Taunton massage therapist to work at the 2012 Summer Olympics - Taunton Daily Gazette

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Taunton native David Silvia is taking his talented hands to London, where he will provide massage therapy for athletes representing the United States in the 2012 Summer Olympics.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to be chosen,†Silvia said. “My part is to try to help the athletes (perform) to the best of their abilities. The fact of the matter is we are the supporting cast for what’s going on.â€
Silvia, an East Freetown resident, is flying out of Providence on his way to England on Sunday, where he will be based at High Performance Training Center at the University of East London Docklands Campus. Silvia said he will be there along with at least 18 other massage therapists, on call, ready to knead the aching muscles of the 530 athletes hoping to bring back gold medals for the Red, White and Blue.
Silvia’s work as a massage therapist started seven years when he went back to school. Silvia, 61, now leads a dual life: By night, he’s a massage therapist at the Active Health Massage Therapy and Fitness office on Dean Street in Taunton; by day, he continues his long-standing job of 33 years as the parts director at the Central Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge dealership in Norwood.
“I’m sure when the athletes are done training, before they go back to the Olympic Village where they will live, they’ll be wanting to get a massage,†Silvia said. “If they got some kinks to be worked out, they want to continue doing what they want to do on a regular basis. They just want to get resolved any issues they may have, because this is probably the performance of their lifetime.â€
Silvia became interested in massage therapy after receiving treatment himself, needed as a result of his hobby of practicing archery. His mentor, Lori-Ann Gallant-Heilborn, who works at Ultimate Sports Massage in Providence, led him to apply for a chance to volunteer as a massage therapist in September 2009. Gallant-Heilborn, who volunteered during the 2008 Olympics in China, is part of a volunteer group that Silvia joined during massage therapy school, providing massage at charity events like the annual Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C.
Silvia was then called up to do a two-week rotation at the U.S. Olympic training camp in Chula Vista, Calif., just before the 2010 winter games in Vancouver. At that time, he worked with the U.S. bobsled team and must have impressed them because they called him back up this year.
Silvia received a letter in March letting him know he was being considered for the Olympics, and a month later he received the confirmation that he was going to London this summer.
“The Olympics have always been near and dear to me,†he said. “I think we always have a great team.â€
Silvia’s wife, Mikki Castonguay, said that she is excited for her husband.
“It’s something he’s dreamed of for so long,†Castonguay said. “I’m happy for him. He’ll do great.â€
Contact Marc Larocque at mlarocque@tauntongazette.com.