Net gains: Athletic Therapy graduate reflects on slam dunk internship with Canada Basketball

Briar Alderdice chose to study Athletic Therapy at Sheridan because the former athlete wanted to feel part of a team again. Three years later, Alderdice was part of one of the most notable teams in Canadian sports history, helping NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and other men's basketball players prepare for the national program's first Olympic appearance in a quarter-century.

We recently caught up with the 2025 Honours Bachelor of Applied Health Sciences - Athletic Therapy graduate to discuss last summer's internship with Canada Basketball, what it was like to run the bench of an Olympic team in front of 20,000 fans in Las Vegas, and how that work-integrated learning experience has benefitted her as she prepared to work at August's GLOBL JAM international under-23 basketball tournament in Toronto.

What made you decide to study Athletic Therapy at Sheridan?

Sports have always been a huge part of my life, whether it was as a synchronized swimmer or a coach or even attending a sports-minded high school. I stopped training and coaching when I went to the University of Guelph to earn my degree in human kinetics, and I really missed being part of that world.

My plan was to go into physiotherapy, specializing in sports physiotherapy, because I didn't realize the athletic therapy world existed. But when a friend of mine told me about Sheridan's Athletic Therapy program, it sounded perfect and exactly what I wanted to do.

How did you secure a summer internship with Canada Basketball between the third and fourth year of your Athletic Therapy program?

I have always wanted to work in basketball. I first heard of the Canada Basketball Scholarship when I attended a Sheridan Open House, and it stuck in my brain. I didn't think I had much of a shot, but I thought let's just put in an application and see what happens.

I didn't expect to even get an interview, to be honest, because I had no previous basketball experience. I didn't know what they were looking for, so I didn't know how to tailor my cover letter or resume for the position.

When Canada Basketball called me to tell me that I'd been selected for the internship, it was pure shock. But I was also very proud of myself that this opportunity, the one that excited me so much about the program, was something I was going to get to experience. I didn't care about the logistics or what my summer was going to look like or anything like that. This was my end goal.

You worked with several high-level teams during your internship with Canada Basketball, including the senior men's team that was preparing for the Olympic Summer Games. What was it like to work with those teams, particularly as a woman?

Athletic therapists are known for being the first to arrive and last to leave, and that's even more true when you're an intern. We were working training camps that were 16 hours per day on average and 10-14 days in duration. It involved everything from ensuring proper setup and takedown of equipment for the rest of the staff; supporting athletes during practices; assisting with rehabilitative treatment before and after practices; conducting warehouse inventory to ensure we had enough supplies; and other duties like airport runs, ordering products and taking athletes to health-related appointments.

The majority of students in Sheridan's Athletic Therapy program are female, but you don't find many female athletic therapists working with national or professional men's teams. The Canada Basketball space was great and everyone there was respectful of me, but I still felt like I had to work that much harder to make sure that I was taken seriously and that my voice was heard. Once people got to know me and my work ethic, that feeling subsided.

How were you chosen to accompany the senior men's team to Las Vegas for the USA Basketball Showcase?

First off, I was very lucky that the year I was chosen for the internship was an Olympic year. This was also the first time the senior men's team had qualified for an Olympics since Sydney 2000, so even though Canada Basketball's training staff is very experienced, this was new to everyone and we really wanted to get it right.

Interns don't typically travel with the national team, but my supervisor reached out and asked if I was interested in going with the team to Las Vegas. I immediately said yes. Regardless of what my responsibilities were going to be, I was just happy to be there.

How did you end up running the bench for Canada's highly anticipated game against the United States?

Five minutes before the anthems, one of the team's athletic therapists came up to me and asked if I wanted to run the bench. He gave me a very quick rundown of everything — this player wants a certain type of warmup, this player likes a heating pack on his back, this player doesn't want his water bottle taken away from him — and then I had to get out there. I actually liked that because I thrive in more chaotic environments when I don't have time to overthink, I just have to act.

I don't remember any part of the game. I definitely wasn't watching. I was way more focused on doing a good job. It was a crazy experience, and a lot of fun.

How do you think you've benefitted from such an exciting and demanding work-integrated learning experience?

The biggest thing has been my confidence. I was often nervous at my previous athletic therapy jobs and placements, wanting to do a good job but feeling a little outside of my comfort zone. But after last summer, having grown so much as both an athletic therapist and a person when it comes to working in high-pressure environments and effectively communicating and collaborating, I feel confident in any situation.

There isn't a more high-pressure situation than working the bench of an Olympic team. Knowing I can maintain my cool in that environment showed me a lot about myself and that I can handle anything that's thrown at me in the future.

You have already worked with many fellow Sheridan alumni, including Sam Gibbs, Director of Health Science and Performance for Canada Basketball's men's program. What level of pride do you get from being a Sheridan Athletic Therapy graduate?

Maybe I'm biased because I'm a Sheridan graduate, but I think Sheridan has the best Athletic Therapy program in the country. Most of the ATs you meet out there are from Sheridan, and there are so many successful alumni working in pro sports and other places.

When you tell people in this field that you went to Sheridan, they associate you with this positive reputation that you really care about the level of work you put in. It's a reputation we all want to uphold, and I think that's really cool.

What work have you been doing in your field since graduating from Sheridan this past spring?

Most athletic therapists are like contractors, working with several teams at once. This summer, I've been working with the Woodbridge Strikers premier women's soccer team, Ontario Volleyball, Ontario Basketball and, once again, Canada Basketball.

The GLOBL JAM is the biggest event I'll be working this summer, and it's at the Mattamy Athletic Centre where I did a placement with Toronto Metropolitan University in 2024. I'm excited to be working there again under Sam High and Shueb Ahmed. Both are Sheridan graduates, and Shueb was my supervisor at TMU as well. I don't know yet what I'll be doing, but I am excited for this opportunity.