Case studies: Sports therapist: Trevor

Trevor works for Middlesbrough Football Club as a sports therapist. He graduated with a First Class Honours BSc in Sports Therapy in 2007 from the University of Teesside, and has achieved an MSc with Distinction in Sport and Exercise Science.

Trevor has a passion for sport and working with athletes to assist them in their quest for a return to training and competition. He decided to follow the sports therapy route, as opposed to other therapy-related courses in order to become a specialist in the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of sports injuries and related conditions. Having always played and enjoyed football, he worked his way towards gaining a position as a sports therapist for the academy (9-16yrs) and also for the first team at Middlesbrough Football Club.

To achieve his position at Middlesbrough FC, Trevor undertook a 200-hour work placement with the academy during his final year of the BSc Sports Therapy degree. After impressing the medical staff at MFC, he was invited to continue on a part-time basis travelling to away games at weekends with the academy. In addition, Trevor worked voluntarily with the club’s medical staff to assist and watch how they performed treatments and rehabilitation specific to football. Subsequently, Trevor was invited for an interview for a position as a sports therapist with the senior squad in July 2008.

'Volunteering at Middlesbrough FC was influential in my attaining a position with the senior squad on a more permanent basis.'

Trevor not only volunteered at Middlesbrough FC, but also worked voluntarily on a regular basis for Crawley Town Football Club and in private clinics. Following his academic studies, he attended football, athletics and running clubs to give presentations on his skills, some of which were successful and others less so.

Trevor’s job role requires him to provide soft tissue massage to senior squad players, rehabilitation from an early stage through to functional stage, aquatherapy and first aiding at first team training sessions. In addition, Trevor has also travelled to away matches with the reserve team, which is also a great opportunity to see what happens on a match day.

‘It’s great to work with such an experienced team of medical staff, which has enhanced my handling techniques and clinical reasoning enormously.’

In addition to working for Middlesbrough FC for 25-30 hours a week, Trevor also works for the Teesside Sports Injury Centre (TSIC) providing treatment to athletes and gym exercisers. Working in a clinic setting is excellent experience as it enables Trevor to work with athletes from a wide range of disciplines other than football.

Trevor’s advice to aspiring sports therapists is to get out there and do as much networking as possible, practise to enhance handling techniques, and get involved with clubs on a voluntary basis, as this has the potential to lead to future employment. Trevor also recommends that prospective sports therapists should to be patient and motivated, and undertake continuing professional development (CPD) as there is plenty of work out there. Trevor’s experience is that students think they will graduate and have jobs handed to them on a plate, and when they see this is not the case, they proceed to study either physiotherapy or follow a different career path.

‘I hope my position at Middlesbrough Football Club is evidence for sports therapy students/graduates that there is work out there - you just need to go out and find it.’