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Calabrese says her gender is no issue—
she’s at home in the baseball
culture, and the players feel no need
to watch how they act or talk around
her. She’s in the training room with
them: the Padres value massage and
its results more than most teams.
The training staff all work together
in the same room, as opposed to a
massage therapist setting up separately
from the physical trainers.
“We are still one of the only teams
that work together in the same
training room,” Calabrese says. “We
want [the players] to know they’re
going to get the same type of treatment
whichever one of us they go to.
We’re a very hands-on team, and we
encourage players to come in every
day.”
The result of all that closeness?
“Sometimes it’s like having 25 older
brothers,” she says. “It’s not an easy
atmosphere for just any woman, but
I grew up with an older brother, so
it wasn’t a big issue. They feel very
comfortable around me.”
Of course, there is a flip side. The
gender issue often swings in the other
direction.
“The only times we have gender
issues are if we have someone who
says they don’t want a man,” says
Vandenbos. “Sometimes a man
doesn’t want to get a massage from
a man, and sometimes a woman
doesn’t want a massage from a man.
For us as women, we haven’t had
those issues.”
Calabrese was in the middle of
one of the most gender-specific career
challenges—training someone
to take over for her when she goes
on maternity leave. The process
clarified for her the most important
element of sports massage.
“It’s so hard to teach someone to
have your touch,” she says. “I went
through a huge interview process
and just couldn’t find someone that
had my touch.”
She picked a man.
“You have to hire the best person
for the job,” she says. “It shouldn’t
matter if it’s a man or woman. I
went through a whole slew of men
and women, and ultimately I have to
pick the person who can best fill in
as if I was there.”
As for Keith Hernandez, he hasn’t
had too much effect on her workday.
Actually, he had an effect he probably
didn’t intend.
“I can’t tell you how many fan letters
I got from little girls,” Calabrese
said. “And if they can fulfill one of
their dreams, it makes Keith Hernandez’
comments on air totally
worthwhile. It’s important that little
girls can have a positive role model
in professional sports—it teaches
them they can cross that gender
line.”
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American Massage Therapy Association®
