Amy Mausser

Speed Racer: Athletic therapist Amy Mausser scores with Sarnia Sting

 

Amy Mausser has always had a creed of speed. 

 

Growing up in Kitchener, Ont., she was first drawn to the slopes at the age of five by her mother — a competitive alpine downhill ski racer. 

 

“I’m an adrenaline junkie,” laughs Mausser. “I love speed. My neighbours would watch me outside my house training and practising — I’d always be running somewhere.”

 

Her mother’s influence would lead to a lifelong love of athletics and a strong work ethic that would carry Mausser through her studies and career.

 

“My mother always told me that things don’t always come easy. You should go out and work hard to get what you want,” she says.

 

Mausser brought that sense of determination with her to Sheridan in 2006 when she began the Bachelor of Applied Health Sciences program, finding professors that would help her along the way. Mausser still remembers Dr. Loriann Hynes, a professor in Sheridan’s Athletic Therapy program, who helped her recognize her weaknesses and learn from her mistakes. 

 

“It was a turning point for me,” says Mausser. “A lot of people are ashamed of those moments when they don’t succeed, but they built and defined who I am today.” 

 

Mausser says her studies at Sheridan were a building block in the foundation of her career. “I owe everything to that amazing experience,” she says. 

 

After graduating in 2010, Mausser was determined to hone her skills in the field while still maintaining her edge in the classroom. Over the years, she’s trained in massage therapy, holding a certificate from the Ontario College of Health and Technology, and earned a Masters of Exercise Science from the University of Connecticut. She is also working on a Masters of Exercise Science (Human Movement) at A.T. Still University.

 

Where Mausser really thrives, however, is rink side, helping athletes recover and train their bodies to a competitive level. After working with teams including the Kitchener Dutchmen Junior B team and the Ontario Hockey League’s Kingston Frontenacs, Mausser built the confidence to take on more tasks, eventually assuming the joint role of athletic therapist, equipment manager and strength and conditioning coach with the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Brooks Bandits.

 

Today, Mausser serves as the head athletic therapist for the OHL’s Sarnia Sting, working with the team doctor in areas such as injury management and concussion protocols. 

 

Working with athletes every day, Mausser does her best to also remain active. She cycles competitively with an amateur team out of Toronto, and plays in the occasional hockey game. “I needed an outlet to recharge my batteries because there are long days indoors during the hockey season,” she says. 

 

Mausser says she will never stop trying to improve her skills. “You can always learn and build and grow — I’m always motivated to try and make myself better,” says Mausser. “It’s not just about helping myself. It’s about helping the athletes I take care of on a daily basis.”