Sports Physiotherapy Experience

[P_J]

Hi there im a 2nd year physiotherapy student at kings college london and am actively desperately seeking a work experience opportunity with a sports club in football, cricket any sports to gain experience. I would love to be an extra pair of hands to learn this valuable experience. Please help me if you know how i can get such a contact. My love for sports is limitless and i would love to gain this experience while im studying so that i can have a good platform wen i qualify. I live in london in the northwest region and would not ming travelling at all. Please help!!!

[alophysio]

This sounds silly but...have you tried the yellow pages and calling them? What about friends who play in sports - maybe volunteering for their club?

[P_J]

hey thats not silly at all you know what i have actually tried all the yellow pages the football association and everything and am still in the process... but i know its really hard and im trying not to let my hopes ride on that n try n get contacts from here perhaps people who can help me out... unfortunately people i know who play are quite limited so that resource isnt that good but thank you so much for the suggestion if you know anyone pls do msg me i would be indebted

[alophysio]

Well, i am glad you are doing the hard yards - goo on ya!

What about approaching the club physios themselves? Ring the club and ask who their physios are - get their numbers and then say you ware willing to be an unpaid slave - who knows - otherwise good luck!

[karen.hankey]

Originally Posted by alophysio

Well, i am glad you are doing the hard yards - goo on ya!

What about approaching the club physios themselves? Ring the club and ask who their physios are - get their numbers and then say you ware willing to be an unpaid slave - who knows - otherwise good luck!

Agree with this totally. Offering your services for free will definatley help.

Have you tried the football academies of the big clubs by you, very rewarding.

I started at a lower league football club just helping out doing pre-match rubs, and from that ended up doing more physio stuff and getting really involved.

[P_J]

Originally Posted by karen.hankey

Agree with this totally. Offering your services for free will definatley help.

Have you tried the football academies of the big clubs by you, very rewarding.

I started at a lower league football club just helping out doing pre-match rubs, and from that ended up doing more physio stuff and getting really involved.

thank you for the wonderful suggestions i olny jus signed back in to this thread after a long time. unfortunately i am still having no luck finding relevant experience but at the moment am jus finisihing my 2nd yr and am studying for my final exmas!! hopefully something will come up soon!!

thanks everyone

[karen.hankey]

Originally Posted by P_J

thank you for the wonderful suggestions i olny jus signed back in to this thread after a long time. unfortunately i am still having no luck finding relevant experience but at the moment am jus finisihing my 2nd yr and am studying for my final exmas!! hopefully something will come up soon!!

thanks everyone

Keep persevering. I have just started as the first team match day physio for Scarborough Athletic FC in the NCEL Div 1. It will happen, you just have to be patient

[alophysio]

I agree with Karen. I honestly can't believe there are clubs out there who won't accept free sports coverage.

Even if you just run the water out there...

Are you offering to run for free?

What are the answers they are giving you?

I would say something like this..."Hi, my name is PJ and i am a physio in training. Would your club be interested in having me work there for free doing pre-match rub-downs, taping and running the water?"

Keep it simple. If that doesn't work, approach players who you see strapped up and ask them if they would like someone to strap them - they just have to supply the tape.

Otherwise, join a club, be on a team and become the default physio that way! I have done that before!!

Good luck

[P_J]

Thank you very much to both of you for the encoragement. Im def not giving up cos im planning to move to oz soon in a few yrs and sports is where i wanna be. Ive grown to love it so much in my degree its become my passion now.

I am still trying and I did use the "I will work for free!" quote in a number of occassions actually all of them cos i seriously didnt even think i would get money cos im solely after the experience.

I am venturing to diff sports now so lets see how it goes
hopefully something will come up

From experience: any ideas which sport is easiest to get the free voluntary work experience?

thanks so much your help is much appreciated

Originally Posted by alophysio

I agree with Karen. I honestly can't believe there are clubs out there who won't accept free sports coverage.

Even if you just run the water out there...

Are you offering to run for free?

What are the answers they are giving you?

I would say something like this..."Hi, my name is PJ and i am a physio in training. Would your club be interested in having me work there for free doing pre-match rub-downs, taping and running the water?"

Keep it simple. If that doesn't work, approach players who you see strapped up and

ask them if they would like someone to strap them - they just have to supply the tape.

Otherwise, join a club, be on a team and become the default physio that way! I have done that before!!

Good luck

[whiteassessors]

Hi JP I work with the RFU ( rugby football union ), and mentor new physio's for club and county teams, I would suggest you log onto rfu home page and search for local clubs near you and contact them direct through the numbers given on there web pages. There are quite a few clubs out there desparate for good sports physio's weather it be clinic base on field base.
If you still have problems finding a post you can e-mail me and I will pass your details onto clubs that I know are after physio's. My e-mail address is whiteassessors@aol.com.
Cheers Ian.

[P_J]

Hi there,
Thank you so so much for that tip. I have e-mailed you regarding my situation. Thanks once again.

Originally Posted by whiteassessors

Hi JP I work with the RFU ( rugby football union ), and mentor new physio's for club and county teams, I would suggest you log onto rfu home page and search for local clubs near you and contact them direct through the numbers given on there web pages. There are quite a few clubs out there desparate for good sports physio's weather it be clinic base on field base.
If you still have problems finding a post you can e-mail me and I will pass your details onto clubs that I know are after physio's. My e-mail address is whiteassessors@aol.com.
Cheers Ian.

[shay5950]

hi im a 4th yr from australia,
been reading it & i don't kno what it is like over there,
i am from australia so may be different, but every team wants students here as they can pay us alot less & then only emply 1 trained physio & a number of students. The current team i work for has 2 physio's & 4 students providing sports coverage in the premier league rugby over here in australia for their 8 teams.
I have managed to find paid work with teams since the beginning of my course, in many different sports to get variety of experience. Once u get your first sports coverage it will be easy as you will make connections & got experience ect.. From this i have then developed to the beginning of this year being offered work by 7 different clubs in different sports but of course i could only take on one club.
has your seasons started?? the thing is that u need to just ring up the club managers about 3-4months before the season starts when they are working out the support staff, that way they can have you for the whole pre-season(which in australia is about 3 months) and then the season. that could be your problem it may be too late??, they may already have found people to work for them?
also u should have advanced sports first aid or sports trainer certificates, do u have them? otherwise it is kind of illegal in australia, don't kno about over there though. i also have a advanced level 2 sports taping certificate as well. That way they can employ u as a trainer or strapper for them, as u can provide tapping & first aid efficiently.
Otherwise im very shocked that no teams want volunteers, most physio's would love the help especially just pre-games when you have 20 players to massages & tape in 30minutes or so.
Anyway if you want any advice about how i managed to get sports coverage, just ask!
Good luck,
& i was considering myself heading over there in the future to work for some teams once i finish, so let me know how u go!