Sports Medicine

Theodore C. "Ted" Quedenfeld, 66, a pioneer in Temple University's sports-medicine program, died of stomach cancer Saturday at Pennsylvania Hospital. He had been a longtime resident of Elkins Park. Mr. Quedenfeld was Temple's chief trainer and associate director of its Center for Sports Medicine and Science, and his research helped promote advances in everything from cleats to the prevention of sports-related asthma attacks. "He was the first generation of modern, scientific athletic trainers," said James W. Rogers, director of special projects in sports medicine at Temple and Mr. Quedenfeld's friend for 37 years.

Douglas M. Weiss, 64, of Swarthmore, a sports trainer and professor emeritus of physical education at Swarthmore College, died Sept. 25 of complications from surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. For 34 years, until his retirement in 2002, Mr. Weiss treated Swarthmore students - athletes and nonathletes - as well as faculty and staff and their dependents. He also taught weight training. He was hired in 1968 to care for Swarthmore's intercollegiate male athletes in a small training room that was walled off from the men's locker room with chicken wire and plywood.

Robert E. Colcher, 84, of Center City, medical director of Valley Forge Medical Center & Hospital, died Monday, Feb. 6, of heart failure at Hahnemann University Hospital. In 1958, Dr. Colcher joined what was then Valley Forge Medical Center & Heart Hospital as chief of surgery. He became medical director in 1966 after the death of his father-in-law, Joseph Wolffe, the hospital's medical director and founder. In 1973, Valley Forge Medical Center changed its mission to providing treatment to adults with substance abuse and associated physical, social, and psychological disorders.

Ania Krawiec can make sweet music with her tennis racket. She can sing, too. Krawiec plays just one sport at Bishop Eustace, starring for the tennis team. But she's also a member of the school choir. "It's just so different" than sports, said Krawiec, a Lumberton resident. "In sports you're running around, conditioning, competing, working so hard to try to improve. Being in the choir and singing is just a great way for me to relax. " Krawiec, a 5-foot-7 athlete who plays righthanded, is one of South Jersey's top tennis players.

Temple University is moving the general medicine department at its Fort Washington center to its main campus because of low demand at the Commerce Drive site, university officials said. A sports medicine department and a weight-reduction program will remain at the Commerce Drive site, according to Robert Villier, a spokesman for Temple University's Health Sciences Center. "The need for the service was not as great as we anticipated when we opened the (general medicine) practice there four years ago," Villier said.

When a professional athlete in middle age can maintain elite performance, they join a short list. It includes George Blanda, the NFL quarterback and kicker who retired at 48 after 26 seasons; tennis star Martina Navratilova, who won a Grand Slam title two months shy of her 50th birthday; and swimmer Dara Torres, who at 41 earned three silver medals at the Olympics. Then there's boxer Bernard Hopkins, who on Saturday could become the oldest fighter to win a major world title.

Akeim Kelly knows that the chances for even an excellent high school athlete to make it to the pros are slim to none. Even if you're one of the best in Philadelphia. But the Bishop McDevitt graduate also knows that there are other ways of making contributions to the squad than anchoring a lightning-fast relay team or hitting a jump shot with seconds left in the game. As Pennsylvania's "Outstanding Non-Traditional Student of the Year," Kelly thrives on attaining his dreams differently from most 18-year-old athletes.

Brandywine Hospital is spending $500,000 to expand its Oaklands Health Pavilion at 460 Creamery Way in Oaklands Corporate Center, Exton, to offer sports medicine and physical therapy programs and to expand its occupational health and therapy facilities. "Several years ago we purchased the building, and we have been expanding to capture the population in that service area and also to put facilities closer to the public that uses them," said Christine Latovich, vice president of Brandywine Hospital.

Jim Lynch hinted that a version of bogo could be in the works. As in srobmgtm . . . Successfully Recruit One Burr, Maybe Get Two More. Lynch, a 6-4, 225-pound senior at West Catholic High, the PIAA Class AA state football champion, yesterday made an oral commitment to Norfolk State, and added that two of his teammates, who for the moment prefer to remain anonymous, could be joining him. Lynch earned first-team Daily News All-City honors on the defensive line (he played end)

Federal prosecutors regrouped yesterday after the two top executives of Salt Lake City's scandal-marred Olympics bid rejected a plea deal in the international vote-buying scheme. Lawyers for Tom Welch, the former leader of the successful bid to bring the 2002 Winter Games to Utah, and Dave Johnson, his chief deputy, said they turned down the deal Wednesday because the charges were too sweeping. Attorney Max Wheeler said Welch and Johnson rejected a deal that would have had them pleading guilty to obstructing the IRS from collecting taxes.