Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Erica Rodriguez.
Hi Dr. Rodriguez, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m a Doctor of Physical Therapy for elite athletes. I played collegiate basketball and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree, and went on to pursue my doctorate. I obtained my doctorate at University of North Texas Health Science Center and began working in an outpatient orthopedic clinic. After spending several years in the field, I decided to start my own practice. In the summer of 2020, I started 4th Quarter Recovery. I wanted to provide a high-level mobile service to professional athletes. I started growing my brand and network immediately which has led me to this point. That year I began with an NBA player named Taurean Prince and a nationally ranked high school basketball player named Keyonte George. They were the start of my brand, and it continued to grow from there. Now, I work with many professional athletes in the NBA, NFL, and WNBA.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
In the beginning, the athletes were not coming to me easily. I put in countless hours in the first couple of years to align myself with the right people. I was networking every week and putting in volunteer work to grow my business.
The struggle is being patient when you don’t see immediate results. I remember working my full-time clinical position in addition to building 4th Quarter Recovery which I did for about 8 months. At that time, I was working 40 hours a week in clinic then putting in several hours a day after I got off work to see my 4th Quarter athletes. It was a very tiring part of the process, but I knew it was necessary in order to pursue my business full-time. I know you have to persevere through the hard times of growing a business if you want to succeed. Many people will quit during the process because it is not easy. The ability to see the bigger picture and trusting my work was everything to me.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
4th Quarter Recovery is a physical therapy practice for elite athletes. It is a mobile service that gives athletes an option to have me travel to them or provide treatment from their homes. I specialize in injury management, injury prevention, return to sport rehab, and sports recovery. I work with athletes at all levels, from high school to the professionals. Also, I’m a certified strength and conditioning specialist.
One of the things that sets me apart from others is the relationships I build with the athletes and their families. I do not want to work with everyone. I want the right athletes that are dedicated to their craft. I truly care about my athletes as people and am invested in their success. I take pride in knowing them outside of the game they play.
Another aspect that sets me apart is the way I study my athletes’ movements. I observe their movements in training, games, and practices. I am very familiar with their position and style of play. This helps me discover deficits and recognize where we can improve. My desire to be a student of the game allows me to continue to grow as a clinician. I feel that I should be progressing every year as a therapist, which is expected of my athletes.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
One of my favorite childhood memories would be going to the gym with my dad when he was playing pick-up basketball. When they had a break between games, he would always let me shoot on the “big goal” and rebound for me. Another one that comes to mind is my parents always being at all of my games growing up. My dad usually was coaching my team, and my mom was always in the stands to watch me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.4thquarterrecovery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4thquarterrecovery
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4thQuarterRecovery
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@4thquarterrecovery
Image Credits
Merix Alexander
Jake Fisher
Kai Visuals
