WHISTLER – The Canadian Swim Coaches Association inducted three members into its Hall of Fame in Whistler as part of the 2022 Team Aquatic Supplies CSCA National Swim Coaches Conference held earlier in October.
The 2022 event marked the first in-person national conference since 2016, and the first inductions into the Hall of Fame since the admission of the late Randy Bennett in 2018.
“The CSCA Hall of Fame is our organizations’ highest honour and the place where we can formally recognize the amazing accomplishments of our members. To be able to come together this year and not only recognize two of the giants in our sport in Byron MacDonald and Ron Jacks, but also to honour the dedication, commitment and support shown by John Vadeika was incredible.” – Lance Cansdale, President of CSCA
Ron Jacks
After retiring from his own successful swimming career highlighted by three Olympic Games appearances in 1964, ‘68 and ‘72, Ron Jacks began coaching for the Arbutus Swim Club in 1972.
Through the years Jacks coached at several different teams and helped establish others including the Vancouver Pacific Swim Club, Island Swimming, and Pacific Coast Swimming where he currently acts as the Director of Swimming.
Most notably, Ron placed at least one athlete on Olympic or Paralympic teams from 1976 through 2016 and is the only swimming Coach in Canadian history to have coached an athlete to medals in the Olympic pool and open water competitions and the Paralympic Games. Such athletes included Canada’s most decorated Paralympic athlete Michael Edgson (1984, ’88, ’92), double Paralympic gold medallist Stephanie Dixon (2004, ’08) and a trio of Olympic bronze medallists in Shannon Smith (1976), Pamela Rai (1984) and Richard Weinberger (2012).
A former board member of the CSCA, Ron was named Canada’s coach of the year in 1977 and has won the National Open Water Coach of the Year award 18 times in his tenure. He has also been inducted to the Swimming Canada Circle of Excellence and is a member of both the BC Sports Hall of Fame and BC Swimming Hall of Fame.
“It was a true honour to be recognized by my peers. That is very meaningful to me and I fully appreciate the honour.” - Ron Jacks
John Vadeika
Prior to his life as a coach and sport administrator, John Vedeika was an athlete for 17 years competing with the Guelph Marlin Aquatic Club. He went on to swim for the McMaster University Swim Team from 1985 – 1991 where he served as Captain and was honoured as MVP in 1991.
At the conclusion of his swimming career, Vadeika held many coaching positions and served as the Head Coach for the Windsor Aquatic Club, University of Windsor, Olympian Swim Club and the University of Alberta men’s and women’s swim teams, and coached atheletes to several provincial and national records.
John left coaching in 2004 to join Swim Ontario as Executive Director. In this role he led the organization to unprecedented financial growth with revenues growing from $800 000 to $2.3 million. In 2016, under John’s leadership, Ontario swimmers had their most successful Olympics since 1984 bringing home three individual medals including Penny Oleksiak’s gold in the 100 freestyle.
A proponent of clean and safe sport before they became part of our regular vocabulary, John was also a member of the CSCTA Board of Directors, serving as president from 1998-2003 and Past President from 2003-2007.
“I am honored, and incredibly humbled to have been inducted to the Canadian Swimming Coaches Association (CSCA) Hall of Fame. It’s exciting and flattering to be inducted alongside my fellow inductees Ron Jacks and Byron MacDonald.” – John Vadeika
Byron MacDonald
Before taking the helm of one of the most dominant swimming programs in the country, Byron MacDonald had a successful swimming career of his own.
Along with reaching the final in the men’s 100 butterfly at the 1972 Olympic Games, MacDonald won several international medals. He picked up hardware at the 1973 FISU Games, 1971 Pan American Games and captured two gold medals in the 100 butterfly and 4X100 medley relay at the 1970 Commonwealth Games.
In the fall of 1976, Byron began his coaching career at York University where he served as Head Coach until 1978 when he was hired as Head Coach of the University of Toronto Swim Team.
His University of Toronto teams have won 20 National Championship banners including nine for the men and 11 on the women’s side. They have also won a combined 62 OUA team titles.
Since he began coaching, Byron has placed at least one athlete on every Olympic Games team and has placed over 85 swimmers on international teams combining to win over 35 international games medals and set three World Records.
Along with his role as Head Coach at the University of Toronto, MacDonald also served as the Head Coach for the FISU Games in 1987 and ’93, the Pan Pacific Championships in 1989, and currently serves as the Head Coach for the Toronto Titans in the International Swim League.
Byron was also a member of the CSCA Board of Directors for ten years and served as the President of the U SPORTS Swim Coaches Association on two separate occasions.
“I was very honoured to receive the induction to the Hall of Fame by my colleagues. I told my team I wanted to thank them, and the swimmers that were ahead of them, because it has been our journey together that resulted in this award.” – Byron MacDonald