Scoring goals: Concorde's MT-Hockey Partnership

It's not every day that a college student can say he or she works on professional athletes as part of his or her training program.

But students at Concorde's massage therapy program in Southaven, Miss. can! These future massage therapists benefit from a unique partnership with the community's professional minor league hockey team, the Mississippi RiverKings.

Keeping players in top shape through massage therapy

Since 2014, Southaven's massage therapy students have been helping keep players in top shape.

"The players come to us, either during the clinical internship or class time, so students can practice their skills," said James Murray, one of Concorde - Southaven's BCTMB massage therapy instructors. "In the past, we have gone to their stadium to provide pre-game bodywork."

Murray said working with the RiverKings helps students feel more confident in dealing with clients rather than waiting until after they graduate.

The students don't just work with the RiverKings players. They attend game nights and interact with the fans.

It's an engaging atmosphere where they take the opportunity to put other skills they learn in the classroom - soft skills and self-promotion - into action.

"We recognize that massage therapy isn't just about what occurs during a session," said Murray. "A therapist's work begins well before that - he/she must practice self-promotion, relating to cultural and diverse communities and acclimating to a medical, spa or entrepreneurial setting."

During game nights, students do everything from hand out brochures and business cards about Concorde's massage therapy programs to giving folks a taste of what they could experience in our clinics or with a licensed therapist through free chair massages.

It's also a time where they can help dispel some of the common misconceptions that the general public sometimes hold about those who have gone through a massage therapy training program like: "we're not part of the medical community, or that one gender is more capable/apt to become a massage therapist," said Murray.

Interested in becoming a massage therapist?

Now is a great time, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, to become a massage therapist. The field is expected to grow 22% by 2024, as continued growth in the demand for massage services will lead to new openings for massage therapists.

And, with Concorde's massage therapy program, you could be on your way to a successful career in as few as 11 months.

Think about it! From Swedish massage, acupressure to sports massage and reflexology, your hands could be your ticket to a bright future.