Fleming College

Peterborough, ON (August 29, 2024) – Every four years or so, Ashley Dykstra pulls out her Olympic silver medal.

“I know some people put it in a special case, but I think that the beauty of an Olympic medal is that people should be able to touch it, feel it and try it on,” Dykstra said. “I just have it in our bedroom, in a box, on a shelf.”

Dykstra rowed her way to silver during the London 2012 Olympics, alongside her teammates in the Women’s Eight. Four years later, she served as an alternate during the Rio 2016 Olympics.

“I came home from the Olympics in August, and then started at Fleming College in September,” Dykstra said with a laugh.

Dykstra enrolled in Fleming’s Massage Therapy program before she left for Brazil that summer. She knew the 2016 Olympics would be her last. She also knew she wanted a career that would complement the skills and knowledge she had acquired as a rower.

“I had a good amount of time to think about what I wanted to do when I retired from sport, and I really wanted to choose something where my time as an athlete would be an advantage,” she explained, adding that as an athlete she’d had a lot of experience getting physiotherapy and massage therapy. “As an athlete, you’re very aware of how your body works, how your muscles are connected, and I think it was definitely an advantage.”

Dykstra also knew she wanted something to keep her mind-and body-busy. A desk job was not in her future.

“’It kind of surprises people how much science massage therapists know. There’s a lot of technical knowledge involved with becoming a registered massage therapist,” she said.

“It’s an intense program. You have to know some serious biology, physiology and anatomy in order to be registered.”

It was also important for Dykstra to have a job that could accommodate her life outside of work.

Now a mom to three children all under the age of five, Dykstra said her job as a massage therapist allows her to take care of her family without sacrificing career opportunities.

“It’s a pretty amazing career that way, that you can work your schedule to be as flexible as you need it to be,” Dykstra said. “There’s a lot of different paths you can take. For me I’m growing my career, and I have a young family.”

Dykstra is currently working at Trent Health in Motion. It’s right where Dykstra wants to be.

The clinic setting allows her to set hours that work for her family. She’s also busy building a client base which includes everyone from construction workers to varsity athletes.

“The profession of massage therapy is amazing for letting me build my career the way I want to,” she said. “If you are passionate about it and you do a good job you can find a way to make it work.”

Dykstra credits the education and hands-on experience she got at Fleming College for the success she’s experienced in her professional field.

“I had a great experience at Fleming College, and I enjoyed my time there,” Dykstra said.

“The program and the instructors gave me the skills and confidence I needed to build a strong career and fuel my passion for massage therapy and a job I love.”

For media enquiries, please contact:
Sarah Deeth
Communications Officer
sarah.deeth@flemingcollege.ca
705-749-5530 ext. 1161

About Fleming College
Fleming College respectfully acknowledges that we are situated on Michi Saagiig Anishinaabeg lands and territory. Located in the heart of Central Ontario, Fleming College has campus locations in Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg and Haliburton. Named for famous Canadian inventor and engineer Sir Sandford Fleming, the college features more than 100 full-time programs in Arts and Heritage, Business, Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, General Arts and Sciences, Health and Wellness, Justice and Community Development, Skilled Trades and Technology, and Continuing Education. Fleming College has more than 6,800 full-time and 10,000 part-time students, and 80,000 alumni.

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