The Way We Work Now
I Lost My Dream Job When College Sports Went Away. Now I’m Switching Careers.
Even before the pandemic, it was hard to make ends meet as a massage therapist for college athletes
After seven years as a massage therapist for the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams men’s basketball team, I received what I considered a big promotion. The coaching staff at the university’s men’s tennis team offered me a temporary contract for five days of massage therapy for their athletes. The call came in early February, and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect: I genuinely needed extra money to pay rent.
My first day with the tennis program went great. The team was friendly and appreciative, and I was excited about the prospect of treating all six players as they continued their spring season. I hoped the temporary stint with the team would turn into an annual gig, helping fulfill my career goal of working as a sports massage therapist for collegiate and professional athletes. At the very least, the extra massage therapy sessions would provide some small stability in income.
Just as everything seemed to be falling into place, the coronavirus pandemic hit, and my profession vanished into thin air. The collegiate athletic…
