Three students at Cortiva Institute will play a role in the success of the Villanova University swimming and diving team at this year’s Big East Championships in Indianapolis Feb. 18-21 – and they won’t even get their feet wet.
That’s because these three students have been invited to accompany the Wildcat team to the championship meet to provide massage therapy services to the swimmers and divers. Cortiva Institute – Pennsylvania School of Muscle Therapy has been providing massage therapists to the Villanova swimming and diving team for the past three years.
“We are honored and proud that Villanova thinks so highly of our students,” said Jeff Mann, President of Cortiva Institute – Pennsylvania School of Muscle Therapy. “I have heard comments from some of the professional massage therapists I know at this event that they are extremely impressed with our students’ knowledge base and technical work.”
The three students asked to work with the Villanova team are Heather Postlewait, Annie Rinehart and Laura Violet Slenzak. Both Rinehart and Slenzak hold degrees from traditional universities but are both pursuing other career avenues with their education at Cortiva. Slenzak is a Temple alumnus while Rinehart earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Northeastern where she swam for four years so she knows the special challenges that swimmers endure at a big meet like this. Her career goal includes working with sports team after graduation.
“Since the athletes will be swimming many races during the day and whole meet my goal is to get their bodies warmed up by using quick non deep compression work for pre event massage to stimulate and invigorate their bodies,” said Rinehart. “After a race I would want to help the athlete’s muscles to recover as soon as possible in time for their next race by using lifting and kneading and some gentle stretches. Also, in between when cramps or spasms occur we can help the swimmers get rid of them faster by using the muscle spindle technique (shortening the muscle), compression, and stretching.”
Slenzak plans to open her own private practice upon graduation but she is no stranger to working with athletes.
“When you compare an athlete to a “regular” person, the tactics don’t necessarily differ. What differs is the muscles that their specific sport causes the focus to be drawn to. Swimming is a strongly all-encompassing body workout, however the shoulders, lower back and hamstrings are areas of noted trouble for swimmers and therefore will take a key focus in the sessions,” says Slenzak. “In addition I will want to make sure that I am not only in communication with the athlete and their needs, but also with the rest of that athlete’s team of supports such as athletic trainers and their coach.”
Cortiva Institute – Pennsylvania School of Muscle Therapy is one of the massage schools Cortiva Institute has nationwide.
