Dr. Brian Mata has worked with the Baltimore Ravens, Washington Nationals, Duke lacrosse and Loyola lacrosse, to name a few teams.

Now, the Lakeshore Orthopedic surgeon will be the team surgeon for the U.S. Indoor National Team. Team USA will compete in the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Indoor Championship, Sept. 18-27 in Onondaga Nation and Syracuse.

Dr. Mata grew up in Derby and attended Lake Shore Central School before graduating from St. Francis in 1999. Dr. Mata received his Bachelors of Science in Biology from Canisius College in 2003 before attending the Duke University School of Medicine, where he graduated in 2007. He immediately proceeded into internship and an orthopedic surgery residency at Duke, which he finished in 2012. His wife is from Hamburg, so coming back to Western New York was always their plan.

Now, Mata is a member of Lakeshore Orthopedic and is the team physician for SUNY Fredonia athletics.

While Mata enjoys working with high school athletes in Chautauqua County, he also appreciates the opportunity to work with world class athletes, as well.

“It’s been great working with Fredonia State and the high schools,” he said. “But it’s fun to work with the higher level when you get the chance. It’s a great opportunity to get involved with a higher level. I hope to work with them in the future. I hope to bring something good back. I want to learn from this experience and learn International rules. All my stuff has been Division 1 and NCAA regulated. Seeing International rules, as far as substances, has been interesting.”

Team USA has earned the bronze medal in each of the three FIL World Indoor Lacrosse Championship events (2003, 2007, 2011). The 2011 championship saw Canada defeat the Iroquois Nationals for gold in Prague, Czech Republic.

While living near Baltimore during his residency, Mata’s love for lacrosse grew as he was near the mecca of the sport, working with Loyola, John Hopkins and Duke – all three with National lacrosse powerhouse teams. Now with his foot in the door with the U.S. National team, he is hoping he will be chosen as the team surgeon every four years.

“I hope if I do a good job and keep a good work relationship, I can continue to do this,” he said. “I will have to reapply. There are things that go with it. It’s not an automatic shoe in.”