Katie Harnock
Biography
Katie Harnock recalls trying out wheelchair basketball in her driveway at the age of 10, after receiving a brochure in the mail from a local club. She started playing recreationally at 13 with a Kitchener team and she remembers getting clothes-lined in her first game, which she jokingly describes as a warm welcome to the sport she loves.
Fast-forward to today, and Harnock now works the point for Team Canada, with a knack for dribbling and passing. She packs a solid shot and isn’t afraid to drive to the basket. She worked her way up from local club ball to the provincial program before making the Senior Women’s National Team in 2006.
The St. David Secondary School grad from Elmira, Ont. was named the Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association Junior Female Athlete of the Year in 1998. A year later she received the nod as Senior Female Athlete of the Year.
Harnock represented Canada at the Paralympic Games in 2008 and 2012. She is also a two-time world champion, winning the gold medal at the world championships in 2006 in Amsterdam and on home soil in Toronto in 2014.
Harnock graduated from the University of Alabama in 2013 with a degree in English. She hopes one day that she can become a fiction author. She also wants to remain involved in wheelchair basketball by eventually becoming a coach.
Sports have always played a major role in Harnock’s life, and she is drawn to wheelchair basketball because of its competitive spirit. She is constantly learning new techniques and enjoys the challenge of the game. She always looks forward to games with rival teams, especially against our neighbours to the south, the United States.
To learn more about Katie, follow her on Twitter: @thepeachabides
Interesting Facts
- If Harnock could eat dinner with anyone in the world she would dine with her sporting idol, Steven Gerrard, captain of the Liverpool Football Club – she thinks he’s the most complete midfielder in the game
Awards / Highlights
- Finalist for the Kitchener Waterloo Athlete of the Year Award (2015)
- Received Stan Stronge Memorial Award from the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association (2014)
- Named to the tournament all-star team at the 2014 Women’s World Championship
- Named Team Canada’s True Sport award recipient at the 2014 Women’s World Championship
- Received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2013)
- Named to the 2005, 2006, 2011 CWBL Women’s National Championships tournament all-star team
- 1999 Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association Female Athlete of the Year
- 1998 Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association Junior Female Athlete of the Year
Major International Competition
| Tournament |  |
 |
 |
Other |
| Paralympic Games: 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5th (’08, ’16), 6th (’12) |
| World Championships: 3 | 2 (’06, ’14) | 0 | 1 (’10) | – |
| World Junior Championships: 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6th (’05) |
Statistics
Paralympic Games
| Year | GP | Min | M/G | Field Goals | 3Pts | Free Throws | Rebounds | AS | TO | ST | BS | PF | FO | PTS | P/G | |||||
| M/A | % | M/A | % | M/A | % | OR | DR | TOT | ||||||||||||
| 2016 | 6 | 161 | 26:55 | 13/26 | 50 | 0/1 | 0 | 0/1 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 26 | 4.3 |
| 2012 | 7 | 215 | 30:45 | 35/77 | 46 | 1/9 | 11 | 0/0 | – | 7 | 20 | 27 | 24 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 8 | 73 | 10.4 |
| 2008 | 7 | 109 | 15:39 | 14/32 | 44 | 1/2 | 50 | 0/0 | – | 2 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 31 | 4.4 |
| TOTAL | 20 | 486 | 24:19 | 62/135 | 46 | 2/12 | 17 | 0/1 | 0 | 11 | 46 | 57 | 51 | 21 | 14 | 3 | 22 | 17 | 130 | 6.5 |
World Championships
| Year | GP | Min | M/G | Field Goals | 3 Pts | Free Throws | Rebounds | AS | TO | ST | BS | PF | FO | PTS | P/G | |||||
| M/A | % | M/A | % | M/A | % | OR | DR | TOT | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 8 | 278 | 34:46 | 59/102 | 58 | 0/4 | 0 | 8/13 | 62 | 9 | 22 | 31 | 19 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 8 | 126 | 15.8 |
| 2010 | 7 | 32 | 4:37 | 5/10 | 50 | 0/2 | 0 | 3/4 | 75 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 1.9 |
| 2006 | 6 | 41 | 6:47 | 8/17 | 47 | 0/0 | – | 3/10 | 30 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 3.2 |
| TOTAL | 21 | 351 | 16:43 | 72/129 | 56 | 0/6 | 0 | 14/27 | 52 | 14 | 32 | 46 | 24 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 17 | 10 | 158 | 7.5 |
Legend: GP = Games Played; Min = Minutes; M/G = Minutes per Game; M/A = Made / Attempted; OR = Offensive Rebounds; DR = Defensive Rebounds; TOT = Total; AS = Assists; TO = Turn Overs; ST = Steals; BS = Blocked Shots;PF = Personal Foul; FO = Foul On; PTS = Points; P/G = Points per Game
Competitive Experience
| Level | Team | Location | Year(s) |
| International | Canada (SWNT) | Canada | 2006-2016 |
| International | Canada (JMNT) | Canada | 2005 |
| Club (domestic) | Sheffield Steelers | Great Britain | 2013-2014 |
| Club (domestic) | University of Alabama | Alabama (USA) | 2007-2013 |
| Club (domestic) | Burlington Vipers | Ontario | – |
| Club (domestic) | Edmonton Inferno | Alberta | – |
Career Notes
2016: 5th place at Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Team Canada)… 4th place at Women’s International Friendly in Lake Placid, United States (Team Canada)… 2nd place at Women’s International Friendly Tournament in Colorado Springs, United States (Team Canada)… 3rd place at Toronto Challenge in Toronto, Canada (Team Canada)…
2015: 2nd place at Parapan American Games in Toronto, Canada (Team Canada)… 4th place at Osaka Cup in Osaka, Japan (Team Canada)…
2014: 1st place at the World Championship and named all-star in Toronto, Canada (Team Canada)… 3rd place at Toronto Challenge in Toronto, Ont. (Team Canada)…
2013: 2nd place at the National Intercollegiate Championship (NIWBT) with the University of Alabama & named Second Team All American in Birmingham, USA (domestic)…
2012: 6th place at Paralympic Games in London, England (Team Canada)… 2nd place at National Intercollegiate Championships (NIWBT) with the University of Alabama in USA (domestic)… 3rd place at North American Cup in Birmingham, Alabama (Team Canada)… 2nd place at Papendal Tournament in Arnhem, Netherlands (Team Canada)…
2011: 2nd place at Parapan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico (Team Canada)… 4th place at Paralympic World Cup in Manchester, UK (Team Canada)… 1st place at National Intercollegiate Championships (NIWBT) with the University of Alabama in USA (domestic)… 6th place at CWBL Women’s National Championships with Team Ontario & named to all-star team in Longueuil, QC (domestic)…
2010: 3rd place at World Championships in Birmingham, UK (Team Canada)… 1st place at Paralympic World Cup in Manchester, UK (Team Canada)… 3rd place at Osaka Cup in Osaka, Japan (Team Canada)… competed at North American Cup in Birmingham, Alabama (Team Canada)… 1st place at National Intercollegiate Championships (NIWBT) with the University of Alabama in USA (domestic)…
2009: 4th place at Invitational Tournament in Ottawa, Canada (Team Canada)… 1st place at National Intercollegiate Championships (NIWBT) with the University of Alabama in USA (domestic)…
2008: 5th place at Paralympic Games in Beijing, China (Team Canada)… 3rd place at North American Cup in Birmingham, Alabama (Team Canada)… 2nd place at National Intercollegiate Championships (NIWBT) with the University of Alabama & named Most Improved Player in USA (domestic)… 1st place at CWBL Women’s National Championships with Edmonton Inferno in Montreal, QC (domestic)…
2007: 2nd place at Parapan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Team Canada)… 3rd place at 4 Nations Tournament in Sydney, Australia (Team Canada)… 1st place at Osaka Cup in Osaka, Japan (Team Canada)…
2006: 1st place at World Championships in Amsterdam, Netherlands (Team Canada)… 3rd place at Roosevelt Cup Tournament in Warm Springs, Georgia (Team Canada)… 1st place at CWBL Women’s National Championships with Edmonton Inferno & named to all-star team in Winnipeg, MB (domestic)…
2005: 2nd place at the Qualifications of Americas Tournament in Colorado Spring, Colorado (Team Canada)… 6th place at Men’s U23 World Championship in Birmingham, England (Team Canada)… 1st place at CWBL Women’s National Championships with Edmonton Inferno & named to all-star team in Edmonton, AB (domestic)…
2003: 3rd place at Canada Games with Team Ontario in Bathurst/Campbellton, NB (domestic)…
1999: 1st place at Canada Games with Team Ontario in Corner Brook, NL (domestic)…