Javier Zotello made a quick transition.

He went from knowing almost nothing about football to helping the Oakland Raiders get into shape during the off-season.

In his first year at DVC, Zotello is one of 10 people selected for a three-month, personal training internship with the team. “It’s an honor for [them] to be able to perform at the professional level,” said the Raiders’ strength and conditioning assistant Chris Pearson who works with the interns.

At work on a personal training certificate at DVC, Zotello, 28, moved from Argentina in 2001, where he played and coached soccer.

“I’ve always played sports,” he said. “Then I started working out three years ago, and I got really into it.”

Zotello learned of the internship from his sports medicine instructor Shelly Pierson, who helped him with the application process.

“Working with all these people at the professional level is really exciting,” he said. “The intensity is on another level.”

Zotello was concerned at first, because he knew so little about American football. But he found that that knowledge was not particularly relevant to his internship.

“They go through a lot of different exercises – rope training, Olympic training, power lifting, free weights, and a lot of core training,” he said.  “For me to experience and learn all these different ways to get healthy and fit is what I like best.”

Zotello is not the first DVC student to be selected for the internship.  Last year Rob Seeley and Ryan Allison, both students of Pierson’s, had the same opportunity.

According to Pierson, the Raiders seek out interns who are dependable and open to learning.

“Outside of his knowledge and experience, Javier had a really good resume and cover letter,” she said. “He has a great work ethic and is serious about the academics of the program.”  

Zotello appreciates the effort Pierson puts in with her students.

“If it wasn’t for her, the internships probably wouldn’t be possible,” Zotello said. “She helps us a lot. She’s like a mentor.”

Zotello works on lower body training with the Raiders from 6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He is responsible for the set-up of training rooms, helping the players to warm-up, helping to implement core workouts, and general equipment maintenance.  

The Raiders’ assistant coach, Pearson, described Zotello as a hard worker.

“He’s an outgoing guy,” he said, “and he’s very knowledgeable on the field, which was impressive to me.”

Zotello said he is most excited about expanding his knowledge of sports medicine and personal training.

“The coaches make sure you’re constantly learning,” he said. “If you have questions, they’ll tell you as much as they know.

“They give a lot of support and the players are really outgoing and supportive.  It’s a fun environment.”

Contact Kamille Simmons-Turnquest at [email protected]