The Hamilton native is the Physiotherapist for the SMNT
Growing up, Danielle de Laat was involved in everything from soccer and badminton to ultimate frisbee; her focus was team sports, with field hockey being her go-to in high school.
When it came time to choose a career path, de Laat found an opportunity to combine her love for sports with science.
“I started with strength and conditioning at McMaster University during my undergrad, and I enjoyed being involved in the high-performance side of things,” de Laat explained. Then I wanted to see if there was another way I could add a background to it—the therapy side of things. I thought if I could learn the therapy side and combine my strength and conditioning background, I could combine those two in high performance.”
De Laat graduated from McMaster University with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. While at McMaster, de Laat fulfilled a strength and conditioning internship with the Marauders’ rugby, hockey and rowing teams.
The Hamilton, Ont. native then attended Western University, where she completed her Master’s of Physical Therapy.
At Western, de Laat participated in a sports physiotherapy fellowship at the Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic. During her fellowship, de Laat realized how she could help athletes return to sport.
“I think being at the Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, where I did my fellowship, that’s where I had the first real experience of being on the sidelines, seeing injuries and getting athletes back to sport with the rehab side of it,” she said. “I would say the passion started at McMaster, but the true decision of getting involved in sports medicine was at Western.”
De Laat has her Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and Level 1 Sport Performance Coach certifications, as well as her Level 1 Manual Therapy certification.
In July 2022, de Laat participated in a week-long camp with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), working with the Women’s Under-18 development program in Finland.
The experience with the IIHF ultimately led de Laat to her role with Wheelchair Basketball Canada, where she is the Physiotherapist for the Senior Men’s National Team—a role she has held since March.
“It’s been fantastic. I’ve learned a lot working with the athletes and the staff. The program is fantastic,” said de Laat. “Every day, you learn more. You take more from it. Working with the athletes, they teach you a ton when it comes to the sport and when it comes to working as a team player. I’m humbled to have the opportunity, and it’s been great so far.”
In addition to her role with WBC, the 30-year-old is also a Physical Therapist with the Niagara Health & Rehab Centre in St. Catharines, Ont.
“Wheelchair basketball, I’ve found, is quite a community,” said de Laat. “You see the same teams, athletes, coaches, and support staff. You start to understand how they play and get to know the coaches and staff. That’s what I enjoy about wheelchair basketball is the community that’s involved with it and the friendships that you make along the way.”