how to become a sports massage therapist

Career Path & Tips with BJ Dowlen

Guest Contributor: BJ Dowlen

Working with professional athletes isn’t just about skill; it’s about persistence, reputation, and passion for the human body. In this feature, longtime massage therapist and founder of Bodyworks Enterprises, BJ Dowlen, shares her journey from an accredited massage therapy program graduate to collaborating with elite sports teams and top-tier athletes, highlighting the importance of sports massage certification.

Whether you’re a massage student just beginning your career path or a practitioner wondering how to become a sports massage therapist, BJ’s experience highlights what it really takes to thrive in this demanding but rewarding career, especially when dealing with common sports injuries . From rejection to recognition, her story offers a real-world look into the discipline, education, and determination that define sports massage therapy.

 

Insurance for Massage Therapy

Protect your practice with trusted massage therapy insurance from Massage Magazine—covering 500+ modalities, offering nationwide coverage, and including exclusive member perks.

Insurance Massage Therapy 

 

What Does It Really Take to Become a Professional Sports Massage Therapist?

Rejection. Experience. Hard work. Discretion.

The above are all necessary components of making it as a sports massage therapist, as they work to enhance performance.

Before you consider becoming a pro in sports massage therapy, prepare yourself for rejection and possibly a lot of it, while developing a thorough understanding of the field.

Fresh out of massage school, I knew I wanted to work with professional sports teams. I’d always been involved in sports, competed in sports, and followed sports, so it was a natural progression to want to work with athletes at the professional level.

 

How Did Early Experiences Shape a Future in Sports Massage Therapy?

I was fortunate to attend high school in central New Jersey, where I had the opportunity to work with one of the winningest public school football coaches in the country, Warren H. Wolf. During my junior and senior years of high school, I had the privilege of working with his head athletic trainer. I learned how to fix equipment, tape up shin splints and ankle injuries, stretch out athletes, massage out cramps, and lift 50-pound jugs of sports drinks.

The head trainer, “Bear,” told me that I’d better work twice as hard as anyone else and maintain a calm, relaxing smile on my face because, as a woman aspiring to work in the pro sports arena, I would need to do this every day to prove myself. He was right.

Upon completing massage school, I used my free time to work on first responders. After having hundreds of hours under my belt, I thought I was ready for the pros.

I know, I know that’s laughable now. But being new to massage therapy, I didn’t yet understand the importance of paying my dues and honing my craft as a sports massage therapist. So, off to the pros I went.

Living in New Jersey, I had access to over a dozen pro sports teams in the Tri-State area and an equal number of semi-pro teams. I approached every football, baseball, basketball, and hockey team in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, and the answer from all was a resounding “No!”

How Do You Break Into the Field of Sports Massage Therapy?

Breaking into sports massage therapy takes persistence, continued education, and a genuine love for helping athletes perform at their best.

During this time, I continued to get more specialized training, kept volunteering at free charity events with pro athletes, and began working in more obscure, lower-paying sports, like bowling and jockeying. Each experience strengthened my understanding of massage techniques, treatments, and body mechanics, and how consistent hands-on experience can open doors in the sports industry.

It was through this volunteer work at charity events for kids, alongside professional athletes, that I first got my foot in the door. Because no local sports teams were giving me a chance to work as a sports massage therapist, I started commuting three hours to work with individual Baltimore Ravens football players.

It was in Baltimore, Maryland, where I met Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Ray Lewis, who allowed me to stretch and warm up the kids attending his annual fitness camp.

For those who don’t know Ray, he has a very high standard for what is acceptable and what is not. Throughout his career, he was always the first to arrive on the day of his free fitness clinics for kids.

For Ray to trust me with his kids’ wellness events spoke volumes to others. Soon, other pro athletes volunteering their time began allowing me to work on them as well. (I always brought my massage chair and table to every event, just in case, which is one of the best habits any aspiring sports massage therapist can adopt.)

(For more on the role of a licensed sports massage therapist and the education process, see Massage Magazine’s Guide to Sports Massage.)

What Are the Perks of Working with Visiting Sports Teams?

Growing up, I was raised to be a New York Jets football fan and a Yankees baseball fan. Being rejected by both teams, I can’t tell you the great joy I had standing on the sidelines on those fields for the first time. The only difference was that I was standing beside the visiting teams.

This is because most professional sports teams travel light, which means most of them do not travel with in-house sports massage therapists. In fact, a majority of professional teams still do not have full-time massage therapists on staff, which creates unique career opportunities for independent professionals with strong sports massage and therapeutic massage skills.

Each time I worked on a player in Baltimore, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, or another city, I would give him my card and tell him to call me when he was competing in the tri-state area so I could work with them at the stadiums.

People started recognizing my shirts, my branding. To this day, some people don’t know my name, but will point to the embroidery on my shirt and say, “Bodyworks, can you help us out?”

(This is why my first piece of advice is to select what your branding is going to be and always wear an article of clothing showing it. It doesn’t matter to me if people know my name, but they know when they see the logo that they are in the hands of someone who has experience.)

Working as a sports massage therapist with visiting teams allows you to develop a much broader client base, not just athletes during their season, but also after their season and even when they’re on vacation. These opportunities help build real-world clinical experience, enhance your practice, and deepen your understanding of bodywork and massage techniques used in athletic recovery.

Another great benefit of working with visiting players and teams is getting the chance to collaborate with some of the greatest bodyworkers, sports physicians, physical therapists, athletic trainers, and professional athletes in the field, relationships that can boost your career and improve your skills in rehabilitative therapy and massage science.

 

What Is It Like Working Among the Pros?

There is a special camaraderie among sports massage therapists working with professional teams.

One of my friends is Vinny Aquilino, the long-time neuromuscular therapist for the NBA multi-championship Miami HEAT basketball team. Vinny is in his 11th season with the HEAT.

Before meeting Vinny, I was a fan of his work. One of my favorite pictures of Vinny is of him stretching Shaquille O’Neal on the basketball court, with the caption, “That moment when you are as tall as Shaq’s leg.” I’m 5’8” and Vinny is taller than me, so imagine how long Shaq’s leg is.

Vinny has contributed to three NBA championship teams with the HEAT, been invited to the White House three times, and worked with some of the top athletes in their prime. It’s a pretty impressive résumé.

I wanted to add the perspective of working as a sports massage therapist employed full-time by a professional team, so I asked my friend Vinny to share his story about how he became a professional sports massage therapist. Here is some of our conversation:

How Did You First Become Interested in Sports Massage Therapy?

BJ Dowlen: Did you always want to be a pro sports massage therapist?

Vinny Aquilino: Yes. My intent in going to massage school was to be a sports massage therapist, working with a pro team. I attended a seminar led by Benny Vaughn, and I was so impressed with his presentation that I approached him after it was over and asked if he offered any kind of apprentice or internship programs. He said yes.

At the time, I was living in South Florida, and the three-month sports massage program with Benny was in Gainesville, so off to Gainesville I went.

What Steps Did You Take to Break Into Professional Sports?

BJ: How did you break into the field of becoming a pro sports massage therapist?

Vinny: I started knocking on doors, lots of doors. I sent résumés and received plenty of rejections. The drill would be: I’d knock on the door, send a résumé, make a phone call, and do it all again six months later.

What Did You Do While Waiting for Your Big Break?

BJ: While you were facing rejection, like I did, what were you doing with your practice?

Vinny: For nine to ten years, while knocking on doors, I continued to work on my craft, attending seminars and getting my certifications in Neuromuscular Therapy (by Paul St. John) and Active Isolated Stretching (by Aaron Mattes). After many attempts of knocking on doors, sometimes the same doors, finally the door opened with the Miami HEAT.

What’s It Like Working on a Professional Team?

BJ: Now you’re in the big leagues and under a huge spotlight. What is it like to be part of a professional team?

Vinny: Exciting, nerve-wracking, hard work, and fun. Each day is different; each player’s needs are different; each facility is different, so being flexible and adaptable is crucial.

What’s the Team Environment Like Behind the Scenes?

BJ: What is the team environment like?

Vinny: Collaboration is key. First and foremost, all massage therapists, physical therapists, equipment managers, athletic trainers, orthopedic doctors, and coaches’ jobs are to prepare athletes to perform at their top level.

Our whole purpose is to support and prepare the athletes, however we can, working together with no ego. Without that concept, you won’t last long in the industry.

Why Is Discretion So Important in Professional Sports Massage?

BJ: I have to tell them the breakfast story. A few years ago, when the HEAT was in Philadelphia, we met up in the hotel lobby and then went to a local breakfast spot that the players liked. Vinny and I went early and grabbed our own table so we could spend time alone talking and bouncing ideas off of each other.

A little while later, the team walked over from the hotel to the restaurant.

Because we were sitting at our own table, and the team and coaches sat together, my friend Vinny took a lot of ribbing, both while we were at breakfast and later in the day at practice. I also happened to mention to [a player] that Vinny made me pay for breakfast (which wasn’t the case).

I love that restaurant, yet I will never mention the name or location of the restaurant (or the hotel), as in this industry, discretion is absolutely necessary.

There are so many times I’d love to share with people where I was or who I was with; however, the discretion necessary with this job doesn’t allow for that.

Vinny: Yes, discretion is always a must when working with a pro team. (And thanks again for telling them that you paid!) For those looking to work directly for a pro team, it’s likely you will be required to sign a confidentiality clause as part of your contract.

What Are the Best and Hardest Parts of Working with a Pro Team?

BJ: What are three positive things and three negative things about working and traveling with a pro team?

Vinny: First, I love what I do. I work for a great team, with great management and a great owner, which creates a great work environment.

Second, I’m not a pro athlete, yet I get to be part of a championship team.

Third, I like being part of a team that helps prepare athletes to be their best. I could go on, but you said only name three.

In terms of negatives, first, you don’t have control over your schedule, which means there are missed birthday parties, anniversaries, and holidays. I’m very blessed to have a very supportive wife and son, and we do our best to celebrate occasions before or after the actual dates.

Second, I get attached to my players on a personal level, and I miss their intensity and joy when they retire or move on to another team.

That’s it, just two. I don’t have a number three. Like I said, I love what I do and the team I work for.

How Do You Spend Your Off-Season and Give Back to the Profession?

BJ: What do you do on your breaks between seasons?

Vinny: Quality time with my family and friends. We definitely make the most of our time together.

There are always summer practice leagues and other teamwork needed between the official season’s events. Recently, I started working with individuals and groups, leading mentorship programs and tutoring recently licensed massage therapists.

I like the idea of giving back to the massage therapy profession that’s been so good to me.

BJ: I was going to ask you for a final tip or advice for someone looking to be a pro sports massage therapist, but I think your advice would be to train with you.

Vinny: Yes, that could help. But for those who can’t work with me in person, my advice would be to work hard at developing your craft and take workshops and courses to increase your value.

That way, when that door of opportunity opens, you are ready to step through it.

 

Building a Lasting Career in Sports Massage Therapy

Becoming a sports massage therapist isn’t about luck; it’s about dedication, professionalism, and a true commitment to helping athletes perform at their best. From early training and countless rejections to working alongside championship sports teams, BJ Dowlen and Vinny Aquilino have shown that persistence, passion, and continued education can turn a dream into a lifelong, rewarding career.

For anyone pursuing a future in sports massage therapy, the path may be challenging, but every stretch, session, and post-game recovery brings you closer to mastery. Keep learning, keep connecting, and always show up ready to give your best both for your clients and for yourself.

Protect Your Practice with Trusted Massage Therapy Insurance

Your hard work deserves protection. Safeguard your massage therapy career with trusted coverage from Massage Magazine Insurance Plus, offering insurance for licensed sports massage therapists and 500+ modalities, nationwide coverage, and exclusive customer perks designed to help you thrive.

Learn more about Massage Magazine Insurance Plus and protect your growing practice today.

About the Author

BJ Dowlen began her massage career in 1999. Founder of Bodyworks Enterprises, she’s worked with elite professional athletes, sports teams, and Fortune 500 companies for 17 years. She is also the inventor of the award-winning BodyworksBall, a self-massage tool for relief of neck cricks, shoulder knots, back pain, aching hands, and feet. BodyworksBall has been featured in the L.A. Times, O Magazine, and USA Today, and on the Today Show, MSNBC, and Fox News.

If you enjoyed reading this MASSAGE Magazine online article, subscribe to the monthly print magazine for more articles about massage news, techniques, self-care, research, business, and more, delivered monthly. 

Related Posts

Animal-Massage Therapist Profiled
San Francisco massage therapist Shelah Barr worked on human clients for a decade, then shifted

Last Updated on October 30, 2025 by MASSAGE Magazine

Related Posts