The candidate must fulfill each of the following program components:

•          Accumulate 400 hours of experience (a combination of work with sports teams, individual sporting events, and massage                 therapy school sport outreach programs – see details in the Required Practical Experience section).

•          Be a member of the CSMTA, in good standing, with dues paid in full;

•          Have a current Standard First Aid certificate;

For National Sport Organization (NSO)/Professional Sport (PS) Massage Therapists:

If you accumulated hours prior to becoming a member of the CSMTA we can consider up to 250 documented hands on massage therapy hours up to three years prior to CSMTA Member application. Documentation is required.

For Non - NSO/PS Massage Therapists:

If you accumulated hours prior to becoming a member of the CSMTA we can consider up to 150 documented hands on massage therapy hours up to three years prior to CSMTA Member application. Documentation is required.

The certification examination consists of two (2) parts:

            A two-hour written exam;

            A three-hour oral/practical exam.

Once 300 hours are completed and documented the candidate is eligible to apply for the comprehensive Written Examination. Once 400 hours are completed and upon receipt of documentation for completion of:  First Responder Certification with Sport Focus,  Zinc Oxide/Athletic Taping course, and the CSMTA Advanced Sport Massage Course, the candidate is eligible to apply for the comprehensive Oral/Practical Examination.

Note: Members in an unregulated province must complete CSMTA Education Program (formerly known as ISMDP) and extra requirements to be considered to challenge the written exam and oral practical.

When both parts of the Certification Examination are successfully completed and received by the National Office the designation of Sport Fellow or CSMTA (SF) is granted.

Required On Field Experience

The Sport Candidate must complete 400 hours of sport massage for certification, which a minimum of 300 hours must be hands on massage therapy. 

The breakdown of the 400 hours is indicated below.

• Minimum of 3 different sports (experience in a wide variety of sports is just as important as one or two types of sports);
  
• Minimum of one contact sport;
• Minimum of one non-contact sport;
• Minimum of two team placements.
  

All hours must be signed by a third party (coach, team physician, head therapist, supervisor or manager) with contact information (telephone, or email)

 

Breakdown of 400 Hours

400 Hours:

• Minimum hands-on 300 hours                                              
• Maximum hands-off 100 hours, which can include organizing event coverage maximum 50 hours, taping, stretching, First Responder, observing other therapists, remedial exercises.

 

School Outreach / Event Programs (not student clinic) 

Maximum 100 hours;

The Sport Candidate who attended a school with a sport massage segment in their curriculum that included a practical component may be allowed to claim a maximum of 100 hands-on hours.

The Sport Candidate who attended a school without a sport massage module in the curriculum will receive 50% of those hands-on hours.

Student clinic hours are not accepted

Team Placement

Minimum 130 hours of hands-on massage

The Sport Candidate is responsible for finding placement with an organized sport team(s), i.e., hockey, football, boxing, wrestling, judo, karate, athletics, swimming, figure skating, gymnastics, diving, basketball,  etc.

Experience includes, first responding, stretching, taping and advice, exercise rehabilitation, and therapeutic modalities (where the candidate has successfully completed a formal training program) provided to athletes during practices and competitions. Please note that these hours will be considered towards the hands-off massage hours.

Travel time to and from practices and competitions will not be counted.

Sport Team defined as:

A team is a group of individuals who agree to cooperate in order to achieve a set of goals and objectives as a team. In athletic competition, the individuals cooperate so that the team can have an outcome of success. 

 

Event Coverage Hours

Minimum of 50 hours of hands on massage

These events can include, but not limited to: 10Km races, marathons, high school basketball, volleyball, or soccer tournaments, charity events, or athletic events organized either by a CSMTA Provincial Chapter, a school, club or other organization that require sport massage and related services.

Hours may also include being available on-site for the time committed, observing other treatments, and operations of medical team, and any other experience. Please note that these hours will be considered towards the hands-off massage hours.

Performing pre and post-event and inter sport massage treatments is the focus.

Travel time to and from practices and competitions will not be counted.

 

Organizing Event Coverage

Maximum 50 hours

This is optional and only for those who have the skills to do so. Hours may include planning, mailing, scheduling, informing therapists of protocol, arranging parking, tables needed, supervising event, verifying hours by signing tally sheets etc., and developing public relations with the rest of the organizing committee.

These hours will be credited toward 400 hours of experience. These hours will be included within the Event Coverage Hours.

The Sport Candidate can also provide sport massage at the event but cannot supervise students at the same time.  This is due to the candidate member liability insurance when overseeing students.  However, if the pool of therapists are massage therapists (not students) then the liability caveat does not apply, and the candidate can collect hands-on hours as well.

 

Total 300 Hands-On Hours (summary)

Student hours                       Max 100 hours  - outreach / event only (hands on hours documented)

Team Placement                   Min 130 hours

Event Coverage                     Min 50 hours

 

 

For a detailed explanation or clarification of all requirements, members should consult the Candidate Handbook and/or contact the Membership Committee at membership@csmta.ca.