.
He was a member of the faculty in the physical therapy programs at both BU and then at Northeastern University for ten years. He received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the MGH Institute of Health Professions. After living in Waltham for a time, Ray and wife Lois, who was born and raised in Dorchester and attended Needham HS and Boston University (BS and MS degrees) moved to Brister's Hill Road in January, 1977 and the rest is history.
“I believe in the fall of 1977 I wandered over to the high school and watched a freshman football game.
It was soon thereafter that I met Dooley Thorpe and the journey began,” said Siegelman of how he came
to work at CC. “It was really serendipity-the proximity of my street to the high school and the fact that
Dooley needed someone at that point in time. If we lived in any other part of town, I strongly doubt that
a relationship with CCHS would have formed.”
Over the course of the last 33 years Ray has worked in both a compensated and volunteer capacity at
CCHS. His service has included thousands of hours of volunteer time in support of trainers Linda
Fogel, Steve Popielarz and Clayton Abrams, and has given CC teams a huge advantage when it comes to
student-athlete health and productivity. In his honor, the lacrosse team annually presents the Dr. Ray
Siegelman award to a deserving student-athlete. Professionally, Dr. Siegelman has been President of International Educational Resources now TherapyEd since its founding in 1988, and he writes and lectures extensively on exam preparation for health professionals. With Dr. Susan O’Sullivan, he is co-author of the National Physical Therapy
Examination Review & Study Guide. From 1982-1987, Dr. Siegelman was the Executive Director of the
APTA of Massachusetts. He has also held the position of Chief Delegate, Delegate, and Chairman of the
Eastern District of the Massachusetts Chapter of the APTA. He has served on and chaired many
committees at the district, chapter and national levels of the American Physical Therapy Association. In
2005, Dr. Siegelman received the prestigious Kessler Memorial Award from the Massachusetts APTA.
“Some of my greatest memories are of the coaches I have had the pleasure of working with,” said
Siegelman. “From Al Dentino and his brilliant work with the pep band to great coaches/teachers like
Elliot Lillien, Brent Clark, Jim McClellan, Jerry Moss, Al Robichaud, Dave Castelline, Karyn Hesse,
Lisa McGloin and Kevin Harrington. All have demanded and received excellence from their athletes.
But my favorite memories are watching kids develop from shy, sometimes puny, ninth graders to
physically, mentally and emotionally capable seniors. Watching them have successful moments
individually and with their teammates is what has made the experience at CCHS so meaningful. An
additional dimension is seeing them years later as alums making their contribution to society as adults."
Now a resident of Charlestown, Ray and Lois have one daughter, Jodi, a former CCHS cheerleading
captain and 2004 CCHS graduate currently pursuing her Master of Health Science in the Physician
Assistant Program at Quinnipiac University.