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Warrener plays big role for Oil Caps

Although on the stats sheet you will not see Dana Warrener’s name next to goals being scored, there is no doubt that she is a key player for the Virden Oil Capitals organization.
Warrener placed
Dana Warrener, sports therapist for Virden Oil Capitals

Although on the stats sheet you will not see Dana Warrener’s name next to goals being scored, there is no doubt that she is a key player for the Virden Oil Capitals organization.

The Eddystone product joined the Manitoba Junior Hockey League team as an athletic therapist in 2019. She is now in her fourth season with the club.

“Dana is an extremely important part of our staff,” Oil Capitals head coach Tyson Ramsey said. “She is knowledgeable, hardworking and really understands the culture we are trying to build here. We appreciate everything she brings to our team and the medical attention she gives to our guys is second to none.”

Warrener enjoys the connections she has made with the players and other people she works with. She said it “feels like I have a built-in family with the team.”

At the University of Manitoba, Warrener earned of a Bachelor of Kinesiology specialized in athletic therapy degree. She is also certified in acupuncture, cupping, and K-Taping.

“I enjoy using the information that I learned in school and being able to apply it out in the field. Of course, there may be modifications that will need to be made in every situation, but it is interesting when you see or deal with things that were described as ‘textbook’ situations,” Warrener said.

In addition to her athletic therapy training, Warrener is certified in acupuncture, cupping, and K-Taping. Veteran Oil Caps defenceman Bray Rookes said that Warrener’s training “adds so much confidence to our group that we will be taken care of in the right manner.” As well, Warrener brings a lot to the team with her personality.

“She is also very competitive,” Rookes said. “Once she coached a team of us in a practice game and took ahold of the bench and was a motivated coach. She does this all with a smile as she’s at the rink all hours of the day. You’re sure to have a welcoming chat when you get to the rink. She’s a great part of what the Virden Oil Capitals are.”

While studying at the U of M, she worked with the Bisons track and field team before becoming the co-head athletic therapist of the university’s women’s volleyball team. In the latter role, she would travel with the team to different universities.

“The injuries (suffered by the Oil Capitals) are very different from what I had dealt with in my time with the U of M volleyball and track teams,” Warrener said. “With these teams I saw a lot more chronic injuries, which are injuries from overuse. With the Virden Oil Capitals, I see a lot more of acute injuries, which are injuries that occur from a sudden onset. These can be sprains, fractures, lacerations, etc. These injuries allow me to showcase my first responding skills.”

In addition to the medical aspects, Warrener also plays a role on the equipment side of things. Oil Caps equipment manager Brian “Toph” Mytopher “is the main guy for the equipment managing but both Toph and I work as a team and work well together,” she noted.

“I find it challenging as it is a learning curve to fix things and need to be fixed sometimes within five mins or so. Also, it allows me to use my horrible sewing skills that I learned taking 4-H,” Warrener said.

As well as working for the Oil Capitals, Warrener owns and operates Sideline Therapy. It is an athletic therapy clinic but is open to members of the general public and clients do not have to be athletes.

“I take patients from the general public if you are sidelined from work, sport, or just your daily activities. I work with my patients to get them back to work or what they love to do,” Warrener said.

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