Extra curriculum opportunities
Sports massage students from Sunderland College have been providing essential massage therapy to players at Houghton Rugby Club to improve their performance, help recovery and prevent injuries.
Students studying Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy have been attending the club every Tuesday night since October, for a 5-month period, to provide support to players before, during and after their training sessions. This includes preparing players for training, helping them recover from weekend matches and training, and providing maintenance massage to injured players.
This is the fifth year that students have provided massage therapy support to the rugby players. Paul Brown, Sports Lecturer at Sunderland College, said:
“This was another great year with Houghton Rugby Club. The sports massage students are always made to feel welcome by the club and the players are very grateful for our massage treatments.
“It is a fantastic opportunity for our students to experience what it’s like to work as a professional sports massage therapist at a sports club. Students deal with a range of different injuries and are constantly assessing and treating players during their busy training nights.”
Sports Massage Therapy student, Michelle Westgarth, added:
“Taking part in the collaboration with Houghton Rugby Club has given me invaluable experience. Not only has it helped me to improve and expand my massage techniques, it has also given me a useful insight into how sporting venues operate, a deeper understanding of what athletes need from a therapist and how I can market and offer my services in the future. It is a fantastic opportunity and quite unique compared to similar courses at other colleges.”
John Simpson, Chairman of Houghton Rugby Club, commented:
“We are delighted that our partnership with Sunderland College sports massage course is now into its fifth year. It has turned out to be a very successful partnership indeed. One of the very first students to visit the club through this partnership, Sophie Maw, is now working with the club at training sessions and match days on a Saturday.”
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