The Chicago Sports Summit is on a 10-year winning streak. For the past decade, the annual event has generated conversations about the biggest trends in sports while supporting orthopedic research at Rush.
The 10th annual summit, hosted by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, will gather leading voices in the sports industry on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago for breakfast, a silent auction, networking and a program covering the latest topics in sports.
“Ten years is a milestone, and this summit gets bigger and better every year,” said Brian Cole, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Rush and founder of the summit. “It’s always a memorable morning, with incredible networking opportunities. You can learn something new, while supporting our community and our patients.”
Nikhil Verma, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Rush, looks forward to the annual event.
“The summit is one of the only meetings that brings together physicians, athletes, management and business leaders to collectively discuss current issues that are shaping the world of sports medicine and relevant to our community,” Verma said.
Over the past decade, the Chicago Sports Summit has raised approximately $750,000, primarily to support orthopedic research at Rush — helping patients recover from injuries, live their fullest lives and benefit from innovative new treatments — as well as youth organizations. The summit also funds opportunities for the next generation of clinician-scientists to work alongside orthopedic surgeons and contribute to groundbreaking research.
“The summit underpins the ongoing importance of philanthropic support for research in an environment where it’s really difficult to secure funding for high-risk, high-reward ideas,” Cole said.
Big names. Big conversations.
This year’s summit lineup will include a fireside chat with former Chicago Bulls point guard and entrepreneur Derrick Rose in conversation with Cole.
“I’m looking forward to discussing the challenges Derrick faced as a Chicago Bull, how he returned again to sports and what his vision is now following his career in the NBA,” Cole said.
With stadium projects dominating headlines across professional sports, the summit will also explore how teams, cities and developers are navigating these investments. Shane Nho, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Rush, will introduce the conversation, which features Lester Bagley, executive vice president of public affairs for the Minnesota Vikings, and Eric Fisher, a reporter for Front Office Sports. The panel will be moderated by Chicago Tribune reporter Robert McCoppin.
Why everyone’s talking about Hyrox
The summit will kick off with a panel on what’s driving the growth of Hyrox, a global indoor fitness race that interweaves a series of one-kilometer runs with functional workout stations. A relatively new fitness competition, Hyrox expanded to the United States in 2018. It has since expanded significantly across major U.S. cities. In 2026, more than 1.5 million people in 30 countries have competed in at least one Hyrox race.
The panel will feature Hyrox leaders and competitors, including Bijan Heravi, president of Ripple Sports; Kelly Jamieson, head of sales for the Americas for Hyrox; and Hyrox world champion Alyssa McElheny. It will be introduced by Greg Nicholson, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Rush, and moderated by WGN-TV’s Kaitlin Sharkey.
McElheny fell in love with Hyrox as soon as she was introduced to it. She jumped at the opportunity to share her athletic passion with others.
“It means a lot to me that Hyrox is being highlighted at this year’s summit,” McElheny said. “I think the reason for that is the accessibility and the inclusivity of it. You’ll see top-ranked athletes competing at a really high level, but you’ll also see doubles partners where it’s their first event. You might see a 60-year-old woman competing in her own race or an adaptive division. The variety of inclusivity is really important to me.”
The business behind pickleball’s boom
As pickleball’s popularity continues to surge, Rush sports medicine specialist Brian Forsythe, MD, will set the stage for a conversation on the business behind one of America’s fastest-growing sports. ESPN Radio host David Kaplan will lead the discussion with sports business executive Ross Chaifetz about the growth of pickleball and the business opportunities driving its popularity.
“Pickleball’s probably the hottest sport,” Forsythe said. “Its growth rate is second to none.”
Forsythe has been involved with the Chicago Sports Summit since its inception and is looking forward to returning on Oct. 6.
“It’s an important opportunity for sports medicine and the sports community to get together to talk about issues that we’re all facing,” Forsythe said. “It’s a way for us to raise awareness and to support a deserving cause.”
After the Olympics: What’s next for Team USA athletes?
Following the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, four athletes will share what comes next after competing on one of the world’s biggest stages. Moderated by NBC Chicago’s Alex Maragos, the panel will feature Olympians Ethan Cepuran, silver medalist speed skater; Emery Lehman, silver medalist speed skater; Danny O’Shea, gold medalist pairs figure skater; and Sarah Warren, speed skater.
Warren is looking forward to being on a panel with fellow Olympians, especially given the number of local skaters involved.
“Speed skating’s rarely in the limelight, so it’s really cool to see it highlighted at the summit,” Warren said. “Every four years, you get people to see the sport and how amazing it is, but it’s pretty niche. I only skate for 38 seconds, but I’ll carry the lessons I’ve learned training for those 38 seconds for the rest of my life.”
Warren is also deeply connected to the medical side of the summit. Cole performed knee surgeries that helped her return to competition and inspired her to pursue a career as an orthopedic surgeon. With a master's degree in bioengineering, Warren plans to take the Medical College Admission Test this winter, encouraged by Cole, her mentor.
“Dr. Cole is the reason I was able to be out there to achieve my dream at the Olympics,” Warren said. “He forever changed the trajectory of my life.”
Join us at the 2026 Chicago Sports Summit and help advance orthopedic research and care at Rush. Purchase tickets, sponsor a table or learn about other sponsorship opportunities.
