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Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Object ID |
2013.55.57 B |
Object Name |
Video Recording |
Title |
Dr. Robert Steadward Interview |
Scope & Content |
Dr. Robert Steadward interview, 25 October 2007. Digitized MP4 from Sony 40 Advanced ME DVCAM. Viewing time 00:28:07. 00:49Childhood: typical small town, played every sport - baseball, hockey, all school sports, excelled at track 01:52Did you have any pro sport aspirations: no to pro, excellent track sprinter, had opportunities to go to US on scholarship, chose academic route, loved so many sports 03:16Impact of amateur vs professional sport: lettered in 6 different sports in high school, never had that "burning fire" to go pro, realistic enough to know perhaps did not have the talent, loved sport for the joy of effort and pleasure in being involved with other athletes and competing to the best of his ability 04:38On decision to pursue an academic or athletic career: difficult to make the choice, opportunities so young as a professor that his sporting career got terminated due to taking on an academic career as a sport scientist 06:17On being involved with disable athletes: 30 years ago no disabled access; only contact with any disabled person was with his grandmother while growing up; opportunity came to work with a group trying to put together a wheelchair basketball team and wheelchair track and disabled swimming; 1967 not even a Canadian association dealing with disability, couple of the provinces had provincial association but nothing nationally, very rudimentary, got involved and enjoyed it so much "that they have become part of my extended family", "You have to work with these kinds of people with a disability to really understand and appreciate how they appreciate what you do for them" noticed how able bodied and pro athletes had people doing things for them but people with a disability had to find a volunteer to work with them or a facility that was accessible; felt that here is an opportunity for me that I can move forward with and to help a group that needed help; encouraged in this Murray van Vliet because it would pay dividends 09:40Involved with Julie Mosse: no, working with people with physical disabilities rather than mental disabilities As a sport scientist concerned about the overall health and fitness of athletes, no sophisticated training or assessment tools at that time, created a group in Edmonton, designed an evaluation tool, training programme and monitored the hockey players (Edmonton Oilers) 12:04On the development of the Paralympic movement: went from local club to founding provincial association, national association, international association, the IPC was created in 1989 and now is the second largest sporting association in the world, started with 40 countries, now has 180+; dramatic changes over the 40 years, had ambition for those people, saw an opportunity that had a lot of potential to develop potential of these people, they had dreams and goals just like anyone else had, by creating more of a sophisticated sporting system it would provide some mentorship and role models for young disabled children, before their heroes were abled bodied athletes or pros in the sport world, now their heroes are disabled athletes in the disabled sport world Initial stages not only had physical barriers but single biggest barrier, which we still have today, is an attitudinal barrier, disability sport is not sexy - compares to profile of Olympics, NHL, CFL, which are a mainstay part of our culture, how often do you see the profile of a disability sport or Paralympics being at the front While working at the local level realized had to do more, opportunity to attend the first national games at the University of Alberta in 1968, opportunity to meet people from across the country, we had to start developing a bigger national organization, then came the opportunity to host the Paralympics in 1976 in Toronto, provided us with impetus to get onto the international stage, talks about the many Canadian leaders in this area, going international strengthened the movement at home by strengthening the movement internationally 17:07On the relationship between a strong organization and social acceptability: social implications huge, disabled athletes can be ambassadors, role models, mentors to high performance, great social implications, some of our greatest heroes are Terry Fox and Rick Hansen who were outstanding Paralympic athletes, as a result created pressure on provincial and federal governments to treat disability sport as able bodied sport, everyone to be treated equally and fairly, huge challenge of changing not only the physical makeup of Canada but changing attitudes as well Most dramatic change has been moving from a medical model to a sport model; before 1988 still considered rehabilitation, held in rehab facilities not Olympic or sporting facilities, run by nurses, doctors and physios and not by sport technical people, why one of the primary reasons he wanted to create the IPC so that they could move the model from medical to sport and garner the right kind of people within the sporting community Seoul 1988 was the pivotal moment - had become involved with the IOC so could now work that system, problems with the attitude in the IOC and some of its members, tough challenge, started the discussions in 1987 and in 2000 finally signed the formal document where the two organizations would work together to improve and ensure the Olympic and Paralympics Games would be one festival in one host city; also had the opportunity to raise consciousness and changed attitudes by being on various IOC commissions and UN commission, use sport to changed the attitudes and laws in countries to ensure that people with disability were treated equally and fairly with all their other citizens 21:48Vancouver 2010: was member of the bid committee and the organizing committee; because of the work that was laid throughout the 1980's and 1990's, with the 2 organizations working together the movement grew naturally and built; Sydney 2000 did an unbelievable job and solidified the Paralympics on the world stage, changed the game; had to be in place for Vancouver 24:29Why is a top athlete like Chantal Petitclerc still down one level: could not create a better role model that Chantal, she has all the measurable: youth, talent, beauty, outstanding athletic ability, articulate, represents herself, province and country and sport so well, yet a little step behind a pro athlete; look at where we were when she was coming up, where she is now and where we can be in 10 years - perhaps there will be another Chantal and that woman will be front and centre; needs more education and awareness; considers Chantal to be one of the top female athletes of the last half-century in Canada |
Date |
2007/10/25 |
People |
Steadward, Robert Fox, Terry Hansen, Rick Petiticlerc, Chantal Van Vliet, Maury |
Search Terms |
Robert Steadward Bob Steadward Interview Order of Canada Paralympic Games International Paralympic Committee International Olympic Committee IPC IOC Steadward Centre |