Cora Coate
how the Center for the Female Athlete helped Cora get back to her lanes
- patient name: Cora Coate
- age: 18
- condition: ongoing knee pain, Hashimoto’s
- seen in: Center for the Female Athlete, orthopedics, endocrinology and diabetes, physical therapy
- providers: Center for the Female Athlete team, Carla Bridges, MD, Susan Almazan, MD
When most people think of sports, they may picture basketball courts or soccer fields. For Cora Coate, she’s found joy on the polished lanes of a bowling alley. “Bowling is different from any other sport,” she says. “I started bowling to show support to a friend after we lost another one of our friends.”
With that powerful start, and as she continued to play, bowling became more than a game for Cora —it became a community, a place to challenge herself, and a space to grow. “All of my teammates work together to better each other!”
But during her sophomore year, Cora began having ongoing knee pain. Concerned about why the pain lingered and if she might be truly injured, she sought specialized care at Dayton Children’s Center for the Female Athlete.
from knee pain to a path forward
In February, toward the end of bowling season her sophomore year, Cora’s knee kept hurting. As a dancer as well as a bowler, she tried to push through the discomfort, waiting until the summer when she would have more time to focus on recovery. Unfortunately, this lingering pain became a real obstacle to her athletic activities, so Cora and her mom looked for a way to get her relief.
Cora was referred by a pediatrician to Carla Bridges, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Dayton Children’s. After weeks of physical therapy at the Dayton Children’s outpatient care center in Troy, her knee pain continued. When MRI scans showed no need for surgery, Dr. Bridges suggested Cora be seen in the Center for the Female Athlete.
The Center for the Female Athlete comes alongside athletes being treated for other conditions, to provide support services such as nutrition, behavioral health, and injury prevention. Athletes meet with physicians, dietitians, behavioral health specialists and athletic trainers to develop an overall wellbeing plan tailored to their physical and mental health needs.
why Dayton Children’s was the right choice
Each Center for the Female Athlete appointment starts with a screening, where athletes meet with dietitians, athletic trainers, behavioral health specialists, and sports medicine providers.
From this first appointment, Cora noticed a difference. “The first time you go, you meet with so many people, but because they take so much time in the beginning to get to know you as a whole person.”
During this thorough checkup, Cora found out she was low on iron and vitamin D, which led to more tests—and a discovery that she has Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune condition that could cause inflammation and impact her recovery. Cora started seeing Susan Almazan, MD, an endocrinologist at Dayton Children’s, to keep an eye on things.
While the Center for the Female Athlete doesn’t treat Hashimoto’s directly, their caring team played a big part in helping Cora connect with the right specialists.
Cora also continued connecting with the specialists at the Center for the Female Athlete to look holistically at her health and recovery. “I feel like they’re more helpful because this is what they’re made for,” she says. “Every time I go back, they spend quality time with me, and I never feel rushed. They really get to know you as a whole person.”
With Dayton Children’s having a physical therapy location close to her Troy home, Cora was able to balance appointments with school, bowling and dance. Cora got the focused care she needed without disrupting her busy life.
looking ahead to recovery
For Cora, Dayton Children’s has been more than a place for recovery. It’s been a partner in her journey, supporting her growth on and off the lanes. “It’s been really beneficial in my athletic journey,” she says. “I would definitely recommend them to teammates, classmates, or anyone in our area.”
Cora will graduate from Troy High School in May and plans to attend Sinclair Community College to pursue an associate degree in social work, with the goal of making a positive impact on the lives of others. Her journey—from managing a sports injury complicated by Hashimoto’s disease to thriving as a teen female athlete—shows how comprehensive, specialized care can empower young athletes to reach their full potential both on and off the field.
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