The Orillia Terriers Jr. C hockey season came to an end Saturday night after a second-round playoff exit to the Stayner Siskins.
Despite the tough loss, the team showed considerable progress this season; it was their first winning season since joining the Jr. C loop eight years ago.
The obvious reasons for the Terriers successful campaign can be attributed to better player recruiting, strong team defence or quality goaltending from Zach Levac and Reed Spinola.
Another reason for the team's success, that might be easily overlooked, is the team’s ability to keep their players healthy and on the ice, and that’s thanks, in large part, to Danielle Quinto, the team's athletic trainer.
Quinto was approached about working with the Terriers two years ago while working at Orillia Sports Medicine fresh out of university where she studied human kinetics at Guelph. It was an easy decision for Quinto to sign on with the Terriers.
“I always loved the atmosphere of a hockey game, and always wanted to be a part of it,” Quinto said.
Quinto’s love for the game of hockey stems from cheering on the Toronto Maple Leafs with her father as a child.
“Since I was in Grade 4, my dad and I would go to a Leafs game every year. It was always the day I would look forward to the most out of the entire year,” said the now 24-year-old Quinto.
Quinto’s experiences in downtown Toronto at the Scotiabank Arena with her father inspired a passion and led her to pursue this career.
“From that point on, it was always my dream to become a trainer for a hockey team and my goal is to eventually work in the NHL,” she said.
Only two females have ever been a head trainer for one of the top four sports leagues in North America - both in Major League Baseball. If Quinto wants to achieve her dream, she’ll have to knock down a major barrier, which is something she has a positive attitude towards doing.
“Obviously it’s pretty rare to see the trainer being a female, but I’ve always been told to do what you love and I never feel like I’m working when I’m at the rink. Sometimes I forget that I get paid because I’m having so much fun,” Quinto said.
“Maybe I’ll be the third one to achieve that goal and I don’t feel like I’m at a disadvantage to do so.”
A common disadvantage some might assume about being a female trainer in a male-dominated environment is gaining the respect of the players, but that hasn’t been the case for Quinto during her time with the Terriers.
“I’ve never felt that I was at a disadvantage being a female. All the players have been accepting,” Quinto said.
“They realize that I know what I’m talking about when it comes to injuries and the game of hockey as well. If I didn’t know the sport then maybe they wouldn’t trust me as much.”
Quinto also has an easy time relating to the players, as she was once an athlete herself who dealt with some serious injuries. Quinto played rep soccer for ten years in her hometown of Barrie and had her career come to an end after suffering a severe concussion.
“I was supposed to try out for the varsity team at he University of Guelph and the doctor wouldn’t clear me,” Quinto explained.
“Being a former athlete definitely helps me relate to the players. A lot of my job is gaining the trust of the players, so they can be open enough with me to discuss any injuries or potential issues before it’s too late."
Quinto’s athletic background and experiences also aid her in high-pressure moments when players are trying to return from injury before it’s safe.
“Your role is sometimes to be the bad guy, but I’m able to get the players to understand where I’m coming from and the severity of their injuries,” Quinto said.
The role of an athletic trainer can be one of the toughest jobs on any sports team, and it requires a person to be cool, calm and collected - all traits that Quinto possesses. When a player goes down with an injury, Quinto never panics.
“It’s not until after the situation has been dealt with that I realize how serious my role is here,” Quinto said.
“In the moment, I just think about is this player in any danger and how can I help them.”
You can always find Quinto behind the bench for the Terriers on game night and in and out of the trainer’s room during intermissions and practices. Even on the coldest winter nights, Quinto shows up to the rink with a smile on her face and a passion for her team.
“The players and the coaches are really invested as well so it’s easy to be involved and motivated to be here.This is a fun group to be around; it feels like a family,” Quinto said.
Quinto loves her role with the Terriers so much that she is postponing the pursuit of being the first woman to be a head trainer in the NHL, at least for now.
“I’d definitely like to move up, but that’s eventually. Right now, I really enjoy being on a team that has so much potential and is getting better,” she explained. “I don’t think I’m ready to move up just yet, because I love being around these guys.”
