Plymouth Argyle Football Club Sports Therapy Placement

As part of his degree, Peter Geller, a final year BSc Sports Therapy student has completed his work experience through our partnership with Plymouth Argyle Football Club. Here we have interviewed Peter on his experiences with working in a professional club, his reasons for choosing sports therapy and his advice for future students considering a career in sports therapy.

What encouraged you to undertake a placement at a Professional Football Club?

I've always had a firm interest in how things go within a professional football club. I've been playing football since I was 8 years old. Throughout the years I've played at amateur and semi-professional levels, but have never had the opportunity to be part of a professional football club. This placement opportunity has given me the chance to be able to see how the organisation and management of a professional football club works; how the different departments interact with each other, daily routines of everyone at the club (players and staff), responsibilities and expectations.

What is a normal working day like for a sports therapist at the club?

A normal day would be like; you arrive to the club 10-15 minutes before the players would arrive, then you would set up the treatment room (replenish tapes, mediums, towels, etc.). Then at 9am or shortly soon after the players would start coming in to the treatment room; first the injured players for assessment then the ones who would require pre-training massage, taping or anything else that the medical staff can help with. Then the players would leave for training at 10:30 and they would not be back until 12pm. This is the time again when you can get the treatment room together after the players' "invasion" in the morning. During this time you would also set up the ice baths for when the players would return from training. If you are required and there are no injured players staying in at the club house instead of training then you would also go with the team to their training grounds to provide pitch-side first aid cover. If you are required to stay with the injured players then you would be doing rehab with them while the team is away. The venue where the rehab would take place however, would depend on the stage the rehabilitation process is currently in at the time. (treatment room only, gym, pool, sports science lab, training ground close to the team). Then once the players have returned from their training and have had lunch, you would normally provide them treatment they would need for their recovery. In case there is an afternoon training session scheduled for the day, then you would go through the same process as you did in the morning and then after the afternoon session you would provide the players post-event treatments to enhance their recovery. Injured players always take priority, so they would come first before the players that would need "maintenance" only. Once all players have left the club around 4-5pm and the treatment room looks nice and tidy and ready for the next day that is when you would normally finish for the day.  

What made you want to become a sports therapist?

When I was little I used to see my mum working working as a therapist. She has worked at various hydrotherapy and physiotherapy clinics throughout the years and quite frequently I have had the chance to go in to work with her (especially in the summers) and be there all day, which I have always thoroughly enjoyed. I think this has had a huge influence on my decision to become a sports therapist. I have always had a really strong interest in sports, so to become a sports therapist would actually give me the perfect combination to work in the sports industry which interests me the most than anything else and carry on with what my mum has been doing for so many years really successfully. 

Why did you choose the University of St Mark & St John?

Simply, due to the fact that Marjon have one of the best (state of art) sports facilities complex in the country, they work in close relationship with STO and BASRaT, the sole setting and size of the university as the smaller size of the university gives the opportunity to build a closer relationship with teaching staff and fellow students so you would never feel isolated, and of course due to their national and international partnerships with other sporting and non-sporting organisations e.g. Plymouth Argyle Football Club.

What is the best advice you can give to prospective students wanting a career in sports therapy?

Work hard, be open to new ideas and to an ever changing setting around you, make friends with who have the same interest as you. This is a fun, exciting and fast paced career where things can change really quickly and you would need to be able to adapt to situations quite quickly, but this is what makes this career so enjoyable and exciting. Go for it, embrace it and enjoy it! 

Interviewed by Sarah Martin (Lecturer in Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation), February 2016. For more information about our Sports Therapy course visit our website or follow us on Twitter.