StM News

Dr. James “Jimmy” Robinson ’75

What teachers and classes do you remember most from your time at St. Martin’s? 

I looked back at my copy of The Shield, and I was thinking about some of the teachers that I had and how they influenced what I do now. Of course I think about Mr. Graf, specifically in science, also Ms. Johnson. For social studies, I think about Coach Porter. I was lucky enough to have Coach Porter for a lot of my history classes, and of course, Mrs. Porter, too. But when I think back, I realize my love for science was definitely founded during my time at St. Martin's, especially the high school biology classes, there's no question about that. And I have a passion for history too, and I think the Porters were beneficial in that aspect too. I do a lot of studying of the Civil War, and I remember Coach Porter talking about Civil War stories all the time, and so every time I read about a battle, I hear him in the background. 

Talk about the importance of the Episcopal tradition during your time at St. Martin’s.

I look back and realize how privileged I was to be able to be in an environment with like-minded people that had the same core values. That really shaped my personality and my life from there on. But I didn’t know it then! Having a solid academic foundation with a Christian background - I think as a student, you take it for granted until you get out. For us, the Episcopal identity was just a part of our everyday routine, whether it was Chapel or religion classes. I thought that was the norm, but once I got out and realized the structure I had in that area, it was definitely something that I appreciated. I look back on that and I can't imagine having gone to a different school where they don’t have that religious structure involved with the education at all.  I'm glad I had that during my upbringing because I think it really made a difference.

How has St. Martin's helped shape who you are as a person? 

What first comes to mind are the relationships that I developed during my time at St. Martin’s, especially in high school. I was a lifer - kindergarten to graduation. From a developmental standpoint, so much of your character is being developed by the people you associate with during that time. But really, what I think shaped my career was my sports participation throughout my years at St. Martin's. I would also say that so much of my time there revolved around sports, whether it was P. E., recess, or being a part of different teams, sports were such an important part of my day-to-day life. 

You helped establish a Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship at Alabama’s College of Community Health Sciences. Talk about the importance of that program.

After my residency, I was in one of the first classes of sports medicine. I was technically in the fourth class of sports medicine nationally. I did my sports medicine training at the Cleveland Clinic, I took care of the Browns, Cavaliers, and the Indians - and when I came back to Alabama, I was the first primary care sports medicine-trained physician in the entire state. The team physician that I replaced was an old country doctor, who had no training in sports medicine whatsoever, so it was something that was new at that time. During my early years, I was really in private practice, and I just did the University work as a hobby really! It was a second job. 

At that time, there was a residency program in family medicine in Tuscaloosa, which is where I did my residency also. They had talked to me about starting a fellowship program in sports medicine. The medical school thought it was a good idea to start it, but funding it was the issue, so for years, the residents just rotated with me through my office basically as an elective rotation in sports medicine. Finally, we got a new dean, who basically told me the school was willing to fund the program if I was willing to put in the time and effort to oversee it, and so we did! So I started the fellowship in 2009, and basically we waited until one of the residents was very interested in sports medicine, so he became my first trainee, and he's now the head team physician for the university! I turned the reins over to him. It’s amazing because now, years later, the people who are running [Alabama Athletics medical team] are all people that I trained in the fellowship program. I always told people that when we took in fellows, they weren’t there to learn from me, they were there to be sideline physicians at Alabama football! 

You recently retired after nearly 40 years as the Head Physician for Alabama Athletics. Talk about being part of such a strong program for so long and how that has impacted your life and your career

You know, it's been a wonderful ride! I've had some good times. You know, most people nowadays, when they think of Alabama football, they think of the Coach Saban years, and I worked for 16 years with Coach Saban, but we had some really lean years, too. I started in 1989 with the team officially, after my training in sports medicine. We won my first national championship in football in 1992. We won six national championships in football, but we went to ten national championship games, so we were at that level almost every year with Coach Saban, which was good and bad. I mean, it puts a lot of pressure on the team. Every decision you made was critical. 

As head team physician, I’ve worked with all sports. I can remember days when I'd go to three different events in a day, whether it was a baseball game, a gymnastics meet, or a men's or women's basketball game, and then over to football practice, all on the same day. I had fun with all the teams! One of my favorite championships to go to was actually the College World Series when it was in Omaha, Nebraska. We went there twice when I was the baseball team doctor, and that was just so enjoyable. I started taking care of the gymnastics team when I was a resident, and they actually took me as their physician when the gymnastics team won their first national championship in 1988. They ended up winning six titles while I was there. 

Talk about some of the top sports memories from your career.

It’s hard to choose! Obviously the championship games - it’s just phenomenal to be associated with that - to be a part of it was something. Of the football championships, my favorite probably had to be the 2020 season, only because that was the COVID year, and the entire season was all SEC teams. To have navigated through COVID, and to get through that season undefeated - playing only SEC teams - and then eventually winning the national championship was worth all that hard work.

Also, there were several instances over the years when I would have an athlete who might have been sick or injured and I was able to help that athlete in a way that enabled them to compete, and by competing they made the difference on whether we won or lost the game. Those are really rewarding moments. The fulfillment and the satisfaction you get out of that is just amazing. The gratification from that is tremendous. It made you feel part of the team, and I think that was what made it so much fun!

What advice do you have for our students? 

The harder you work now, the better it's going to be for you in the end. Whether it's in sports or in your professional life or your personal life. I say to put in the effort early and don’t cut corners. Do things the right way and have dedication and pride in what you do. I think learning that at an early age is extremely important and will carry you through life. From an academic standpoint, it’s important to develop good study and work habits in the classroom; one thing I definitely learned at St. Martin's was how to study. My study habits carried the load for me in medical school, and made things easier.

You are the 27th recipient of the Martin de Tours award, how did you feel when you received that news?

I was truly honored to receive such a distinguished award from my St. Martin’s family, and was humbled by the inclusion in such a distinguished group of previous recipients, and would have never thought that I could be considered for such recognition. I owe my career to the education and activities that I was privileged enough to experience at St. Martin’s.

What are you most looking forward to about your 50th reunion this spring?

Wow, how time flies! There are so many people that I haven't seen since graduation night, and I’m excited to catch up with them, especially the ‘Lifers.’ They’re people I spent 13 years with! I think back to athletics, and our football team my senior year. We were actually district champions and regional champions and we had a really successful year, and I think it was mainly because we had 16 seniors that played on the team, and we had all been playing together since seventh grade, and of course, we all played together on the playground, too! We had played the same position from seventh grade on up. We were a real force! Seeing those people is going to be fun, and to be able to talk to them about, say, our kindergarten teacher or something like that, I’m just excited to be able to do that again.