Dan also has intercollegiate athletic training experience at his alma mater, Wright State University in Ohio, where he was a member of the sports medicine staff from 1988-90, and the University of Connecticut, where he served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer from 1990-92 while pursuing his Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology. Dan earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Medicine and Physical Education K-12.

Prior to joining the US Luge Association, he worked in the professional ranks serving as the head athletic trainer from the Detroit Rockers soccer team from 1993-95. During his time with the Rockers, Smith also gained a large amount of knowledge in the area of injury rehabilitation also working at the Henry Ford Hospital Center for Athletic Medicine where he helped treat players from all of the Motor City’s major professional sports team including the NHL’s Red Wings, the NFL’s Lions and Major League Baseball’s Tigers.

Along with working with the US Luge Association, Dan has served as an Olympic Team Athletic Trainer and Strength and Condition Coach at the Winter Games in 1998, 2002 and 2006, where he assisted athletes, along with the US lugers, from the bobsled, skeleton, ice hockey plus ski jumping teams

A collegiate athlete, Smith was a Division I wrestler at Wright State, and he also received an Outstanding Alumni Award from WSU in 2007.