In junior hockey, every departure creates a new opportunity for someone else, and in this instance, it’s Mackenzie Koop, the fresh face filling the recently opened role as the Athletic Therapist for the Ottawa 67’s.
At 27 years of age, Koop has already worked in all kinds of different capacities, with athletes of a wide variety. Born in Mississauga, she grew up playing both hockey and ringette, the latter of which she played competitively. Her plan was to study history at Queen’s, her dream school. In high school, Koop found out about kinesiology, and thought it was meant to be, altering her objective as decision time loomed.
While at Queen’s, Koop worked with the men’s hockey team, before moving to Mount Royal University where she studied athletic therapy. Again, she worked closely with their sports teams, helping out with basketball, volleyball, and the women’s hockey team. After graduating from her seven years of schooling, she returned home to Toronto, and worked at a private clinic, and with the Oakville Hornets.
At 25, Koop got what she considers to be her first real job, moving to Vancouver to become one of the Athletic Therapists with the Whitecaps Academy. There, she had about 90 players across three teams to take care of, with the help of two others, but it was a lot to remember.
“It took a while to get to know everybody, but I like building connections and relationships,” Koop said. “I got to do that early on with the players.”
Evidently, Koop has never been afraid to take a leap and move, if it means furthering her career. When she heard about the opening in Ottawa, it was an absolute no-brainer to toss her hat into the ring and see what happened.
“My sister is possibly moving to Ottawa in the spring, so I thought it would be really cool to live in the same city again, and I wanted to go back to hockey,” Koop said. “I’ve been playing for almost 15 years, and I was ready for a change and that next step.”
Having worked in multiple sports in the past, Koop has become familiar with how things differ. Many of the treatments or protocols are the same between hockey and soccer, but there are numerous key differences that require attention.
“We see differences in the common injuries, and what you need to return players back to,” Koop explained. “In soccer, it’s a lot more aerobic, so it changes the conditioning that you do. There are different muscular imbalances for players based on what leg they kick with, and in hockey, it’s different. It’s a lot more anaerobic with the mechanics you use in the sport.”
To do her job, Koop needs to build trust with the players. They are teenagers looking to make a career in hockey, and when they come into her office, they almost always have some kind of injury that’s holding them back. It can be frustrating, especially if they don’t know the person caring for them.
On her very first day with the club, a handful of players were hanging out in the office (which Koop shares with Equipment Manager Chris Hamilton), while some received treatment. It’s a good sign, one that Koop says has allowed her to be herself.
“Everybody has been so supportive so far, and that’s awesome, it has made me feel comfortable and like I’m at home,” Koop said. “The players are hanging around a little more, and they’re asking me questions already.”
With a pair of games under her belt, including a home win over the Sudbury Wolves on Saturday afternoon, Koop is about to experience a good old-fashioned northern road trip. On the weekend, they’ll face the North Bay Battalion and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, before closing the trip with a rematch against the Wolves.
It’s not something she’s never seen before, as she’s made this trip many times while with Queen’s. What she’s really excited about, however, is the chance to spend some time with the players, and continue to bond with them.
“I’m used to it, and I’m excited to get going,” Koop said.
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