Parker University’s massage therapy students have been providing athletic massages at the Sports Academy at The Star in Frisco for men performing in the National Football League (NFL) Scouting Combine on March 1, 2022, in Indianapolis (which helps select draft order for the NFL).
This is a valuable opportunity for a student’s education since they rarely get to work with professional athletes in such a prestigious location during their massage training program. Students experience firsthand how to implement recovery massage and see how it benefits a player’s training and athletic performance. The experience gives students a boost of confidence and is valuable for them to be part of a team preparing an athlete for a performance event. Students gain information on assisting athletes from Elite Sports massage professionals, such as Michael Oviedo, Parker University alumnus, and Kobe Bryant’s former therapist.
The muscularity professional athletes have is atypical. Many athletes are knowledgeable about their needs and muscular anatomy, so placing students in this environment while learning from elite and successful therapists is a great way to learn, become comfortable, and gain confidence. Therapists who are not exposed to these environments often do not consider pursuing such a career for themselves.
The common goal of the Sports Academy is to optimize training, recovery, and performance in athletes who participate in specialized sports camps. Parker University students provide loving service to this population while increasing skills, strength, and stamina. Students plan to continue assisting NBA Combine athletes this summer and work on some of the largest, strongest, most muscular bodies in the world.
The Parker University Massage Therapy program will continue cultivating a variety of real-world massage career experiences for students. Students may also get to experience working with professional athletes from the Dallas Stars Alumni Association, the Blue Angels, and other local professional sports teams. “We wish to model loving service by taking students to perform chair massage at local community service and charity events. They learn how to market themselves and serve the community from a team with decades of experience doing so,” says Gregory May, Parker University’s Director of the School of Massage Therapy.
Parker University promotes a health and fitness-filled lifestyle. With programs in Health and Human Performance, Nutrition, Chiropractic, and Massage Therapy, Parker University is a hub for fitness enthusiasts. Mr. May says, “We will be the top massage school for those interested in working in athletics.”
About Parker University
Parker University, the fourth-fastest growing college in Texas and the fastest-growing college in Dallas, was founded in 1982 by Dr. James William Parker (formerly Parker College of Chiropractic). Today, Parker University has more than 1,800 students and more than 35 academic programs, including its famed chiropractic program, as well as master’s degrees in neuroscience, clinical neuroscience, strength and human performance, and functional nutrition. Currently, Parker University’s chiropractic cohort is the second largest of any campus in the world. Parker University has been recognized as a Great College to Work For®, one of the 25 Fastest-Growing Colleges in the U.S., and as a recipient of the 2021 FutureEdge 50 Awards.
