Wheelchair Basketball - Bio

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Danielle "Doc" Peers

Danielle was an Academic-All-Canadian, and captain of her college basketball team until knee and hip issues cut short her career, and opened up a new one in wheelchair basketball.

After three years of competing in wheelchair basketball as an able-bodied athlete, Danielle was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, making her eligible to try out for the National Team. In 2003 she gained a spot on the Canadian Women's National Team. That same year her Edmonton club team, the Inferno, began a six-year winning streak of the Canadian Women’s Championships, and Danielle was named Canada's MVP.

The following year, she brought home a Bronze Medal from the Athens Paralympics.

Danielle has since won a number of groundbreaking awards. In 2005 she became the first woman to be named to the American Men’s All-star Team. In 2006, she followed up as the first female tournament MVP at a Men’s European Cup. Later that same year Danielle led the Team Canada Women to a Gold Medal at the World Championships, where she took home the honor of the World’s Most Valuable Player. More recently she has been named the 2007 Outstanding Athlete for all of Basketball Canada, and was a finalist for the 2007 International Sportswoman of the Year.

Off the court, Danielle is an active volunteer and organizer in her community, with roles ranging from the commissioner of the Canadian Women's Wheelchair Basketball league, to National Ambassador for Muscular Dystrophy Canada. She is also active as a public speaker and filmmaker. Danielle is currently working on her PhD at the University of Alberta, for which she has recieved the prestigious Canada Vanier Scholarship.

Gold Medals
2009 Canadian Women's Nationals (Edmonton Inferno)
2007 Canadian Women’s Nationals (Edmonton Inferno)
2006 World Championships (Team Canada)
2006 Canadian Women’s Nationals (Edmonton Inferno)
2005 Canadian Women’s Nationals (Edmonton Inferno)
2005 USA Men’s Div. II Nationals (Alberta Northern Lights)
2004 Canadian Women’s Nationals (Edmonton Inferno)

Other Medals of Note
2006 Bronze, European Men’s Club Champions Cup (C.S. Meaux)
2004 Bronze, Athens Paralympics (Team Canada)
2003 Silver, Women’s NWBL (USA) Finals (L.A. Sparks)

All-Stars & MVPs
2007 MVP, Canadian Women’s Nationals
2006 MVP, World Championships
2006 MVP, European Men’s Club Champions Cup (1st woman in history)
2004 MVP, Canadian Women’s Nationals
2004 MVP, CWBA International Invitational

2006 All-Star, Canadian Women’s Nationals
2005 All-Star, Canadian Women’s Nationals
2005 All-Star, USA Men’s Div. II Nationals (1st woman in history)
2003 All-Star, USA Women’s Nationals

Stand-Up Basketball Highlights
2000 Coached Grant MacEwan College to #1 national ranking
1998 Captained Grant MacEwan College to #1 national ranking
1998 Academic All-Canadian

Other Achievements
2009 Recipient of the Canada Vanier Graduate Scholarship ($150,000)
2009 Earned a Master of Arts Degree from the University of Alberta
2008 Recipient University of Alberta Horizon Alumni Award
2008 Recipient Grant MacEwan Distinguished Alumni Award
2008 Inducted into Alberta Sports Hall of Fame (Alberta Northern Lights)
2007 Finalist for International Sportswoman of the Year
2007 Named Canada Basketball's Outstanding Athlete of 2007
2007 Inducted into the Edmonton Sports Hall of Fame
2007 Inducted into the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Hall of Fame (team)
2006 Edmonton Pride Award for Outstanding Contribution to the community
2006 Named National Ambassador for Muscular Dystrophy Canada
2005 Featured in Sports Illustrated
2005 Edmonton Excellence Award
2004 Edmonton Excellence Award
2002 Co-founded Inferno Wheelchair Basketball Society
2001 Graduated with distinction from U of Alberta with a BA in Sociology