An Athletes Best

Figure 4:
… More about Sports
Massage
practice for as long as you would of

Friend!
Figure 1: liked. “If an athlete is having a
particular problem or if an injury
exists, the therapist will work the
specific area for the entire session to
What
help you the
normaize willdamaged
learn.. tissue”.
(Pete Pfannerstill, 2008) The
therapist might offer routine
exercises • soGetting started
that the athlete will
with
keep up to shape. sports
massage

• Inside scoop
from an athlete

• Traveling with a
massage
therapist

• How to connect
with a sports
team
Let’s Get It Started, Sports “He who has
Style!
Have you ever wondered what Figure 2: health has hope,
it is like to have your own and he who has
personal massage therapist?! hope has
Have you ever wondered what
everything”.
it would be like to be a
travelling massage therapist (Arabian Proverb)
for athletes?! Well you are
reading the right newsletter! Figure 3:
Continue for more fabulous
information!
If You Think Sports
Massage is Easy, Think
Again!
by: Jillian Pasher
In order to be a sports massage athlete is finished their sport or
therapist you have to go through track event, “you also learn how
several years of school including pre- to treat by using longer, slower,
and post-event sports-massage more sedating strokes to flush out
training. You will learn the basics of metabolic wastes from the muscle
sports massage such as “learning tissue and begin the repair –and-
how to prepare athletes for a sporting restoration process”. (Pete
event by using short, quick and Pfannerstill, 2008) (see more on
invigorating strokes to stimulate their page 2)
muscles and how to use positive
imagery, suggestions and
reinforcements to ensure the athletes
are psychologically prepared as well”.
(Pete Pfannerstill, 2008) When an

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Conquering the World: Life on the Road with the A.I.S
by Alana Fettes When dealing with world triathlon
championship in Switzerland, the roles
Being a massage practitioner on the road like Brad Hiskins is very tough.
of the jobs of a medical team increase
He works for the Australian Institute of Sport. Even though this job sounds
and looks glorious and glamorous, the schedules and workload that these in workload which includes working
practitioners take on is enormous which In orderless
leaves to be able
time fortofree
work on and with more chronic type problems.
time
rest, and more time for work and traveling.athletes and to
(Massage understand
Australia, 1999) At When he was in Switzerland, the
the end of the day, the work output is veryhow what muscles
rewarding and istoa work
greaton, mornings consisted of stretching
accomplishment as it creates a great impact“a sports-massage teams. Brad sessions, training massages and soft
on the sportingtherapist
worksOlympic
Hiskins toured South America with Australia’s on only those
Soccermuscles
team, the tissue work. (Massage Australia) All of
‘Ollyroos’. an athlete uses for his or her it assured the athletes range of
sport and the movements motion to swim, and aerodynamic
involved in the sports they positions on their bicycles in the
work with”. (Pete Pfannerstill, triathlons. (Massage Australia, 1999)
2008) Sports massage At the end of the day, this job to Brad
therapists sepcialize in areas of Hiskins is awesome. It is very hard
the body such as stretching, work, long days and early mornings. It
Figure 6: neuromuscular therapy and is all worth it though. The feeling is
“Wisdom is to the myofascial therapy. You also
The team is full of many talented must be fit
players. yourselfAustralia,
(Massage in order to
very rewarding and seeing an athlete
bring home their glory feels just as
mind what health
1999) Even though they are that talented, help athletes
they
to “practice
push for the Olympic gold medal. Brad Hiskins explains
stay
still had
what
to fit.
work
you
that
You
most
have
hard
preach”.
and good to the massage practitioner says
of his Brad Hiskins. (Massage Australia,
is to the body”.
work includes acute type injuries and firstIf you don’t haveTheir
aid treatment. proper sports 1999) ) An average day that Brad
trainer skill are in high demands becausetraining, your there
with soccer, handsare as well
many as Hiskins described consisted of at least
(Francois
blisters, De La Rochefoucauld)
abrasions, other
cuts, and scrapes that needparts
to beoflooked
your bodyafterwill
and two 2-hour training sessions.
maintained. (Massage Australia, 1999) start to tense
An average dayup
thatand Bradyou
Hiskins (Massage Australia, 1999)This
described consisted of at least two 2-hour training
won’t be sessions.
able to (Massage
do your included stretching and strapping
Australia, 1999) This included stretching and strapping treatments. treatments. All of the medical team,
An Athlete’s Savor: A
Their sports trainer skill are in high demands because with soccer,
Figure 5:
are many blisters, abrasions, cuts, and scrapes that need to be looked
there including massage practitioners,
physiotherapists, and doctors work
Sports Massage Therapist
after and maintained. (Massage Australia, 1999 together to create and achieve the
by Anastasia Clarry best fitness programs for the athletes.

Being an athlete in the world today is very stressful

on the body. Without the proper care of tissues and
muscles injury can occur, which can be detrimental
to a career. Colin Russell a competitive swimmer for
most of his life recently had the opportunity to go
to the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.
Ever since he was a little boy he had
dreamed to go the Olympics one day. With all the
Colin told me that the massages he received by the
intense training that took place in Colin’s career he
therapists were very helpful and allowed for him to
often found himself sore and tired after long
recover between his races.
workouts. When travelling to Beijing in the summer
he was able to experience the care of the massage
therapists that travelled with the team. After the swimming portion of the Olympics was
complete, Colin was able to use the massage
The Canadian Olympic Team consisted of
therapists for the duration of his stay in Beijing. “I
two travelling massage therapists, both of which
continued to use the massage therapists after
were available any time of day for treatments.
swimming was complete because I was still sore from
Colin utilized the massage therapists before his
racing, and injured and I was still part of the team but
race, to loosen his muscles, in between his races to
priority was for those that still were competing” Colin
flush out his muscles in order to prepare for his
said. Being a travelling massage therapist for a sports
next swim, as well as after his race. As a
team is a very demanding job. Therapists need to be
competitive swimmer Colin has had to overcome
able to know their clients and their client’s bodies in
many injuries. In 2007 Colin underwent surgery to
order to treat them and make them feel better for their
his shoulder. With the help of the massage
events. Being a massage therapist for the Canadian
therapists hired to work with the athletes in Beijing
Olympic Team is a big responsibility, but with the
Colin was able to have treatment done on his
success of an athlete comes the satisfaction of
infraspinatus, deltoids, latissimus dorsi,
knowing that your knowledge and your hands helped
subscapularis and trapezius muscles.
prepare them for triumph.

Page 2
 How to Connect with a Sports Step 4: be prepared to hear from the trainer if they
Team do have time to talk to you, and can speak with you
Joana Brown,
by Josh Hensen a massage therapist for the Lowell Lock Monsters of now. Ask them if they have anyone working for
the AHL (NHL minor leagues) has several suggestions for anyone them at this time.
who is aspiring to become a massage therapist with a professional Step 5: if the answer is no, ask to make an
sports organization. Joana emphasizes one very important thing to appointment to meet with them personally to go
people wishing to make this their goal. She stresses that you must over how you may benefit the team. If they already
set your goals strategically. In order to do this she gives the have a therapist, find out their specialty. You may
following keys to help: have a style that differs from the other therapist,
which you can use in conjunction with the other
• Put it to paper. What organization(s) are you interested in therapist.
contacting? Step 6: ask the trainer if you could at all possible
give the employed massage therapist a call.
• Prioritize. Put your goals in numerical order.
Sometimes, a therapist may be looking to hire more
• Break it down. Make each goal into smaller pieces to do
therapists and you calling them and introducing
first. yourself shows good ethical respect.
• Set deadlines. Give yourself a time frame, even if you have Step 7: once a meeting is scheduled, you must set
to readjust later. out a detailed list of the topics or questions you
• Begin. Take action; you must do something every day. wish to cover.
Bibliography:
Step 8: have a business contract in mind to
Also, Brown has the following 10-step blueprint to help guide you inpresent. You may want to look at the company’s
Figure
the right 1: http://www.dorsetsportsmassage.co.uk/images/massage-therapist.jpg
direction: marketing plan, and ask for advertisement
Figure 2: http://www.amtamassage.org/journal/win02/profsports_connect.html
compensation.
Step Figure 3: www.massagemag.com,
1: first you Jonah
must contact the athletic trainer team you Step 9: begin to present your proposal. You want to
Sutherland
of the
are interested in. They are the ones who make the final decision onalso be gathering information about the company
Figure 4: www.ctv.ca/servlet/articlenews/story/CTVnews/20080812/BEIJING_relay_080812
hiring a massage therapist. as you go along, and what is important to the
Figure 5: www.cbc.ca/gfx/image/sports/photos/2008/06/16/392russell_colin080402cp.jpg
Step 2: introduce yourself to the trainer, and ask if they have a athletic trainer.
Figurefor
few minutes 6: you
http://www.performancemax.com.au/images/existing_elements/brad_hiskins.jpg
to speak to them Step 10: locking in the contract. Once you and the
Step 3: have a clear but short explanation of why you are calling trainer have decided on the final details, let them
them. By being clear, you are letting the trainer know that you know you will be submitting in writing what was
understand how valuable their time is. talked about. If you prefer to have a signed
contract, that is also acceptable.
Page 3
 Futral, K. (2002). How to Connect with a Sports Team. How to get involved in Professional
Sports.
Conquering the world: life on the road with A.I.S. (1999). Massage Australia, 26 (27).
Pete Pfannerstill, P. (2008). Get Started in Sports Massage . How to Target Athletes as a
Specialized Clientele , 50-55.

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