Sports at ISB allow us to compete on a truly grand stage. It’s an opportunity that you would hate to miss, believe me, I almost have. The feeling after you put huge amounts of effort into developing as a player and giving everything to your team and knowing you won’t be able to play at IASAS is devastating. Two years in a row I have been on the brink of exclusion from the IASAS squad due to injury, as have many others. That is why the phrase “Go and see James” is something you will hear at almost every practice at ISB. James Butterfield recently arrived at ISB as the new sports physiotherapist, and PantherNation managed to get his thoughts on his job, his discipline, and advice for others looking to follow in his footsteps.
What were your motives for taking the job at ISB?
Having worked at Leeds United academy and MK Dons academy, I already knew that I enjoyed working with this age group. This, coupled with the fact that I wanted to experience working in a multi sport environment made it an easy decision!
How does this experience differ from your previous jobs at Muangthong and Leeds?
Working at the pro clubs, I was lucky enough to be mentored by a team of professionals who are some of the most superb clinicians I have ever met. The guys I worked with have gone on to work in the British Premier League, NBA, NFL & NHL, and each one of them taught me valuable lessons.
Having said that, working in pro sport presents many challenges. As a physio you have to deal with a ton of pressure; pressure from players, coaches, owners, fans and management. Furthermore, these teams are often littered with political landmines and backroom drama that you have to try and sidestep if you wish to survive. I’ve since learnt that this is a key skill to develop in all areas of life.
Clearly, working at ISB you have none of these issues, the community is great, the athletes are hard workers and the only pressure I have is to ensure that I am doing my best to provide the students with safe clinical advice. I am lucky to be able to use the knowledge that I’ve gained to try and make a difference here, I still keep in close contact with my mentors and they are helping me to develop and deliver my ideas.
What are some pieces of advice you would offer to students looking to go into the field of physiotherapy?
I’ll answer this question by speaking about Sports Physiotherapy, as in many regards they are separate entities. To work in sport – elite sport in particular – you have to be unique and you have to stand out, there are many people chasing the same dream.
1) Set goals, both short and long term. Set five-year goals, three-year goals & one-year goals and work backwards to formulate a plan of how you will get there. Also, build a concise block of daily habits that are going to improve your productivity; taking vitamins, getting 8 hours of sleep and keeping hydrated are a few examples. Pay attention to detail.
2) Be prepared to work hard, often for no financial gain at first. To work in sport in any avenue (other than being the athlete) you will have to give your time up for free. The sooner you realise that you will have to do this, the better. Start by volunteering at a local club by providing first aid, I did this and it lead to my first physio job in pro sport.
3) Get mentors. Seek any opportunity to learn from great professionals and then make them your mentors. Learning to network and gain mentors is a great way to fast track development.
4) Fiercely guard your time. Your time is the most important asset you have, be sure to be extremely diligent about who and what you give it to. Remember there is somebody out there who has the same goal as you, and whilst you are wasting time; they are not!
5) Lastly, be kind to yourself and be patient. When I started out I wanted to get as high as I could as fast as possible, I learnt that sometimes trying to take short cuts isn’t the best way to go. I’ve had to work extremely hard to gain the experiences I have, and each one (both good and bad) has taught me something valuable. Sometimes your 5-year goals will seem like inconceivable challenges, just keep chipping away at them day by day and all of a sudden the goal will be within grasp.
As athletes at ISB, we are extremely lucky to have James down by the fields and the courts. Without him, I would have been watching my senior year IASAS tournament on a laptop screen. We’re all grateful for his effort and contribution to the ISB community, and hope he has settled in well.
Nathan S
