From Bethel to the Minnesota United sideline

When a Minnesota United FC player returns from a long injury, they often come on as a sub, and the fans cheer to welcome them back. But as assistant athletic trainer/physical therapist for Minnesota United FC, Neil De Cleene ‘17 sees the weeks or months of rehab behind that moment—the frustration of being away from the game, the slow progress, and all the work needed to return safely. “It just kind of, as a medical person, gives you kind of chills to see them back,” De Cleene says.

Since 2022, De Cleene has helped players navigate the physical demands of a Major League Soccer season—from daily treatment and injury prevention to rehab and match-day readiness.

A path toward professional sports

Sports were always a big part of De Cleene’s life. Growing up primarily in the Philippines in a missionary family, he imagined a future connected to athletics. At Faith Academy, an international school in Manila, he considered becoming a physical education teacher. But after shadowing a dorm parent who had previously worked as a physical therapy assistant and was helping provide athletic training support for the school, De Cleene started to see a different path: caring for athletes from the sideline.

De Cleene was familiar with Bethel long before he enrolled. Two of his three siblings attended Bethel, and De Cleene also knew Bethel as a place where other missionary kids had found support and community. At Bethel, De Cleene found a path toward his career and a strong sense of community. He played basketball his freshman year, connected with classmates from missionary families and international backgrounds, and found a close-knit group of students preparing for careers in sports medicine, rehabilitation, and athletic training-related fields.

That community mattered. When De Cleene started college, his parents were still in the Philippines, so finding a core group of friends early helped Bethel feel like home. Those relationships became one of the most lasting parts of his Bethel experience. He’s stayed connected to many of those friends after graduation and met his wife, Lauren, through that same campus community. “Just forming lifelong friendships was really big for me,” De Cleene says.

Hands-on preparation

At Bethel, De Cleene also gained the hands-on preparation needed for a demanding field. Time around Bethel teams helped him move from classroom learning to athlete care, giving him a chance to practice clinical skills, build confidence, and learn the importance of clear communication. His professors set a high standard, but they also gave students the support to meet it. “They really wanted us to succeed,” De Cleene says. “And when we didn’t succeed, they put in more of their time with us so that we could succeed.”

While at Bethel, De Cleene first gained experience working with professional athletes. Along with working with Bethel’s Division III student-athletes, he worked with the Minnesota Vikings during organized team activities as a junior and senior. Later in physical therapy school, a former Bethel professor and mentor helped him connect with another offseason opportunity with the Vikings.

After Bethel, De Cleene earned his doctorate in physical therapy from Southwest Baptist University, which improved his chances of landing a professional sports job. There, his experience stood out. He had already practiced detailed evaluations, studied anatomy thoroughly, and gained hands-on experience working with athletes, giving him confidence alongside classmates who had strong academic backgrounds but less practical experience.

Those experiences helped De Cleene build the network and references that shaped his career path. While he started his career in a clinical setting, he stayed connected to sports as an athletic trainer for the Wind Chill, Minnesota’s professional ultimate frisbee team, and by treating NBA referees before Minnesota Timberwolves games. He also kept building relationships with athletic trainers across professional sports. When a job opened with Minnesota United in 2022, people he had worked with through the Vikings and Timberwolves recommended him to the Loons’ head athletic trainer.

Life with Minnesota United

As an assistant athletic trainer, De Cleene works in a team environment. He cares for athletes, collaborates with other specialists, and walks with players over time. In a clinical setting, he often met patients weeks after an injury and had less time to build rapport. With the Loons, the athletic training staff supports the same players every day. “It’s a lot more fun when you get to be with the same group of people every day,” he says. “You develop a relationship with your patients, and you know them before they get hurt, and you know them while they’re hurt, and you know them after they’re hurt.”

Across a long professional season, few players feel 100% every day, so relationships matter. “Personal connection and building kind of a rapport with them, it’s probably the biggest part,” De Cleene says. By knowing the players, he and other trainers can approach them conversationally when they notice something during a practice or game. The issue might be something small—a tight muscle, a blister, or a poor night of sleep—but those details matter when they help the staff respond before a minor issue becomes something more.

Every part of the week builds toward match day. On a typical training day, De Cleene prepares the treatment space and meets with the medical and performance staff to review injuries, rehab progress, training limitations, and any adjustments needed for the day. Once players arrive, the work varies. Some injuries keep players from training, while others require regular care to manage the aches and nagging pain that build across a long season of running, sprinting, stopping, and changing direction. Whether he’s caring for players before a home match or traveling on a rotation to away games, the goal is the same: helping players stay healthy, return safely, and be ready when the team needs them.

Working with Minnesota United’s international roster, De Cleene often draws on the perspective he gained growing up in the Philippines. Many players come to Minnesota from other countries and cultures, adjusting to a new language, a new team, and a new life in the U.S. Moving between the Philippines and Wisconsin taught De Cleene to navigate different cultures, and those experiences now help him connect with players making similar transitions.

Those relationships also shape the broader team culture. De Cleene is part of a larger medical team that includes athletic trainers, a physical therapist, physicians, dietitians, and performance staff. In 2025, Minnesota United’s medical team was named MLS Medical Staff of the Year, recognition of the behind-the-scenes care, collaboration, and professionalism required across a long season. “We’re one of the luckier teams,” he says. “Our coaches are very responsive to us, and they collaborate with us a lot.”

Study health sciences at Bethel.

Prepare for careers in healthcare, rehabilitation, fitness, wellness, research, and human movement through Bethel’s Department of Applied Health Sciences. With majors in exercise science, human bioenergetics, and rehabilitation and movement science, you’ll build practical skills, learn from expert faculty, and explore how your gifts can serve others through meaningful work.

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