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A Proud Canadian
(from her nomination to the Order of
BC)
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It was a warm sunny day in Melbourne,
Australia, in 1956. Young Irene
MacDonald, attractive, 25 year olds, stood poised on the
3 metre springboard preparing for her final dive. Some years
later she would say to a journalist, "You have to have
lots of guts to be a great diver. I was timid, but I just
made myself do it." At that moment, however, her thoughts
were on the next dive...the most important of her competitive
career.
As she began her approach, her vitality
and love of diving were barely concealed beneath her concentration.
She lifted up into her hurdle, paused in mid-air and dropped,
her feet touching the board. She rode it down, then up, spinning,
and catching a glimpse of the water. She stretched and entered.
The bubbles and the silence chased her down. She pushed off
the bottom and chased the bubbles up. She broke the surface
and the silence, to hear the applause and feel the tingle
that only an Olympic medalist will ever feel.
It was an impressive performance and one
that lingers in many people's minds. As William Parish, Honorary
Treasurer of the Canadian Olympic Association from 1954 -
72, wrote to Irene, "My fondest recollection of diving
was your performance at Melbourne."
Canadians first participated in diving
in the 1908 Olympics in London. It wasn't until 48 years
later in Melbourne in 1956, that Irene won Canada its first
medal, a bronze. Not bad for a kid who grew up in an orphanage
in Hamilton, Ontario. Not bad for a kid who had to be "kicked
off the board" when she first tried the sport. Not bad
for the prelude of a multifaceted and outstanding career spanning
4 decades.
From
1951, when she won her first Canadian championship, until
her retirement from competition in 1961, Irene won Canadian
national honours 15 times, US national titles six times, Mexican
national titles twice, and medals in the Commonwealth Games
in 1954 (bronze) and 1958 (silver).
"Diving teaches you to think, "Irene
says, "of course, you have to put on a show too. And
I've always been a showoff."
When she retired from active competition,
she began coaching and created a legacy of friends, admirers,
athletes, and international colleagues. Many have written
to recognize her contributions. One was her Girl Guide Captain,
Mrs. E. M. Kamermans from Lions Head, Ontario who wrote in
1976: "I was so delighted to know you are teaching others
now...it challenges you to pass on to [them] your knowledge,
experience and enthusiasm. I remember most your vitality,
and quite evidently you still have it."
It was only natural that Irene should
coach. "I feel happy when I'm working with young children,"
she said. And, her love for sport and for the children she
coached can be seen in the performances of Irene's athletes:
they were then outstanding divers; they are now outstanding
citizens.
They
represented Canada in the
Olympics
in
1964, 68, 72, and 76;
Pan
Am Games
in
63 (Dinsley-gold), 67 (K. McDonald-bronze), 71, and 75;
Commonwealth
Games
in
1962 (Dinsley-silver), 66 (K. McDonald-silver, T. Fitzpatrick-silver),
70 (Sully-silver), 74 (York-bronze), 82 (Kelemen-bronze),
and 90 (Gordon-bronze);
US.
National Championships
in
1974 (York-gold);
European
Championships
in
1974 in Czechoslovakia (gold), Sweden (bronze), and Finland
(bronze);
3
Junior World Championships
(Langley-gold,
Kelemen-bronze and gold, P. Gordon-gold, M. Gordon-gold);
and
3
Senior World Championships.
The mark she made as a coach was an indelible
one that spanned the globe and touched athletes and officials
alike. The words of Dr. Jiri Farek of Czechoslovakia penned
in 1974 serve as an example of the important international
influence Irene had: "I want to express my sincere gratitude
for your...understanding, toleration and friendly cooperation
during our International Diving Championships."
But, one of Irene's most important contributions
to the sport, and one of her greatest joys, came not as an
athlete, nor as a coach, but as a TV commentator. As one
viewer wrote after Irene's impressive performance in Montreal
in 1976, "You gave each diver his or her just due and
we were carried along with your enthusiasm." (Mrs. Anne
Westlake August 2, 1976).
In Irene's own words, "It was a thrill
to be part of the CBC team at the Games. We worked long hours,
but I enjoyed every minute of it!" She remained the
colour commentator for diving at every major national and
international competition covered by CBC from the 1976 Montreal
Olympics to the 1988 Seoul, Olympics.
As another admirer and now long time friend,
John L. Agro Q.C, said in 1976, "You have made me very
proud in being able to say that you and I are friends. In
all the years that I have been watching sports on TV, I have
never before experienced a color commentator with such knowledge
and descriptive abilities."
But
the friends, that Irene made for herself, for diving, and
for Canada are legion.
"You have certainly proven that if
you have the desire, nothing else matters. [I am] proud to
say that I consider you my friend." Margaret Lord Burlington
1976
"I was impressed with the positive
air in which you presented not only the athletes but the future
of the sport...your enthusiasm and expertise opened so many
doors for diving." Barry McArton, Executive Director,
Canadian Amateur Diving Association, 1977
"We are always proud when one of
our long-term friends receives well deserved recognition,
particularly, as in your case, after a lifelong devotion towards
the development of amateur sports in Canada." Heinz
Piotrowski, Adidas, 1981.
And on receipt of one of many awards:
"It is an exceptional moment in one's career when a community
of people say, "You have done well. You have brought
honour to the principles you espouse and the work that you
do." P.S. Do you remember me from Empire Pool? I remember
you" Mayor Gordon Campbell, 1988
Irene's
awards speak for themselves:
Order
of BC 1991 (?)
Female
Athlete of the Year, Amateur Athletic Union of Canada 1958;
Canadian
Aquatic Hall of Fame, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1972;
Centennial
Medal in recognition of valuable service to the nation, 1976;
BC
Sports Hall of Fame, Vancouver, 1973;
Canadian
Sports Hall of Fame, Toronto, 1981;
YWCA
Woman of Distinction for Sport, Recreation and Fitness, Vancouver,
1988;
Darryl
Thompson Award (Sport BC) for outstanding contributions to
sport, Vancouver, 1990.
One sport official was looking back and
perhaps also ahead when in 1976 he said, "[You] were
a great ambassador for British Columbia and for your sport
of Diving." (G. J. Pynn, Secretary, BC Physical Fitness
and Amateur Sport Fund)
The BC Sports Hall of Fame motto speaks
directly to Irene and great Canadians like her: "...they
brought us honour. We remember with pride."
In 1976, in a letter to an admirer, Irene
MacDonald said, "I have always been very proud of being
a Canadian." Irene has carried that pride with her,
as we hope that every Canadian will, like a torch, throughout
the world.
NATIONAL
HONORS AWARDED
·
Order
of BC 1991?
·
Centennial
Medal - 1967 - In recognition of valuable service to the Nation
·
Female
Athlete of the Year - Amateur Athletic Union of Canada –
1972
·
Aquatic
Hall of Fame, Winnipeg, Manitoba – 1972
·
British
Columbia Sports Hall of Fame, Vancouver, B.C. – 1973
·
Canadian
Sports Hall of fame, C.N.E., Toronto – 1981
·
YWCA
Woman of Distinction for Sport, Recreation and Fitness –
1988
·
Daryl
Thompson award (Sport B.C.) - 1990
APPOINTMENTS
(Current and former)
·
B.C.
Sports Hall of Fame, Selection Committee Member
·
B.C.
Sports Hall of Fame, Trustee
·
Canadian
Masters Summer Games, Director
·
Canadian
Sports Hall of Fame, Director
COMPETITIVE
HISTORY - DIVING
Clubs
·
1945-1955 Hamilton Aquatic Club
·
1955-1960 Los Angeles Athletic Club
Canadian National Team Titles Won
·
1951-1961 National 3 metre Springboard
Champion
·
1954-1960 National Platform Champion
U.S. National Titles Won
·
1957-1960 National 3 metre Springboard
Champion
·
1958-1960 National 1 metre Springboard
Champion
Mexican National Titles Won
·
1958-1960 Mexican 3 metre Springboard
Champion
International Games
·
Commonwealth
Games
·
1954 Vancouver, B.C. - Bronze Medal
- 3 metre
·
1958 Cardiff, Wales - Silver Medal
- 3 metre
Pan American Games
·
1955 Mexico City, Mexico - Fourth
3 metre
·
1959 Chicago, Illinois, USA - Fourth
3 metre
·
1959 Chicago, Illinois, USA - Fourth
10 metre
Olympic Games
·
1956 Melbourne, Australia - Bronze
- 3 metre
·
1960 Rome, Italy - Sixth - 3 metre
·
1960 Rome, Italy - Ninth - 10 metre
COACHING
HISTORY - DIVING
International Games Attended - Coaching B.C. Athletes
·
1966 Commonwealth Games - Kingston,
Jamaica
·
1968 Olympic Games - Mexico City,
Mexico
·
1970 Commonwealth Games - Edinborough,
Scotland
·
1972 Olympic Games - West Berlin,
Germany
·
1974 Commonwealth Games - Christchurch,
New Zealand
·
1975 Pan American Games - Mexico
City, Mexico
·
1976 Olympic Games - Montreal, Canada
·
1978 Commonwealth Games - Edmonton,
Canada
·
1982 Commonwealth Games - Brisbane,
Australia
·
1982 World Aquatic Championships
– Equador
·
1983 FINA Cup of Diving - Houston,
Texas
·
1984 Olympic Games - Los Angeles,
California
·
1986 Commonwealth Games - Edinborough,
Scotland
International Competitions - Coaching B.C. Athletes
·
1971 Soviet Union - East Germany
·
1974 Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Finland
·
1975 New Zealand Games - Christchurch,
New Zealand
·
1977 Jr. World Championships -
Houston, Texas
·
1979 Jr. World Championships -
Stuttgard, West Germany
·
1981 New Zealand Games - Christchurch,
New Zealand
·
1982 Rostock, East Germany
·
1983 FINA Cup - Shanghai, China
·
1985 World FINA Cup - Shanghai,
China
·
1986 Friendship Games - Moscow,
USSR
·
1986 Rostock, East Germany
·
1986 World Aquatic Championships
- Madrid, Spain
Canada Games
·
1969 Halifax, Nova Scotia - Coach
B.C. Team
·
1973 New Westminster, B.C. Games
Technical Advisory Board
·
Responsible for Swimming,
Diving and Waterpolo
·
1975 Winter Games - Lethbridge,
Alberta - Member B.C. Mission Staff,
·
Responsible for the
B.C. team uniforms, press relations and the Diving team
·
1975 First Western Canada Games,
Regina, Saskatchewan member
·
B.C. Mission Staff
- Responsible for team uniforms and press relations
·
1977 Summer Games - Newfoundland
- member B.C. Mission Staff,
·
Responsible for team
uniforms and press relations
·
1979 Winter Games - Brandon, Manitoba
- member B.C. Mission Staff,
·
responsible for team
uniforms, press relations
·
1979 Western Canada Games - Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan, member B.C. Mission
·
Staff, responsible
for team uniforms and press relations
·
1981 Canada Summer Games - Thunder
Bay, Ontario
B.C. Government staff
·
1982 Canada Winter Games - Chicoutimi,
Quebec
B.C. Government staff
POSITIONS
HELD
·
Bank
of ?
·
Aquatic
Consultant, B.C.Provincial Government
·
Technical
Director (retired 1991), Canadian Amateur Diving Association
Inc.,
B.C. Section
Prepared
by Ron Friesen 604-893-2114 o, 604-929-7338, rfriesen@cle.bc.ca
Former
President Dive BC
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