UNews - Jim

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.

Small business, big opportunity

trevor.kenney — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 22:01:06 +0000

According to the provincial government, small businesses make up about 96 per cent of all businesses in Alberta. While they may be small, they certainly are mighty. In fact, small businesses in the province contribute nearly 30 per cent of Alberta's gross domestic product (GDP) – a figure that puts them first in the country for small business GDP per capita in 2009. But it's not just small enterprises in Alberta that are economic powerlifters. Across Canada, small businesses are doing their bit by employing half of the total workforce.

The hard reality, however, is that 75 per cent of Canadian small businesses fold within nine years. Why does that happen, and what factors contribute to the long-term success of some small businesses?

These questions and others like them are being explored at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's newly established Small Business Institute (SBI) in the Faculty of Management. Founded earlier this year, the SBI links small businesses to the expertise of researchers, professionals and other business people. Simply put, the SBI serves as a hub for research on small businesses and a resource for those who own, work at and are interested in them.

Dr. M. Gordon Hunter and Dan Kazakoff want to help area small businesses avoid the pitfalls that doom many great ideas.

The Institute investigates many issues related to businesses, including succession, sustainability and franchising. The SBI also works with rural areas throughout southern Alberta, where small businesses are often the lifeblood of the community.

"The SBI is an excellent example of U of L professors and researchers working to ensure that their work is relevant and valued in the community, and that leading business practices can be adopted by small businesses in the region," says David Hill, director of Centres and Institutes at the U of L.

The SBI was established by researchers Dr. M. Gordon Hunter and Dan Kazakoff. Both professors in the Faculty of Management, they worked together initially to co-author the book Little Empires: Multi-Generational Small Business in Southern Alberta, Canada. Published in 2008, Little Empires profiled 11 local, family-run operations.

"We wanted to help small businesses learn from each other," says Kazakoff, noting that the SBI was a logical evolution of the work invested in Little Empires. "With the Institute, we wanted to raise the profile of small businesses and interact with the community. It was our way of giving back."

The strategy works well, says Paul McDonald (BMgt '88), one of the entrepreneurs featured in Little Empires. McDonald, along with his brothers Jim (BMgt '80) and Gord (BMgt '89), owns the McDonald Auto Group, which has operated in southern Alberta since 1942. While the family business originally sold John Deere tractors, it now owns McDonald Chevrolet Buick GMC in Taber and McDonald Nissan in Lethbridge.

Participating in Little Empires, says McDonald, was an eye-opening experience. "It allowed me to see how other businesses operate and what allowed them to prosper." Today, he repays those insights by serving on the SBI's Advisory Board. "They want to know the challenges small businesses face and the resources we need to succeed in the future. We provide that feedback."

In addition to guiding the SBI's initiatives, Alberta businesses are also supporting them financially. This fall, ATB Financial made a $36,000 investment in the SBI that will sponsor a speaker series and bring industry leaders and researchers – including Hunter and Kazakoff – to rural communities throughout southern Alberta. The purpose of the business education seminars is to share knowledge and experiences on topics pertaining to small businesses.

That expertise is also showcased in Hunter and Kazakoff's second book, which was released earlier this year. Unlike Little Empires though, Small Business: Journey to Success was written primarily for an academic audience, reflecting the researchers' goal to eventually develop new courses within the Faculty of Management that focus on small businesses and bring new knowledge into the classroom.

In the meantime, Hunter and Kazakoff are busy with a number of research projects. The team, for example, has previously examined why small businesses fail (e.g., owners lack passion and focus) and how small enterprises survived the financial crisis (e.g., they were already operating in a fiscally conservative manner). Now the researchers are studying why small businesses typically do not partake in insolvency processes to deal with deteriorating financial situations (e.g., owners usually cannot afford the inherent expense).

Down the road, Hunter and Kazakoff will also look at small businesses' contributions to the local economy and how the agricultural industry has been affected by changes to the Canadian Wheat Board. The researchers also plan to compare the success stories of indigenous entrepreneurs in Canada with those of the Maori in New Zealand.

"Through our research," says Hunter, "we hope to expand our reach locally, regionally, nationally and internationally."

For more information on the U of L's Small Business Institute, please visit: www.uleth.ca/management/sbi

This story first appeared in the Fall 2012 issue of SAM. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

��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."

Steacy fifth at Universiade

trevor.kenney — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:19:05 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns thrower Heather Steacy has completed her competition at the 2011 Summer Universiade in Shenzhen, China, finishing fifth in the final of the women's hammer throw event.

Steacy faulted on three of her six throws and managed a best throw of 67.72 metres in the final. The winning throw was recorded by Zalina Marghieva of Moldova, who set a new national record with a toss of 72.93m. Steacy was slightly more than three metres shy of the bronze medal position.

Meanwhile, Steacy, along with her brother Jim, also a former Pronghorn athlete, was named to Canada's World Championship track team that will compete at the World Track and Field Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Aug. 27 to Sept. 4. The meet is considered a dress rehearsal for Canada's national team as it prepares for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Mahon assumes leadership role

trevor.kenney — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 18:30:52 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is officially under the leadership of Dr. Michael James Mahon.

On Friday, Oct. 15, Mahon was officially installed as the U of L's 6^th President and Vice-Chancellor. He begins his tenure as President by addressing the students, staff, faculty and supporters of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Following is his Installation address.

Presidential Installation Address

Welcome and Greetings

YOUR HONOUR Chief Justice of Alberta Catherine Fraser, CHANCELLOR

New ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Michael James Mahon.

RICHARD DAVIDSON, BOARD CHAIR ROBERT TURNER, SPECIAL GUESTS, MEMBERS OF OUR CAMPUS COMMUNITY, VISITORS TO OUR CAMPUS, and EVERYONE WATCHING ON THE WEB

It is an honour and a pleasure to stand before you today as the sixth president and vice-chancellor of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Thank you for being here as we celebrate the future of our great ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. In doing so, we reflect on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's past, the foundation the institution was built on and the many people who have contributed to the emergence of this world-class institution.

Our history begins with the Blackfoot people and the sacred land on which the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ sits. I would like to begin my address with a thank you to the Blackfoot community and the role they have played in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's rich history.

To the Blackfoot People:

NIII TSI KSI NII YII TSI PA, NII TSI TA PII WAH SINI

(Loosely translated, this means "I am grateful and thankful for the Blackfoot way")

Since its founding in 1967, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has evolved from a small and very successful primarily undergraduate university to a research-intensive, comprehensive university with a focus on both undergraduate and graduate studies.

This is a place where ideas ignite thanks to inspired teaching combined with superior research. 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.

Today, more than 8,500 students from approximately 85 countries call the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's campuses in Lethbridge, Calgary and Edmonton home. Our student-body has grown by more than 50% in the last 10 years. Despite this growth, we have remained true to who we are – a community focused on the student and grounded in liberal education.

There is no doubt that the history of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is one of community.

The success of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is a reflection of the many people who have played a role in its development. More than four decades of students, faculty, boards of governors and senate members, administrators, employees, community supporters and 32,000 alumni have contributed to the emergence of a world-class institution.

Without question, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has exceeded the expectations of its most optimistic founders.

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.

The last four months have validated all of my impressions of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the southern Alberta community. The experiences my wife Maureen and I have had have brought the U of L to life for us. As part of my introduction to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, I was given the opportunity to meet with every unit on campus and participate in activities that form part of their daily lives. I spent an early morning with the dedicated staff in care-taking vacuuming and cleaning classrooms. I drove a street-sweeper, delivered a baby and got lost in a corn maze, we visited classes in drama, critical thinking and poetry and learned to line dance again, which brought back memories of our disco years in the 70's. Through these experiences, Maureen and I have been made to feel very quickly that we are members of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge family.

I am struck by how often that term is used as people reference the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge – family. This has truly reaffirmed our decision to join the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, as family is foundational to us.

I was born in Winnipeg into a very close-knit family of five children. My mother Lucille and two siblings Susan and Patrick are here today and my dad Jim and siblings Kathy and Paul are watching on streaming-video back in Winnipeg.

Growing up in Winnipeg I came to appreciate cold, heat, wind, rain and snow. During our first summer in Lethbridge we have experienced all of this and thus feel right at home.

Maureen and I met in Edmonton in 1981 and have been married for 27 years. Our careers have led us to Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and North Carolina. I have however, lived in Western Canada for all, but three years of my life, and as a result have a fundamental and deep-rooted connection to the West.

We are fortunate to have three wonderful children in Katie, Brennan and Seann, who are here today, as are a number of Maureen's family members including her mother Cathy.

The support of Maureen, our children, and my extended family has enabled and empowered me throughout my career. I will bring this fundamental belief in the multiple contributions of a family to my new home.

My parents were dedicated to education, volunteerism and diversity. They were role models to me as volunteers, dedicated to community building and in particular supporting the needs of those who are vulnerable. This commitment to service has been instilled in me since my childhood. I believe I am here to support and serve the people who make up this ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. I believe in collaboration, in trust, in foresight, listening and empowerment. My first commitment to you as President is that my role as leader of this ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will be to serve and to help enable the dreams and aspirations of all who work, learn, create, and study, at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. I make this same commitment to the community that we as a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ serve and are accountable to.

The foundation of our culture and identity as a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is a commitment to this community of people. Regardless of whether they are students, faculty, staff or alumni, people form the basis of our strength. They define the character of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. As we strive to realize our aspirations as a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, we cannot lose this defining feature of who we are and what we value.

I believe this includes creating an environment that supports healthy living and balanced lifestyles for students, faculty and staff and takes seriously its role in promoting this in the broader community.

Since its inception, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has made a promise to provide a very personal experience to our students. This promise will be continued and indeed enhanced as we go forward.

We must commit all aspects of our university to taking a Student First approach.

Whether it is in academic programs and research, how we recruit and orient our students, our class sizes, our residences, recreation and sport opportunities, health services, or the environment of our campus, we will all ensure that we bring to life this moniker of the Student First.

A note I received in September from a parent of one of our first year students' sums up the essence of our Student First approach and the value of the people who make up this ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ:

This Mother Wrote –

"From the first contacts we had with the university last fall through the orientation day, each and every piece of correspondence and every phone call, I have been overwhelmingly impressed with the caliber of the individuals and the overall feeling of satisfaction I have with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as an institution and a community … I remain a proud parent of an alumnus and a student at an institution that is, in my mind, a national treasure and truly committed to the individual student thriving in and beyond your campus."

Individual people working towards a common goal are an important theme at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. It is the story of our founding, and it is the story that has and will continue to lead us to greater success. Much of this success has been rooted in the principles of interdisciplinary collaboration. It is this concept that Dr. Arthur Erickson sought to foster through his design of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall.

And it is this concept that U of L faculty have used to build research teams and conduct their works of creativity and inquiry. The importance of research across the academy and the potential for multiple disciplines working together to unlock many of the important questions in our world and to contribute to the furtherance of our society cannot be emphasized enough. Our future as a comprehensive university will continue to be rooted in interdisciplinary research and discovery across the academy.

It is the bridge however between teaching and research - to both inform and support undergraduate and graduate education - that is the underlying principle of a comprehensive university.

I arrive at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, with an abiding respect and enthusiasm for working across our academy, to build our capacity as a comprehensive university but to do it in a way that is respectful of our history and identity. We must rededicate our university to high quality, student-centered undergraduate liberal education. In doing so we must also encourage and nurture the research aspirations of our colleagues and their graduate students.

The U of L grew up as a primarily undergraduate university renowned for the quality of its teaching, but has provided thousands of undergraduate students with research experience and the opportunity to work with our world-class faculty researchers - an experience that is reserved for masters and doctoral students at most other universities, and one we should continue to embrace. Recently, the U of L has also dedicated itself to creating more opportunities for graduate education. We must use our experience and commitment to excellence in undergraduate education as a springboard for the development and improving access to graduate level programming.We must however ensure that our commitment to and successes in graduate education and research are balanced across all disciplines. There is no model I look to that will guide us in this achievement, we will continue to create our own .

My entire educational experience was rooted in the philosophy of liberal education. These liberal education roots are the same as those of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. This includes a fundamental belief in the importance of community service learning outside of the classroom. I was in grade 11, during a community service-learning experience, when I had a life changing and career-focusing experience. 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.

My high school volunteer experience and subsequent career in disability studies had a significant influence on my 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.

Abigail Adams, an advocate of women's rights and the abolishment of slavery in the 19^th century United States, summarizes this obligation very well by saying, "If we do not lay out ourselves in the service of mankind, whom should we serve?"

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is a treasure: a treasure that is recognized throughout the province and across the country – approximately 70% of our students come from outside of our city. While this is an impressive measure of our reputation, one of our goals must be to ensure that the citizens of Lethbridge and southern Alberta continue to take great pride in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as their university. That it be the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of choice for their children. At the same time it is important to recognize the opportunity and need to continue to promote the U of L as a university of choice for students from across Canada and indeed the world. Every student we bring from outside Lethbridge, makes significant contributions to this community.

During my tenure as President, I wish to see the U of L truly recognized as a premier Canadian comprehensive university dedicated to providing a second to none student experience for both undergraduate and graduate students. To achieve this vision, we must continue to build our capacity to house students on campus, by increasing residence space. In turn, this will ensure increased access to affordable housing in the city for Lethbridge residents. We must promote ourselves and continue to vocally and publically celebrate the successes of our colleagues in the faculty and staff ranks, of our students and of our graduates and alumni.

We must ensure that we no longer hear that we are, "One of Alberta's best kept secrets." Instead, we will hear that we are one of Canada's top destination universities.

Our journey forward will continue to recognize the importance of internationalization. With over 85 countries represented in our current student population, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is already an international campus. Our goal of becoming a destination university will be achieved in part through our ability to continue to attract international students. These students contribute immeasurably to our campus. They must be made to feel welcome at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and in the city of Lethbridge. Internationalization is also about providing opportunities for Canadian students to grow through an international experience offered as part of select academic programs and to be exposed to an international, multi-cultural campus.

Our Strategic Plan provides an exciting vision for our university; one that has been embraced by our campus community and a vision I completely endorse. As I have heard repeated, it is a path we have chosen to follow, not a set of railroad tracks that will dictate where we will end. It is not a directive – it is a vision we collectively must contribute to or we will be unsuccessful in achieving it. Each of us has a unique role to play in this endeavor. I am committed to doing my part to get us there.

There is a wonderful promise outlined in the academic calendar of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. With slight modification, today I make this promise to you,

To our students, to our faculty and staff and the community of supporters of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, I make a promise:

· A promise to do my best, so you can be your best.

· A promise to foster exploration, to share ideas and information, to teach but also to learn.

· A promise to help build the buildings, acquire the technology, cultivate the partnerships, and welcome the people essential to advancing an environment that excites and ignites learning, teaching, research and creativity, while contributing to the sustainability of the environment within which we live.

· A promise to create an environment where professors and students are colleagues and everyone grows together, an environment that recognizes the power of every student's dream. And helps that dream come true.

We will have many new challenges ahead us but I know we are ready to take them on. Along the way we will be guided by our roots epitomized in the ever-changing light of the prairie landscape. Fiat Lux- Let there be light!

Steacy creates balance on and off track

trevor.kenney — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:10:48 +0000

When Heather Steacy takes the stage, it's all about technique — whether she's in a throwing circle or a recital hall.

The two-time CIS women's weight throw champion is as comfortable heaving weights around a track as she is playing clarinet to a convocation crowd. And while that might seem like a startling contrast, Steacy says the two disciplines actually feed off one another.

Heather Steacy won gold at the NACAC U23 Track Championship in Florida recently.

technique to be able to stay in control the whole time and be able to release in the sector, so I think it's quite similar to music."

Exercising proper breathing and executing technique at the time of performance are shared traits of musicians and athletes. Steacy says her early introduction to musical performance has aided her athletically in big competitions.

"I don't really get nervous. I get jitters every once in a while but I've learned how to control it over the years and it doesn't affect me very much."

That was on display in her first appearance at CIS nationals in the spring of 2007. Just 18 years old at the time, Steacy shocked everyone by winning gold in the weight throw (indoor). A year later, she'd defend her title, throwing a still personal best distance of 17.93 metres and dominating the competition by more than a half metre.

This past week, Steacy competed at the NACAC (North American, Central American, and Caribbean Athletic Association) Under 23 Championships in Miramar, Fla. Now 21, Steacy is still showing she's the best in her class by dominating the hammer throw (outdoor) event with a meet-record throw of 67.20 metres. The mark was also a personal best for Steacy and beat the silver-medal winning American thrower by just over three metres.

"My first year in CIS was pretty surprising because I didn't expect to win at all," Steacy says. "In 2008, it was nice to be able to do it a second time. I had been training really hard and throwing well and I always find I compete well at the big meets."

Steacy is on a career path that continues to take her to bigger and bigger meets. It's a journey already traveled by another Steacy, older brother Jim. The Canadian Olympian and multiple Canadian champion and record holder casts a long shadow, but Heather has learned to reap as much as she can from Jim's experience.

"I don't think it's as bad for me as it is for Sean because I don't have to compete with him," she says of her other brother, another former Pronghorn thrower. "I love being able to train with Jim and see how well he's doing. Knowing that I have pretty much the same opportunity of doing everything he's doing is very encouraging."

Training five days a week, including twice daily Wednesday through Friday, you might think Steacy has little time for anything else. Add in the fact her entire family is into track and it sounds like throwing dominates her life. That's where music steps in to provide another outlet.

"It's kind of nice coming to school where there are people who have no idea what I do," she says. "It's neat being able to explain things (about hammer) but it's also nice not being asked all the time. It's nice to have that contrast in my life."

That disparity also seems to create a student-athlete balance that leads to excellence in both arenas.

GET THE FACTS

• Hammer throw is an outdoor sport where the women heave a 4kg ball (8.8 lbs) attached to a metal wire 119.5 cm in length (three feet, 11 inches). Weight throw is an indoor sport where the women toss a 20lb weight attached only to a handle.

• Heather Steacy is the third Steacy to win gold at NACAC, following Jim, who won gold in 2003 in Sherbrooke, Que. and Sean, who won the event two years ago (2008) in Mexico.

• Steacy started playing clarinet in Grade 5, taking lessons from U of L music professor Peggy Mezei.

For more on the Pronghorns' throwing program, visit this link.

Steacy comfortable on any stage

trevor.kenney — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:43:20 +0000

When Heather Steacy takes the stage, it's all about technique – whether she's in a throwing circle or a recital hall.

"I think there are a lot more similarities with hammer (and weight) throw and music than there are with other sports," the 20-year-old, third-year music major says. "In hammer, you have to have pretty much perfect technique to be able to stay in control the whole time and be able to release in the sector, so I think it's quite similar to music."

"I started playing piano when I was five and have been doing Kiwanis Music Festivals ever since, so I've never really had an opportunity to develop big issues with nervousness like some people have," she says. "I don't really get nervous. I get jitters every once in a while, but I've learned how to control it over the years, and it doesn't affect me very much."

That was on display in her first appearance at CIS nationals in the spring of 2007. Just 18 years old at the time, Steacy shocked everyone by winning gold. A year later, she'd defend her title, throwing a still personal best distance of 17.93 metres and dominating the competition by more than a half metre.

"My first year was pretty surprising because I didn't expect to win at all," Steacy says. "Last year, it was nice to be able to do it a second time. I had been training really hard and throwing well, and I always find I compete well at the big meets."

Steacy is on a career path that will lead to bigger and bigger meets down the road. It's a journey already traveled by another Steacy, older brother Jim. The Canadian Olympian and multiple Canadian champion and record holder casts a long shadow, but Heather has learned to reap as much as she can from Jim's experience.

Steacy is preparing for her third CIS championship appearance, Mar. 12-14 in Windsor, Ont. She opened the season with a secondplace showing at the Golden Bear Open meet in January and while not taking gold is somewhat of an oddity, Steacy says she welcomes more challengers to a relatively unknown sport.

"There's getting to be a lot more girls competing now, which is a good sign," she says. "There will actually be people to compete with now instead of just going and throwing by yourself, competing against yourself all the time."

"It's kind of nice coming to school where there are people who have no idea what I do," she says. "It's neat being able to explain things (about hammer), but it's also nice not being asked all the time. It's nice to have that contrast in my life."

That disparity also seems to create a student-athlete balance that leads to excellence in both arenas.

GET THE FACTS

• The hammer throw is an outdoor sport where the women heave a 4kg ball (8.8 lbs) attached to a metal wire 119.5 cm in length (three feet, 11 inches). The weight throw is an indoor sport where the women toss a 20lb weight attached only to a handle

• Steacy won the CIS weight throw gold last year with a throw of 17.93m, nearly two metres better (15.97m) than her win in 2007

• Her summer competition schedule could include trips to Prince Edward Island (Canada Games), Serbia (World ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Games) and Lebanon (Francophone Games)

• Steacy started playing clarinet in Grade 5, taking lessons from U of L music professor Peggy Mezei

UNews - Jim

Pronghorns honour Debby Steacy by renaming scholarship

Related Topics

Small business, big opportunity

Related Topics

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

Related Topics

Steacy fifth at Universiade

Related Topics

Mahon assumes leadership role

Related Topics

Steacy creates balance on and off track

Related Topics

Steacy comfortable on any stage

Related Topics

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