Dr. Merrick Wetzler knew he wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon from the time he was a kid.
Wetzler also knew he wanted to work in sports medicine. Wetzler was a strong athlete when he was younger and competed in the Maccabiah Games in 1985 as a wrestler and again in 1989 with Team USA’s rugby squad.
So it should be no surprise Wetzler is a go-to doctor for athletes of all ages around South Jersey.
The JCC is honoring Wetzler for 20 years of service with the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award at the JCC Sports Award Dinner on Sept. 13. Wetzler, a Cherry Hill resident, has practiced at Advocare South Jersey Orthopedics since August 1995. He moved to Cherry Hill in 1997, the same year the current JCC building opened.
“I’ve always loved what I did,” Wetzler said of his job as an orthopedic surgeon. “I take great pride and joy in treating the athletes.”
Shortly after moving to the area, Wetzler began serving the JCC community. He was the medical co-chair when the JCC Maccabi Games came to Cherry Hill in 1999 and reprised the role when Cherry Hill hosted the games again in 2014.
“The role was really overseeing the entire medical, from getting supplies, making sure the venues were appropriately staffed with medical personnel,” Wetzler said.
Wetzler also serves as the team orthopedic surgeon for two local high schools. He has treated Eastern Regional High School athletes for nearly 20 years and has been the orthopedic surgeon for Cherry Hill High School West athletes for about 15 years.
These local roles are just a small part of what Wetzler has done over the last two decades. Wetzler has served as the medical director for Team USA at numerous international Maccabiah Games. Most recently, Wetzler was the medical chair with Team USA in Israel for the 2017 World Maccabiah Games in July.
Wetzler said the Maccabiah Games involve a lot of planning and logistics, especially because the venues for the events are located in different Israeli cities.
“We’re spread out all over,” he said. “This year, we had over 1,100 team members anywhere from ages 15 to 80.”
Wetzler credits his sports medicine team for its hard work and support during the Maccabiah Games. While Wetzler and his team are busy with treating the athletes during the games, he said it is rewarding when he sees an athlete bounce back from medical care to be successful in an event.
“To see athletes compete, especially if one of them got treated by us and they did well and we helped them do well, that’s why I do what I do,” Wetzler said.
Wetzler learned he would be receiving the JCC’s Lifetime Achievement Award just as he was returning from the Maccabiah Games in late July. Wetzler is looking forward to the awards dinner, where he will be enjoying the night with those in the JCC community.
“I’m looking forward to sharing it with my friends and my family,” Wetzler said. “This is my community. To share this award with my community and my friends is great. It’s been a privilege to live and breathe and take care of all my friends and family.”
Wetzler plans to continue serving as medical director for Team USA at the Maccabi Games for the foreseeable future. He is already planning for the 2019 European Maccabiah Games, the 2019 Pan American Maccabi Games and the next World Maccabiah Games in Israel, scheduled for 2021.
