Dr. Ira A. Shapiro, director of the Plaza Chiropractic Center in Old Bridge, was inducted into the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) Sports Council Hall of Fame during ceremonies held Oct. 14 at the organization’s annual symposium in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Shapiro is only the 11th chiropractor in the association’s 45-year history to be honored with this prestigious distinction.
“This is a truly special honor,” said Dr. Carly Zuehlke, the newly-named ACA Sports Council president. “Dr. Shapiro is among the very few ever awarded this achievement. There is no higher recognition in sports chiropractic.”
“Dr. Shapiro was a unanimous selection,” said Dr. Tom Hyde, who was inducted into the ACA Sports Council Hall of Fame in 2001. “Every year, the committee meets to consider new inductees. There are thousands of very successful and dedicated sport chiropractors practicing in the United States. Dr. Shapiro’s selfless dedication to the betterment of the profession and the many athletes he treated on the local, national and international stage made him an extremely worthy recipient and the first honoree since 2013.”
The ACA Sports Council was founded in 1972 to advance the treatment and education of sports injuries. In 1991, the organization formed the ACA Sports Council Hall of Fame Award as the ultimate achievement in sports and fitness and to honor the on-going outstanding service of a very select number of chiropractors.
Since its inception, only 11 ACA Sports Council members have been inducted into the Hall of Fame (HOF) by a committee of peers and fellow HOF inductees. The stringent selection criteria honors those who contribute significantly to the profession and bring great respect and honor to the field. This includes impeccable character, exemplary sports chiropractic service to athletes, teaching at the collegiate level and a lifetime of accomplishments in sports chiropractic.
“There are numerous other worthy candidates for this honor,” said Dr. Shapiro. “Even to be considered is a special achievement. I have spent my entire career dedicated to the advance of the profession and the care of every patient that ever entrusted me with their care.
“I thank my family for understanding the sacrifices I’ve made through the years and my colleagues for awarding me with this truly lofty accomplishment,” he said. “My goal is to honor this selection by continually representing the profession with distinction, growing as a practitioner, and helping each patient under my care achieve the highest levels of wellness.”
Dr. Shapiro is the first chiropractor to serve on the medical staffs of two U.S. Olympic teams. This includes the 2004 Summer games in Athens, Greece and 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. He has also worked as an attending physician at competitions ranging from the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, World Games in Cali, Columbia, U.S. Olympic Trials, National Collegiate Taekwondo Championships, and USA Track & Field National Championships to the National Finals Rodeo, Gatorade Ironman Triathlon World Championship, U.S. Figure Skating Championship, and Pro Bowlers Association (PBA) Masters.
In addition to serving on the post graduate faculty of several colleges and teaching sports injury certificate seminars in Tokyo, Japan and Mexico City, Dr. Shapiro has received numerous distinctions for his long-standing commitment to chiropractic excellence. He was formerly named Sports Chiropractor of the Year by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) Council on Sports Injuries & Physical Fitness and awarded a Special Service Award from the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors (ANJC).
In addition, Dr. Shapiro has served on the board of directors of both the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians (ACBSP) and the United States Sports Chiropractic Federation (USSCF). Other accolades have also included a Proclamation for Chiropractic Excellence from the Governor of New Jersey and the New Jersey State Senate and General Assembly, citations from the City Council of New York and New York State Assembly, and a certificate of special congressional recognition from the U.S. Congress.
Dr. Shapiro and the Plaza Chiropractic Center can be reached at 732-723-0023. Additional information is available at www.plazachiro.com.