UNews - Heather Steacy

Former Pronghorn thrower Heather Steacy off to Rio Olympics

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 16:52:41 +0000

Former ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorn track star Heather Steacy punched her ticket to the Rio Olympic Games this past weekend, meeting the Olympic standard at the Sun Angel Classic Track Meet in Tempe, Arizona.

Steacy had the top five throws of the meet in the hammer throw event and on her sixth and final throw she reached 72.09 metres, which cleared the Olympic standard by more than a metre. The standard to qualify for this year’s Olympics is 71 metres.

As a Pronghorn, Steacy won four Canada West titles, two CIS gold medals, a CIS silver and a CIS bronze medal in her four-year university career. Steacy was also the first CIS woman to eclipse the 20-metre mark in the weight throw.

Rio will be Steacy’s second Olympic games, qualifying for London in 2012, where she finished 33rd.

In London, she represented Canada along with her brother Jim, who is also a two-time Olympian and one of the most decorated track athletes in CIS history.

Pronghorns to be well represented at Pan Am Games

trevor.kenney — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 18:13:20 +0000

As Canada prepares to host the Pan American Games in Toronto, Pronghorn Athletics will be well represented with four former athletes and one current Pronghorn competing with the maple leaf on their chest.

The Pan Am Games will open July 10 with closing ceremonies wrapping the games up July 26. For full games information and results, visit the Toronto 2015 website.

Former Pronghorn track star Jim Steacy is a veteran of international competition.

Of the five people representing the Pronghorns at the Pan Am Games, three come from the Steacy family. Siblings Jim and Heather Steacy, as well as sister-in-law Ashley Steacy (nee: Patzer), will all compete under the family name, a true rarity in Canadian sport history. Aaron Hernandez and Kayla Moleschi round out the group of Pronghorns and former Pronghorns competing at the games.

For the first time, Rugby Sevens will make an appearance at the Pan Am Games and Ashley Steacy and Moleschi will play prominent roles for the Canadian side.

Steacy was one of the most decorated CIS women’s rugby players by the time she graduated from the U of L, winning three national championships and two CIS player of the year awards. This year, she was named the Canadian Sevens player of the year, and at the last stop of the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series, she was named to the overall series Dream Team.

“Pan Am’s will be my first multi-sport games and I'm very excited to get there and get a feeling for what the games are like,” says Steacy. “Women's 7s Rugby is new to the Pan Am Games so having the opportunity a year out from the Olympics to participate in a multi-sport games is going to be a big advantage to our team.”

Steacy says it's special to be competing in the same event with Jim and Heather.

“It’s pretty cool that my brother and sister-in-law will both be at the games, but unfortunately we will miss each other because of the timing of our sports," says Steacy. "I would love to stay and watch them throw but our team is travelling down to Rio to do a site visit leading into the Olympics next summer.”

While Moleschi only played one season for the Pronghorns, she had an immediate impact. Moleschi was named the Canada West Rookie of the Year and a CIS All-Canadian in her lone season and quickly earned the attention of the Canadian national program.

The Steacy siblings are no strangers to national team nominations, but say it is always an honour to represent their country.

“As an athlete, there is no greater feeling than being able to compete at a level where you can represent your country,” says two-time Olympian Jim Steacy. “I am so proud to have been selected to compete for Canada at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto this July; it will be particularly special to compete in the red & white in front of a home crowd.”

After starring at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, winning nine CIS gold medals and going undefeated throughout his university career in the weight throw, Jim has achieved national and international success. He represented Canada at the Beijing and London Olympics, is the Canadian record holder in the hammer throw and most recently won gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

Sister Heather was also a star at the CIS level, winning four Canada West titles in the weight throw and four CIS medals (two gold, silver and bronze). She also is an Olympian, having joined her brother at the 2012 London Olympics.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be named to the Canadian team for the Pan American Games,” says the youngest Steacy. “The last time I competed for Team Canada was in 2013, and I was dealing with some injuries then. The past couple years have been challenging for a myriad of reasons, but this year has been filled with some changes that have been a big step in the right direction.”

Heather moved to Kamloops last fall and changed coaches – a move that has paid dividends with some great early season results.

“I was out in Victoria a couple weeks ago for a meet, and Ashley and I were able to meet up for dinner and chat about us all representing Canada at the same time and in the same event,” says Heather. “I think it’s a big deal that the rugby teams get to participate in Pan Am’s as a major multi-sport competition before their first go at the Olympics next year in Rio. It’s such a different atmosphere when you’re surrounded by not only athletes from other countries and cultures, but from completely different sports.”

Current Pronghorn Aaron Hernandez is enjoying his first senior team appointment through his participation at the Pan Am Games. Through two years of his university career, Hernandez has been nothing short of spectacular. He has won two national titles in the triple jump, been named the CIS Rookie of the Year, and this past year registered the second furthest jump in Canada West history.

“It's an unbelievable feeling to be nominated to compete for your country,” says Hernandez. “Ever since I started competing in track & field the goal has been to wear the Canada singlet. To be able to do it in front of a home crowd and at a huge event like this is just the cherry on top. Big thanks has to go out to my coach, Jaime Thomas, and coach Larry Steinke, my family and friends and all the support I have received lately. I wouldn't be here without everyone's dedication.”

“I am looking forward to competing against some of the best in the world, it will be a great learning opportunity and I'll be soaking up the atmosphere from the moment I get to athletes village to the day I compete, and through to the closing ceremonies. I can't wait!”

The city of Lethbridge as a whole will be represented well at the Pan Am Games with another eight athletes with Lethbridge connections participating in Toronto.

“I am so proud to represent Lethbridge and it is so awesome to have such a strong showing from our city!" concludes Ashley Steacy.

Debby Steacy honoured with 2015 ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Volunteer Award

trevor.kenney — Thu, 28 May 2015 22:24:28 +0000

A passion for supporting athletics that began with her own children and grew into tireless support for the entire Pronghorn Athletics program, set Debby Steacy’s volunteer efforts apart. On Thursday, May 28, 2015, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge recognized the late Debby Steacy for her longstanding commitment to promoting Pronghorn athletes by awarding her the 2015 ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Volunteer Award.

Pictured here with husband Graham, Debby Steacy, centre, enjoys the Olympic experience.

It was the involvement of her three children — Jim, Sean and Heather — in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge athletics that initially led Debby to join the Pronghorn Booster Club, which raises funds for ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ athletics through a variety of programs and initiatives. But her passion for the success of all of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s athletes led her to actively volunteer for more than a decade. During that time, she was vital in helping generate more than $500,000 for Pronghorn Athletics.

One initiative that was particularly close to Debby’s heart was Operation Red Nose, a safe-driving campaign that provides drivers with rides home during the holiday season on a donation basis. She worked tirelessly to expand and strengthen this important fundraiser by overseeing hundreds of volunteers, conducting administrative tasks and, together with her family, coordinating each evening of the operation. The considerable work and time she invested in the program led to more efficient operations, more volunteer participation and greater financial support for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s athletic teams.

Graham Steacy, left, with Horns track coach Larry Steinke, Jim Steacy and Debby Steacy.

For 10 years, Debby also helped facilitate the organization’s annual dinner and auction event by assisting with tasks such as overseeing the participant application process and recruiting volunteers. As well, she was heavily involved with a number of track and field team initiatives. Her organizing skills, attention to detail and cooperative working style were critical assets to the club’s overall operations.

Beyond her involvement with ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Athletics, Debby spent countless hours in her community volunteering for various causes and organizations. She was a director-at-large of the Athletics Alberta board of directors, secretary of the Southern Alberta Track and Field Council, and an Athletics Alberta track and field official. She was extensively involved in local school councils, participated in two Lethbridge School District No. 51 committees and was a classroom volunteer for more than 15 years. Debby was on the board of directors for the Southern Alberta Professional Development Consortium, and was a member of the planning committee for Weaving Words: Extending Literature Through the Fine Arts Conference. She was also a Royal Conservatory of Music piano and theory teacher and served as an accompanist for school choirs.

A successful Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) varsity athlete herself, Debby was proud to support the athletic careers of her children, all of who were highly decorated Pronghorn track and field athletes who excelled at the throwing events. Sean was a champion at the CIS level, and Jim and Heather each reached the pinnacle of sport by representing Canada at the Olympic Games in hammer throw – Jim at Beijing (2008) and London (2012), and Heather in London (2012).

Although Debby passed away suddenly last year at the age of 58, her vigorous championing, volunteerism and community spirit have left an enduring impact on Pronghorn Athletics.

Pronghorns honour Debby Steacy by renaming scholarship

trevor.kenney — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 17:21:20 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorn Athletics is honoured to announce that the department is renaming its Academic All-Canadian Scholarship to pay tribute to the late Debby Steacy.

Steacy, a longtime supporter of Horns Athletics, passed away suddenly in April 2014 at the age of 58.

Each year, more than 20 per cent of Pronghorn athletes earn CIS Academic All-Canadian (AAC) honours. The Pronghorn Booster Club, with funds generated from Operation Red Nose activity, partner with the athletics department to help fund the AAC Award.

A long-time booster club member and volunteer coordinator for Operation Red Nose, Steacy was a huge advocate for using the funds raised through the booster club to recognize not only athletic achievement but academic excellence. Sandy Slavin, Pronghorn athletic director, and Travis Grindle, president of the Pronghorn Booster Club, agreed that it was only fitting that the Pronghorn Academic All-Canadian scholarship should bear her name, to honour and recognize her commitment and dedication to Pronghorn Athletics.

Operation Red Nose was a program that Steacy held close to her heart. She worked tirelessly for Operation Red Nose, organizing more than 600 volunteers for the annual 12-night campaign, and ensuring that the program ran as smoothly as possible.

Having been a successful CIAU varsity athlete herself, Steacy understood the value of being a student-athlete. She supported all three of her children’s university and athletic careers. Each of Jim, Sean and Heather Steacy were highly decorated Pronghorn Athletes. Jim and Heather each reached the pinnacle of the track and field world representing Canada at the Olympic Games in the hammer throw. Jim, a two-time Olympian, competed in Beijing (2008) and London (2012), while Heather joined Jim in London. Ji is currently representing Canada at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

Beginning in fall 2014, athletes achieving Academic All-Canadian status will receive a Deb Steacy AAC Scholarship on behalf of Pronghorn Athletics.

Laying the Groundwork

david.kirby — Thu, 15 May 2014 21:35:00 +0000

Larry Steinke (BA ‘94), the architect and head coach of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns track and field team, has cultivated a program of excellence over the past 15-plus years, and while the team continues to pile up medals at Canada West and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championships, his focus is squarely on maximizing the opportunities of his athletes well beyond their years in Pronghorn blue and gold.

Pronghorns head coach Larry Steinke has been with the program for 15 years.

“From the very beginning, I wanted to establish a program that was sought after by athletes but not every athlete. I wanted to sift out those people who would make a good fit with the program,” says Steinke, who took over the track program in 1998. “I want athletes who have loftier goals than just CIS. A lot of schools are only worried about maximizing their athletes for the four years that they are in school. We’re a little different here because I look at each athlete from a long-term approach.”

Those who buy into the philosophy understand the big picture mentality. They also have to look no further than a few lockers away – at Olympians Jim Steacy (BASc '09) and Heather Steacy – to get a sense of the success it reaps.

“I still have Jim’s autograph up on my wall at home,” says Peter Millman, who came to the U of L from Truro, N.S.

A second-year Pronghorn who won Canada West gold medals in both the weight throw and shot put, Millman saw the U of L as his only destination from the time he first started working with Steinke on a training trip to Lethbridge when he was in Grade 10.

“Meeting Jim and having the opportunity to throw with an Olympian when I was in Grade 10 was one of the coolest things ever,” he says. “There were offers for me to go to different places but they were never entertained; it was always going to be Lethbridge.”

Now recognized as a throwing power, the U of L is truly a destination school for the country’s elite throwers. Kayla Gallagher, another Truro product, just won her second consecutive CIS gold medal in weight throw and is one of 10 track athletes who have come to the U of L from outside of Alberta.

(L-R) Kayla Gallagher, Aaron Hernandez and Peter Millman.

All the while, Steinke is now beginning to see golden results outside of the throwing disciplines, noting that success really does breed success.

“That is our challenge now, to try and move away from just the throws to create a culture of excellence across all of the event groups,” he says.

Aaron Hernandez, from Coaldale, Alta., is one of those success stories after he won the CIS gold medal in triple jump and was named CIS Rookie of the Year. He’s won early in his career but understands his ultimate goal is years away.

“For any track and field athlete, their ultimate is to compete in the Olympics and that’s something I hope to see one day,” says Hernandez, who works with jump coach Jaime Thomas (BSc '04).

Hernandez, along with Gallagher, Millman and the rest of the Horns team get the Steinke program, knowing full well that the greatest rewards will come long after they have completed school.

“They all have bright futures internationally and that’s why I wanted to work with them,” says Steinke. “We are about longer-term development. It’s whether the athlete has the wherewithal to stick it out for that long. I see that mentality in this group.”

Something that bodes well for their futures, in any path they choose.

This story appears in the Spring 2014 edition of SAM magazine. For a look at the full version in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Mercer is schooled by Horns track team

trevor.kenney — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 21:17:03 +0000

The CBC's Rick Mercer might not be the most imposing figure to take his turn in the throwing circle, but there is no denying the size of his heart.

Rick Mercer, centre, and the U of L Pronghorns throwing team.

The popular CBC television personality spent a day at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge on Monday, Mar. 10 as he learned the finer points of the art of throwing from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns throwing team.

Mercer was learning from some of the country's best athletes, including ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge alumnus and Olympian Jim Steacy (BASc '09), his sister and fellow Olympian Heather Steacy, as well as Canada West shot put and weight throw champion Peter Millman and two-time CIS women's weight throw champion Kayla Gallagher. The group is busy preparing for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland at the end of July.

Led by head coach Larry Steinke, the Horns have created a centre of excellence here at the U of L, so it was only fitting that Mercer came to Lethbridge to learn from the best. He entered the ring and tried his hand at each of the shot put, weight throw, hammer throw, discus and javelin disciplines.

"I did everything, I always try to do everything and I tried my hardest," says Mercer. "I'm not very good at any of those things, I learned that, but they are incredible."

Head coach Steinke says that Mercer has a little work to do before he's ready to enter competition and represent Canada.

"He has one of those techniques that will take a number of years to get better and well enough to compete in the 2016 Olympics, but there's a definite possibility there," says Steinke.

Look for the full Rick Mercer Report to air Tuesday, Mar. 25.

Horns' Millman always had U of L on his mind

trevor.kenney — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 20:56:58 +0000

Peter Millman’s track career began with him trying to run over hurdles as fast as he could. Today, Millman could just hurl them out of the way and waltz down the track – he’s clearly found his niche.

“I thought I was going to be a hurdler in Grades 6 through 8 and honestly, was really bad, and it was sort of embarrassing for my dad,” laughs Millman, whose father Paul coached track at the provincial and national level. “So I started throwing the discus in Grade 8, won provincials my second year and that’s basically where my throwing career began.”

Ready to embark on his second year of studies at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Millman is already a known commodity on the Canadian Interuniversity Sport track and field scene. That will happen when you win gold and silver medals in your first Canada West Championship meet and are named Canada West Rookie of the Year – and that was just the beginning.

Millman, 19, spent the summer racking up personal best throws and more accolades as he claimed three medals at the Canadian Junior Track and Field Championships. The Truro, N.S. product won gold in the shot put and silver in each of the discus and hammer throw events. He was then named to Canada’s Pan American Junior Championship team and competed in Medellin, Colombia at the end of August, qualifying for the finals of the hammer throw event and improving his Pan Am ranking from 10th to seventh position.

Peter Millman prepares to throw the shotput during the Pan American Junior Athletic Championships.

“Coming here and focusing on throwing and training with Larry Steinke, I believe opens everything up for me,” says Millman, who eyes world championship and Olympic appearances in his future. “I had opportunities to go to the United States but to me, it looked like an athlete factory down there and with Larry, it’s one-on-one focussed training designed to get you to the next level.”

The U of L didn’t have to spend a lot of time recruiting Millman, he was essentially in the family from the time he took his first training trip to Lethbridge in his Grade 10 year.

“I tried to convince my parents to let me move out here in Grade 10 and just start training with Larry but that wasn’t going to happen,” he says. “I had chosen the U of L by Grade 10, it was always where I was coming.”

The draw of course is head coach Steinke, leader of the national throws program and the mentor to Olympians Jim and Heather Steacy. He’s been mining talent from Truro for years, having previously brought Kate Forbes and Jonathan Doucette (now the coach at Dalhousie ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ) to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Along with Millman came Kayla Gallagher (last year’s CIS gold medallist in weight throw) and Montana Forsyth. In the fall, Millman says his dad will bring another high school group to Lethbridge for a week of training, possibly laying the foundation for future throwing prospects attending the U of L.

“The thing about Larry is that his programs are so individually based and he’s so knowledgeable about track, even outside of throws events, he knows the sport so well,” says Millman. “He understands what you need in terms of lifting, really everything within your training, he sets it up. Everybody has their own program focused on what they individually need to develop.”
Millman has changed his academic focus this fall, moving away from international management and focusing on history. He admittedly struggled last year and looks to return to the strong classroom performances he put in while in high school.

“I wasn’t going to force myself to study something I didn’t really want to do,” he says of the management vein he tried to follow in the shadow of father’s career (he runs an international student recruitment program in Nova Scotia). “I want to take something where my interests lie and I’ve done that this year. I really like the courses I’m in this semester so I hope things go a lot better.”

His competitive goals are enhanced this year as he looks to build off his rookie success as well as the summer experience he gained internationally.

“Hopefully, I want to medal this year at the CIS Championships. I had such a great outdoor season with the shot, I hope it transfers to the indoor season,” he says. “After that, theoretically the NACAC Under-23 (North America Central America and Caribbean) Games are a possibility. I’m still pretty young and would have another shot at it in two years but it’d be great to make that team.”

GET THE FACTS

• Millman says he still has an autograph from former Pronghorn thrower and Olympian Jim Steacy on his bedroom wall back home in Truro from his initial visit to Lethbridge in Grade 10

• Millman competes in each of the discus, hammer/weight and shot put events but says, “I’m starting to think that maybe I have more potential in the shot put.”

• Millman has a younger sister in Grade 12 who he describes as a “genius”. She also throws hammer and is looking at attending an Ivy League school in the eastern United States

• Millman placed fifth in shot at the Pan American Junior Athletic Championships, while Horns teammate Kayla Gallagher won bronze for Canada in the hammer throw

Gallagher caps rookie season with CIS gold

trevor.kenney — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:40:48 +0000

The torch has officially been passed and it continues to burn as bright as ever for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns throws team.

With the brother/sister combination of Jim and Heather Steacy no longer competing, and winning medals, for the Horns, a new group of throwers debuted at the U of L this track season. In terms of medal counts, the team hardly missed a beat.

Rookies Kayla Gallagher and Peter Millman posted double medalist performances at the Canada West championship meet, each winning gold in their respective weight throw events and silver in the shot put. Gallagher then set the track community on its ear with a dominant performance at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport national championships, claiming gold in the weight throw for yet another throws national title for the program.

"I just wanted to place higher than what I was ranked going into the meet," says Gallagher, who was ranked fifth nationally. "A fourth-place finish would have been fine with me and getting on the podium would have been awesome – that was my thinking."

First-year Pronghorn thrower Kayla Gallagher continues the long tradition of excellence in the Horns' throws program.

She exceeded awesome by throwing 18.24 metres in the CIS final, a personal best by nearly two metres and almost a metre better than the rest of the field. At just 19, Gallagher is already on the fast track to a stellar career, and serves as another example of the talented athletes that head coach Larry Steinke continues to bring into the program.

Of course, Steinke had the inside track on Gallagher all along. A Truro, Nova Scotia product, Gallagher comes from a throwing hot spot, training with the Truro Lions club that spawned former Pronghorns Kate Forbes (the CIS Championship Meet record holder in weight throw) and Jonathan Doucette.

Her Truro coach, Paul Millman, is the father of fellow rookie Peter Millman, and is a close friend of Steinke's, so much so that Gallagher had twice visited the U of L for training camps as a high school athlete.

"I was never going to stay home for track," says Gallagher. "The biggest decision for me was whether I would go to the United States or stay in Canada but I honestly never really looked at any schools in the U.S., it just made sense to stay in Canada."

And to work with Steinke, the national team coach who has consistently produced the country's best young throwers.

Of course, it wasn't all record-setting throws and medals for Gallagher this season. She actually opened the Canada West season well off form.

"It was a rough start to the season, I was throwing worse than I had been two years ago," she says. "I had to reevaluate what I thought I could accomplish."

Devoting more time to weight throw (she also throws discus and shot put), Gallagher started to see results. She threw a personal best at the Canada West championship meet and established the longest throw ever for a CIS rookie in winning gold.

"When I threw 18-plus metres at CIS, it didn't surprise me because that's what I'd been throwing in the two weeks of practice leading in. The fact that I did it in a competition as opposed to just in practice was the big thing," she says.

She credits Steinke's coaching technique for much of her success, as well as the opportunity to train alongside Olympians such as Jim and Heather Steacy.

"I really enjoy Larry as a coach, he explains things really well and can show you how to correct things," she says. "He uses a lot of visual techniques, either with a video camera or by physically just showing you what to do, and that works for me because I'm a very visual learner."

Her transition to university life is an ongoing learning cycle. She admits that the time constraints of training for track and working a job take their toll on studying. Interested in psychology, Gallagher says she is working hard on improving her time management skills.

Considering the strides she made in the throwing circle in just one season, it's safe to say that when Gallagher puts her mind to something, she's likely to reap the rewards very soon.

GET THE FACTS

· Gallagher is currently training with Steinke and a group of elite throwers in Phoenix, AZ through Apr. 8

· Millman was named Canada West Rookie of the Year

· Gallagher has set her sights on breaking Kate Forbes' CIS weight throw record of 19.66 metres (2005 CIS Championships), then wants to take aim at Heather Steacy's Canada West and school records (20.28 metres)

· Gallagher will compete for Nova Scotia at the Canada Summer Games in August, and hopes to turn a strong performance at the Canadian national meet in Quebec into an invitation to the Pan American Junior Track and Field Championships in Peru, also in August

This story first appeared in the April 2013 edition of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Bursting onto a new stage

trevor.kenney — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 22:16:15 +0000

Heather Steacy is a performance artist who has seen the stage as an elite athlete and musician. She's acutely aware that the stage she's about to enter is grander than anything she's ever seen before.

Steacy will join her brother Jim Steacy (BASc '09) as a hammer thrower, representing Canada at the London Olympic Games this month. While the Horns Athletics product has already represented her country at the World ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Games and the IAAF World Track Championships, the Olympics are on another level.

"I honestly don't know what to expect," says the 24-year-old Canadian champion. "Everyone who has been to the Olympics that I've talked to says that they can't describe it, it really is something you have to experience for yourself and I'm excited about that."

Heather Steacy is the two-time Canadian champion in hammer throw.

Steacy is on virtually the same schedule as her older brother, who experienced his first Olympics at age 24. The goal for him then, and her now, was to soak in the atmosphere, try and make it out of qualifying and build for a medal run in four years.

"I would love to make it to the finals and seeing Jim have that success in 2008 is very encouraging because I see that it as a possibility," says Steacy. "I think that's the main goal, hopefully throw a personal best and anything beyond that, I'm just really excited for the experience."

Steacy is peaking at the right time. She threw her personal best of 72.16 metres and achieved the Olympic A-Plus Standard in her first meet of this season, allowing her to focus her summer on training and gaining strength, rather than grinding to qualify for the Olympic team.

"It was a huge relief to meet that standard the first meet of the season," she says. "It's allowed me to train towards London instead of train towards getting that standard."

Steacy has an obvious mentor in brother Jim but says she hasn't sat down and discussed specifics about performing on the Olympic stage.

"Having spent all of my time training with him and living with him I think I've just learned by osmosis," she says. "He's also really good at letting me learn my own way and not just imposing his way of thinking on me. But it definitely takes some of the pressure off knowing I'll have somebody there who I'm comfortable with."

Her first Olympic experience is seen as a stepping stone to the future.

Jim is excited to relive the innocence of his first Olympic experience through his sister.

"That's going to be so much fun. Having gone through it already, it's going to be cool to watch her do it too and see how much it throws her," he says. "It's a whole different animal than watching it on TV – a shocking experience."

She says she plans to feed off the local support shown at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Olympic Send-off Celebration held before the team headed off to London.

"It's really cool and really encouraging to have so many people from the community come out for something like this and show their support," she says. "We know, in the backs of our minds that it's there, but to have them come out like this – it's really nice."

Competition Schedule

Hammer Throw Qualifying – Wednesday, Aug. 8 at 10 a.m. GMT (4 a.m. MDT)

Hammer Throw Final – Friday, Aug. 10 at 7:35 p.m. GMT (1:35 p.m. MDT)

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ becoming hub for elite athletes

trevor.kenney — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 22:09:08 +0000

With three Olympians and another athlete headed to the Paralympics, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will be extremely well represented in London. And rather than this occurrence being a blip on the radar, Horns Athletics track coach Larry Steinke (BA '94) says it is an emerging trend.

"We're a small community and I think in some ways that gives us a lot of positives in being able to support the athletes that are here," says Steinke, the Athletics Canada Throws coach who will also attend the London Olympics. "You don't get lost in the masses here as you would in some of the larger centres."

Jim Steacy and Heather Steacy will represent the U of L and Canada at the London Olympic Games.

The 1^st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness, coupled with the Community Sports Stadium and a developing sports medicine clinic make the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ a very attractive destination for aspiring athletes.

"We're a very unique facility, especially for the throwing events, where you just don't have this capability in the rest of Canada. Every day I have to remind our athletes that this is not able to be done everywhere else," he says, referring to individual training sessions twice per day and access to both indoor and outdoor facilities. "It really is becoming a destination place."

Jim (BASc '09) and Heather Steacy did not have to go far to access the U of L, they are Lethbridge products, but they understand how lucky they are to have the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ as their home base and Steinke as their coach.

"I can guarantee you I wouldn't be here if not for him," says Jim. "I would have tried to play basketball and been done university in five years and out in the work world by now. There is no way Heather and I would be here without him, he's hands down the best technical coach in North America for the throwing events."

His sister Heather echoes that sentiment, saying she was offered opportunities to train elsewhere but never wavered in her commitment to stay home.

"I never considered going to the United States for school because I wanted to stay with Larry and I couldn't have made a better choice," she says. "I have a lot of friends who took that route and trained with people who didn't have the knowledge base he has. I couldn't take that chance and I'm really grateful he's as patient as he is and willing to put in the hours he does, it's fantastic and I'm really excited he gets to come to London with us."

Steinke says that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has attracted a number of graduate athletes from DePaul ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, another from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Washington and still more from the Canadian Olympic Development Team. Liz Gleadle, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia javelin thrower, took a year off from her studies to come to the U of L and train with Steinke.

"I needed to go somewhere with a more focused environment and a coach that could spend time with me full time," she says in advance of her first Olympic appearance. "I knew I wanted to make it to the Olympics and that I could make it happen here."

UNews - Heather Steacy

Former Pronghorn thrower Heather Steacy off to Rio Olympics

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