My tenure with the Canadian Senior Women’s National Soccer Team began 2018 with a trial trip to France for one of their FIFA training and game blocks. The trip was positive, and my skills supported the players needs and complimented the other therapy staff members. I was asked to return, and I have continued to work contract blocks travelling the world with this team in different roles based on my training as both a Certified Athletic Therapist CAT(c) and Registered Massage Therapist (RMT).
In being selected as one of the medical staff for the Women’s World Cup in Australia 2023 and most recently for the Paris Olympics Games 2024 I have achieved a major goal of mine which was to work with this soccer team at key world events.
My role during the 2024 Paris Olympic games was focused on the quick recovery needs of the athletes as the Olympic format for soccer presents the challenge of short turnaround times in between games. Not only is the time between games tight but it can also include travel to a new location which can present additional challenges due to more compressed timelines. For the Olympics, the team was fortunate to have our first two matches in the same location. The remainder of the matches involved late evening game times followed by quick transitions the next morning to a new city.
Tight schedules
With this hectic timeline, it made it very difficult to take care of all the recovery needs for the athletes and it also poses a challenge of finding sufficient time to schedule treatment sessions. With the variety of expertise amongst our medical staff including two sport Physiotherapists, a Chiropractor, a Sports Medicine Physician and myself as the Athletic Therapist/Massage Therapist we worked as a team to navigate the needs of the athletes and support each other in injury care and recovery management.
Typically, the massage therapy recovery session post-match or post-training would only be thirty minutes long which means that the session had to be specifically focused. The treatment space in this setting was shared, typically two connecting hotel rooms transformed into a treatment space for four therapists which is not the traditional massage therapy setup.
Treatment options
Most of the massage treatment sessions were focused on the lower extremities. I used a variety of Swedish massage techniques to aid in reducing delayed onset muscle soreness and perceived fatigue. The sessions were driven by the athletes needs and areas that they indicated required care whether it be the specific calf/soleus complex, or just a general lower extremity flush. There was always a quick conversation and movement check pre-treatment to properly focus care and a quick recheck post treatment to ensure goals have been met.
With soccer being a contact sport, we would consistently deal with contusions and general body soreness. Communicating with athletes on potential areas that needed extra care or perhaps areas that needed to be avoided with any deep tissue work was important. Making a point of checking in with athletes during treatment session and ensuring their comfort level on pressure and pain levels was never overlooked.
There were cases where I would support the physios and chiropractor with soft tissue work to complement their more specific joint/injury care. With my background as a Certified Athletic Therapist, I would incorporate a variety of skills that could potentially support an athlete including fascial stretch, acupuncture, exercise prescription and any taping techniques that I could suggest to the lead therapist.
The odd pre match massage treatment would be done in the locker room for athletes who requested them, which again would most likely be lower extremity focused. The techniques in this case were performed at an up-tempo pace to stimulate the muscles in a lot shorter time. The pre-match massage can be a part of the athlete’s routine to mentally prepare them for performance and help them with muscle activation. During half time of the game, quick calf massages were offered to those in need and performed while athletes are in the seated position. Again, this technique would be in up tempo pace for a short amount of time.
Calming busy brains
With some of the long and stressful days that we had to endure, my goal at times shifted to downregulation of the athlete and calming their busy brains with an evening massage to help with essential restorative sleep. We allowed the athletes to determine if this was something they felt was vital to their recovery routine. Evening sessions involved creating a calming treatment space that was welcoming to the athletes. Adding music, essential oils and maintaining a low-key presence as a therapist was important to help athletes prepare for sleep.
I am consistently mindful of my patient and feed from the energy that they are presenting. I can sense when perhaps someone may not want to talk during their session and would rather use the time to simply breathe and relax. Being in this type of environment where you are constantly surrounded by people for a long period of time can be difficult for some and therefore it is important to be mindful of the athlete’s needs.
When I reflect on my time at the Olympics which was over thirty days away from home, I am proud of how our medical team supported each other in self-care which helped us stay positive and ready to support the athletes in any capacity that was required. Whether it was our morning staff workouts like a run to explore a new place, finding a French bakery with fresh croissants, fitting in a Pilates session during a short break or doing a quick walk outside of the hotel to get some fresh air, all was impactful to help us show up for the athletes each day in a good headspace. In this type of environment, you are not simply the massage therapist or athletic therapist but rather you support the team as a whole and provide help wherever necessary. That might mean filling water bottles, assisting with luggage transfers or doing odd jobs. The philosophy of humility and hard work applies. All the small jobs matter and the athletes adopted this same philosophy as they truly embodied the teamwork mentality.
When I return from a trip with the National team to my job at Humber College, where I manage the Varsity Athletic Therapy Clinic and the high-performance centre, I am motivated to continue this hard work and humility philosophy in my day-to-day environment and I endeavor to convey this mentality to all the staff and students I oversee. I am reminded about how the small encounters you have with your employees and patients matter. Working with elite athletes and experiencing how dedicated they are to their performance habits reminds me to consistently educate our varsity athletes at Humber on things they can do on their own to improve their athletic abilities. Making a point of including self-care tips or sharing resources with these athletes becomes a regular habit to help make sure that they don’t simply rely on treatment sessions but actively contribute to their own self-care.
New perspective
It was an honour and a highlight of my career to represent Canada at the Olympic Games in France. Although our experience was faced with unexpected challenges, I am so proud of how our team continued to fight despite adversity. I am inspired by the grit and determination that the athletes showed on and off the field and I am proud of our support team for the continued focus on the health and well-being of the athletes. I’ve learned so much from the experiences I’ve had working with this team. It has changed my perspective on how to support athletes in a team environment and it has created memories to last a lifetime.
Melanie Evens, CAT(C), RMT, CMAG is the Manager of the Athletic Therapy Clinic, High Performance Centre and Fitness Centre for Humber College’s Athletics program. She is also a member of the Canada Soccer support staff.
Reprinted with permission from the Registered Massage Therapists’ Association of Ontario (RMTAO-Massage Therapy Today).
Lead photo: Canada Soccer
