UNews - Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness

��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."

Mahon installed as 6th U of L President

trevor.kenney — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 18:02:07 +0000

The Hon. Catherine Fraser, Chief Justice of the Province of Alberta, officially installed Dr. Michael James Mahon as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's 6th President and Vice-Chancellor on Friday.

The Installation ceremony, held at the U of L's 1^st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness, was a celebratory affair as Mahon addressed students, staff and faculty from the U of L as well as ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ supporters.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors Chair Bob Turner says Mahon has already made significant inroads in his brief time at the helm – in particular connecting with students, faculty members and staff to learn about the inner workings of campus. He looks forward to the future of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ under his direction.

"Mike and Maureen Mahon may be new to the community but they are making an impact, even in these few short months," says Turner. "Along with the members of our Board of Governors, I am extremely pleased to be working with Mike and our senior leadership team as they move the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ forward."

An accomplished kinesiology researcher, Mahon holds a PhD in Education from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an MSc in Physical Education from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and a Bachelor of Physical Education from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba.

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Man., Mahon began his academic career at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba in the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation Studies in 1987.

During his tenure there he served as Director of the Health, Leisure and Human Performance Research Institute for six years. He joined the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta in 2000 and served two terms as the Dean of the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation. His current research is in the field of adapted physical activity with an emphasis on intellectual disability and sport for development.

With his inaugural address to the community, Mahon says his primarily role is to support and serve the people who comprise the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community.

"As I begin my first year as president, I assure you, our university will continue to provide each and every student with the most vital and engaging learning environment in the country. I believe in collaboration, trust, foresight, listening and empowerment."

He acknowledges the U of L's more than 40-year evolution from a small and very successful primarily undergraduate university to a research-intensive, comprehensive university focusing on undergraduate and graduate studies.

"This is a place where ideas ignite thanks to inspired teaching combined with superior research," says Mahon. "The U of L is a place where a collaborative community of scholars and researchers has built a culture of support – for students, both undergraduate and graduate, for each other and for the broader communities of southern Alberta and beyond. Everyone at this university and in this community contributes to our success."

Mahon also introduces another concept that he is planning to implement: a fundamental belief in the importance of community service learning outside of the classroom.

"As part of a school-based volunteer requirement, I worked at an institution for children and adults with severe intellectual disabilities. This experience was the impetus for 33 years of work dedicated to understanding and supporting people with disabilities."

Mahon says his volunteer experience and subsequent career in disability studies had a significant influence on his philosophy of education.

"In keeping with that philosophy, it is my goal to ensure that during my tenure as President and continuing thereafter, each of our U of L students has an opportunity to complete at least one community-based experience during their undergraduate program.

"We are committed to building a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ culture that promotes social responsibility and community engagement. We have an obligation to give back to the community that supports us, and our students have an obligation to give back to the community that welcomes them and enables their education."

Dancing Through the Decades show

trevor.kenney — Wed, 12 May 2010 20:35:38 +0000

Parents and grandparents alike will flock to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge this week to take in the U of L elementary ballet program's Dancing Through the Decades show.

The show features children from the elementary ballet class instructed by Mary Falconer. A yearly offering through the Sport and Recreation Services Department, the program offers children the chance to learn the beauty of classical dance technique while they develop grace, posture, musicality and concentration. A creative focus is placed on developing self-expression and the teaching method is based on the standards of the Canadian Ballet Association.

The Dancing Through the Decades show runs Thursday, May 13 through Sunday, May 16 with performances Thursday and Friday evenings at 7 p.m., Saturday at noon and 3:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. All performances are in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre.

Tickets for the show are priced at $13.50 and are available at the Customer Service desk in the 1^st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness, or by calling 403-329-2706.

Elementary ballet classes are offered each calendar year and run from September through May. Ages three to 17 can participate with classes divided primarily by age.

For more information on elementary ballet or any other offerings by Sport and Recreation Services, follow this link.

UNews - Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness

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

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Mahon installed as 6th U of L President

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Dancing Through the Decades show

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