We head to the world of boxing for the next instalment of Industry Insider. We sat down with Matt Towey, Sports Massage Therapist for current WBC heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury!
Tell us about yourself, what is your current role and what roles have you done previously?
My name is Matt Towey, I am a sports massage therapist for world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and the owner of Matt Massage Ltd.
My current role is working with professional athletes privately helping them with recovery. I previously worked in professional football for 2 years with Salford City FC.
What do you do in your current role?
As the owner of my own business, I currently do everything from bookings appointments to actually treating people on a weekly basis.
“Normal” isn’t a thing in sport so what does an “average” week look like for you?
My weeks vary from week to week, it often depends on things like boxers having fights coming up or working around footballer’s schedules. we plan our recovery sessions around this.
In between that I work with the general population.
How did you end up where you are right now? When did you know you wanted to work in sport?
Through hard work and dedication. I think it’s like anything, if you want to get somewhere you’ve got to work and put yourself in the right places.
I’ve always wanted to have a role in sport as it’s been a big part of my life since I was a child.
What is your number one focus when it comes to your work?
To help as many athletes achieve their goals and to help as many as the general population have a better quality of life and be able to live a bit more pain free.
Can you tell us about a time you failed and what you learned from it?
The first year of my business was extremely tough, I was in a city where I didn’t know anybody and was starting from scratch.
In that first year there was a lot of rejection, but that’s part of it all and helps you learn some lessons moving forward.
What are you excited about in your industry at the moment?
I’m excited about the online space and being able to help people via the internet and not just in person.
I’m currently designing an online stretching and mobility program that will help thousands of people.
If you could change one thing about your Industry, what would you change?
I would like to see people in the industry valued a lot more, when you are starting out there is an awful lot of work for free.
I think that it’s exploited too much in football clubs etc and would love to see people being a bit more appreciated and valued for their time.
Sport is a hectic industry, what do you do to switch off?
I find the gym and running are two things that help me a lot!
What is the one piece of advice you would give to someone wanting to work in the sports industry?
Networking is essential, surround yourself with people who could potentially need your services. And always gravitate towards a sport you are interested in if you want to work in sport.
You’ll enjoy the job more if you’re working with a sport, you enjoy yourself.
How to connect with Matt Towey…
Instagram @mattmassage94
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