Who forms the first line of defence against the injuries, illness, and dehydration that plague varsity teams? Your friendly neighbourhood athletic therapist and student therapist, that’s who. Taping ankles, filling water bottles , and wrapping groins-it’s these kinds of tasks that help ensure the smooth running of a varsity sports team. The proper execution of these many and varied tasks allows each and every Varsity Blue to perform at his or her best. It also helps ensure success for the many provincial and national championship teams at U of T. Despite all of this, however, therapists and trainers still find themselves getting the short end of the stick.

Therapists often spend more time at rinks, fields, gyms and pools than the athletes themselves. Arriving before the first jersey is put on, and leaving after the last victory has been celebrated is the norm for these people. They are there at home games, away games, and practices, keeping the team’s machine well-oiled.

“Typically, I will put anywhere from 15 to 25 hours a week” says Andrea Goddard, student therapist for the women’s Varsity Blues hockey team, adding “when you see a team member improve after your care, it’s very rewarding.”

Goddard, along with many other students at U of T, adds another layer of support to the varsity athlete. By doing their placement with varsity teams, students in the Physical Education program are able to gain valuable experience with elite athletes. Doing a placement like this helps give students “greater appreciation for the field of athletic therapy,” says Ingrid Skov, a fourth-year phys-ed student working with the men’s hockey team.

“They always do above and beyond what is asked of them,” says Dan Chagnon, head therapist at the David L. MacIntosh Sport Medicine Clinic. He’s the man in charge of making sure our athletes receive the care they need. For the athletic therapy placement program, Chagnon receives upwards of 40 applications from keen Phys-Ed students, all of whom are vying for only 30 spots with sports teams at the university. To win one of these much coveted placements, students must prove themselves in the faculty’s third-year Sports Medicine course. They must also earn 80 per cent or higher in the First Responder course, which is affiliated with the Canadian Red Cross. These stringent requirements help ensure that the treatment given to the school’s athletes is nothing less than top notch.

The lucky few chosen to partake in the student therapist program benefit greatly from being hands-on, but also by receiving guidance and supervision from others who have more experience in the field. For the past 15 years, U of T has been taking in students from the athletic therapy programs at both York University and Sheridan College.

“It’s satisfying knowing that you can actually help someone, and make them feel better,” says Norm Hatch, a Sheridan College student working with the men’s hockey team.

These students use their experience with varsity athletes to continue with their studies, and eventually pass the certification exam allowing them to practice athletic therapy. More than 30 students from outside institutions apply every year, making the available spots at U of T highly sought after.

Long hours, substantial commitment, and menial tasks (on top of their own school work), sometimes make the job of the therapist seem less than appealing. But discouragement is checked at the door, because it’s the love of the game and the thrill of competition that spurs these people on.