I began working at the University of Waterloo as the football team’s Athletic Therapist waaay back in the summer of ’07. 8 years and 80,000 (give or take 100) ankle tape jobs later, I still enjoy working not just with football players, but varsity athletes from all sports.
My journey to UW actually began at “the high school down the street”. That’s right, I went to Laurier! Not only did I get to go cross country skiing and play basketball for credits, I also stumbled into the world of Athletic Therapy. During my 4 years at WLU, I was a student therapist with football, women’s rugby and men’s and women’s hockey. A wide variety, to be sure!
From there, and in order to become a Certified Athletic Therapist, I spent 3 years at Sheridan College in the Sports Injury Management program. At Sheridan, I worked with a jr ‘A’ hockey team, did placements at the University of Hawaii and here at UW, and began my first of 5 years with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. I was fortunate enough to be hired by the Ti-Cats right out of school. It was an amazing opportunity to work with some of the best athletes. One major adjustment from working in the CFL to the CIS is the time constraints. Professional football players have only one responsibility: play football. Many have families, and some even have part time jobs, although mainly in the off-season. But here at UW, these players have to juggle football (or volleyball, basketball, etc) and all that entails (practice, film, conditioning, therapy) with a full course load or a full-time co-op job, and sometimes one or several part time jobs, plus the daily stresses of being a student away from home. My appreciation for these athletes, and what they have to contend with and balance on a daily basis has never ceased.
All of this practical experience helped prepare me for my current position. I often tell people I am not suited for any other job. Not that I couldn’t DO another job, it’s just that I don’t want to! This job is filled with so much variety on any given day. There are not many professions like it. During the fall, I spend my mornings treating basketball and volleyball players. Therapy can involve anything from ultrasounds and massages, to inflicting pain with the dreaded foam roller. In the afternoon, the football players come in for therapy, until it is time to get ready for practice. Practice prep consists primarily of taping. We use a LOT of tape. Ankles, wrists and thumbs are the most common. With an average of 85 players on the team each year, you can imagine how many cases of tape we go through! I have a team of amazing student therapists that assist not just with taping, but with on-field and post-practice needs as well. We ensure the players stay hydrated during practice, and take care of any injuries post-practice with ice and cold tubs.
And then, finally, GAME DAY! Game day is exactly that, a full day. For a 1pm kick off at Warrior Field, the therapy team arrives at 9 to get set up for the day. Field prep, tape, water, hot tubs, etc, all need to be prepared. We have everything ready for the players, who typically arrive 3 hours prior to kick-off. Once the game starts, my primary job is to stand on the sideline and watch the field for injuries. I have the best seat in the house, yet I rarely actually watch the game. I am usually watching behind the play, to ensure everyone gets up. The number of big plays and touchdowns I’ve missed over the years is actually quite high! After the game, injuries get assessed and iced, and a report is prepared for the coaches. And then it all begins again on Sunday! A busy few months, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
