Don't Stop half in
The world was a special place once a team of Canadian hockey players lined up in provincial capital against the country on the night of Sep four, 1972. associate degree ocean away in city, Canadian Olympic Track and Field coach Don Steen was among a gaggle of Olympic coaches and athletes World Health Organization needed to observe the sport.
“Because the sport transpire within the middle of the night in Germany, access to and from the Village was restricted by latched gates therefore we have {a tendency to|we tend to} had to resort to rise fences to urge to the media centre.”
After look Team Canada’s success, the Canadians created their approach back to their dorms. “We jumped back over the fence and visited bed. Unbeknownst to United States country|North yank nation}, shortly once we have {a tendency to|we tend to} went over the fence, Palestinian rebels did a similar. I got woken up by some of athletes banging on my door and declaring all hell was breaking loose. Our student residence was right next to the Koreans World Health Organization were beside the Israelis. i glanced round the corner of the Korean building and saw this guy carrying a hat and carrying a machine gun, clearly one in {every of} the rebels. He was shut enough on behalf of me to speak to. A peace officer force Maine back and, at intervals minutes, the Village was on imprisonment. the remainder of the story is history. Despite the tragedy, the athletes didn't wish to depart, and continuing on with the competition, tho' security very tightened up at that time.”
Having a front row seat a minimum of one|to 1} of the foremost disreputable terrorist attacks in fashionable history is simply one act within the exceptional lifetime of one in {every of} Canada’s greatest competitors and coaches. Born in 1935 into associate degree athletic family, Don grew up in Vancouver 1st, and later Burnaby, attending faculty in each cities. tho' he became best renowned within the field of athletics (track and field) his old flame was basketball.
“I was terribly heavily into basketball,” says Don. “I visited Sabbath school as a teenager so the|and conjointly the} son of the minister had been knowledgeable contestant in Golden State. He took Maine below his wing and was terribly instrumental in teaching Maine the sport, tho' really have} to mention I didn’t want ton of|abundant} convincing. once I was attending to Lord Byng highschool, my basketball buddies and that i wont to decide the lock of the women’s athletic facility at UBC. the protection guy got therefore bored with catching United States country|North yank nation} there, once a moment, he simply told United States country|North yank nation} to form positive we have {a tendency to|we tend to} latched up after we left.”
While half in} for Burnaby South, Don achieved a grading record throughout the provincial championship tournament that stood for eleven years; was named tournament participant once; and doubly named to the all-star team. He even created it onto the Vancouver trefoil Leafs, a Senior-A men’s five, once he was simply sixteen years previous. Don conjointly competed in highschool rugger and track and field and continuing his winning ways that by representing {canada|Canada|North yank country|North yank nation} in each rugger and track and field.
After graduation, Don accepted a track and field scholarship to attend the University of OR, wherever he obtained each a Bachelor and Master’s of Science degree. throughout his time there, Don was coached by Bill Bowerman and had a associate named Phil Knight. That combine would later team to create alittle degree|somewhat|slightly|alittle} shoe company known as Nike. whereas at university, Don had one final hurrah with the game of basketball. once he was getting into his last year of school eligibility, he asked his track coach if he might undertake for the five.
“My coach didn't suppose that I had any probability to form the team, therefore he told Maine to travel ahead. Well I did build the team, ton of|abundant} to his chagrin, and very enjoyed half in} that year.”
Though Don set the Canadian record for the athletic contest, a laborious 2 day-long competition involving ten completely different track and field events, he was denied an opportunity to contend within the Melbourne Olympics in 1956 as a result of a scarcity of funding for Canadian athletes. tho' he ne'er had an opportunity to expertise Olympic glory as associate degree contestant, Don was excited to attend the 1988 Games in Seoul, wherever his son David set his own Canadian record on the way to winning the prize within the same event. sadly, the mountain Johnson drug-tainted win and succeeding disqualification within the 100-metres overshadowed Dave’s wonderful performance.
“Prior to the Seoul Olympics, the doctor operating with mountain approached David and offered him a special ‘vitamin’ supplement, promising it'd build him a fair higher contestant. David refused, spoken language he needed to win on his own. He then insisted Athletics {canada|Canada|North yank country|North yank nation} check at} him monthly leading up to the 1988 Olympics to prove he was competitive clean. {i was|i wont to be} terribly pleased with him for taking that stand.”
Don has one {more reason|another excuse} to be proud - *Sports Illustrated* has listed him and Dave because the prime father-son combination within the world once you add up their best athletic contest scores.
Every decathlete has events they're higher at than others. Don says with amusing, “The field event was my weakest event. i might frequently smash my face against the bar whereas coaching and once I would get home, my mother would say ‘Oh, I see you have got a fat lip. {you must|you wish to|you want to} are active field event.’ My long jump and high jump were pretty sensible and my hurdles weren’t unhealthy, however javelin was most likely my favorite which is what I pay most of my time work currently.”
His long career as an educator began at Burnaby South highschool wherever he worked as an instructor and established a program that dominated the track scene for years. He conjointly based the Burnaby Striders Track and Field Club and served as head coach throughout a time once the club churned out many Canadian Olympians. He was the primary head track and field coach at Simon Fraser University, throughout which period he created and hosted the primary B.C. highschool track and field championships.
In 1969, Don’s life took another flip once he got involved complete new} organization taking care of athletic competitions in B.C. colleges.
“I was conscripted by a gaggle of college superintendents to form a faculty sports federation, that became the organization we all know these days as B.C. faculty Sports. This became over a full-time job, act with many colleges everywhere the province and {every one} the varied sports commissions, and golf stroke on championships for the various sporting teams.”
Along the approach, Don became involved B.C. Blind Sports and Recreation Association. Since obtaining concerned, he has coached several athletes World Health Organization ar visually impaired or blind, one thing that brings its own distinctive challenges.
“Working with these athletes has been terribly appreciated on behalf of me, tho' you would like to search out new ways that to try to to things. once you ar teaching a discus thrower World Health Organization is visually impaired, you can not simply tell them to observe you. you have got to use sound cues and different ways to show the techniques.”
Don has been a workers coach of Team Canada at the Paralympic Games in urban center, Atlanta, state capital and Athens still as variety of World Championship and Pan yank groups.
Don continues to educate these days, as well as the present Canadian champion in javelin, botanist nonvascular plant, World Health Organization competed at the London Olympic Games last summer. however a number of his favorite times ar work a gaggle of masters track and field athletes between the ages of sixty and sixty six.
“They have tutored Maine some terribly valuable lessons,” he says. “I swear they're obtaining younger every year. In ten years, I will see all bragging concerning what proportion stronger they're currently than they were once they were in their sixties. i feel that at any age, our bodies ar capable of growing and folks must always pursue a healthy life-style, no matter age. The factor I actually have aforesaid for years is this: ‘Man doesn't stop taking part in as a result of he grows previous, man grows previous as a result of he stops taking part in.’”
At 78, Don Steen, a person of spectacular accomplishments, as well as membership within the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame, Burnaby Sports Hall of Fame and B.C. Athletics Coaches Hall of Fame, lives proof that for all the work he has place in, he has not even begun to prevent taking part in.
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