Being a Massage Therapist in Professional Sports with Richard Hawes

Send us Fan MailJoin us as we sit down with Richard Hawes, a Registered Massage Therapist who has had over 30 years of experience as an RMT and now works with the Vancouver Whitecaps. Richard's path is anything but ordinary—starting off as an aspiring soccer player, pivoting to a police officer in Hong Kong, and ultimately finding his passion in massage therapy in Vancouver. Richard opens up about his personal battle with cancer and how this life-altering experience reignited his passion for massage therapy. From owning a clinic to treating top athletes, Richard's story is a powerful reminder of the importance of following your professional dreams and not settling into a routine job. Listen as he shares invaluable insights on the challenges and rewards of working with high-performing athletes and the significance of maintaining passion in one's career. His narrative underscores the vital role of listening in clinical practice and the profound impact of therapeutic relationships with athletes.Get an insider's perspective on what it's like to be a sports massage therapist integrated within a professional team. We explore everything from the demanding pre-season schedules and game day preparations to the collaborative efforts of medical professionals ensuring optimal player care. Richard offers a detailed look at the daily routines, the complexities of travel, and the importance of a therapeutic alliance between therapist and athlete. Whether you're an aspiring therapist, a sports enthusiast, or simply someone interested in compelling life stories, this conversation with Richard Hawes is sure to enlighten and inspire.The Massage Science Podcast and my company, The Centre for Evidence-Based Education (The CEBE), are now official partners with Noterro.Partnering with them feels like a natural alignment with our mission to support busy clinicians.Get Noterro free for 44 days!Noterro makes clinic management easy with scheduling, billing, and charting all in one placeSupport the showHead on over to my website. This includes a list of all my upcoming courses, webinars, self-directed learning opportunities as well as some helpful learning resources.thecebe.comPlease connect with me on social mediaFB: @ericpurvesrmtIG: @eric_purves_cebeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ericpurves2502Would you like to make a donation to help support the costs of running my podcast?You can buy me a coffee by clicking here