About Lawrence

Lawrence retired in 2003 after 36 years with the Calgary Board of Education as a teacher, department head, administrator and coach. He is a native Calgarian who married his high school sweetheart, Helen, and they are the proud parents of a daughter, a son, and three grandchildren. He attended Viscount Bennett High School where he competed in cross country, basketball and track & field. Lawrence was the provincial record holder in the mile and the first winner of the inaugural High School Cross Country Championships in 1961. He was also the Canadian Junior Cross Country Champion in 1962. Lawrence attended Idaho State University on a track scholarship and lettered for 4 years in cross country and track. Returning to Calgary in 1968, he started his career as an english and physical education teacher at the new Central Memorial High School, where he coached football, cross country, basketball and track & field. His next stop was Western Canada, where he won 2 City Championships in track & field before moving to central office as a Physical Education Consultant, where he ran all the junior and senior high track meets. From there he went to Ernest Morrow Junior High as an Assistant Principal and coached basketball there and at Forest Lawn High School. His final 2 schools were James Fowler and Henry Wise Wood. Lawrence was the Track & Field Commissioner for the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association for 8 years and was Head Coach of the Calgary Track & Field Club for 9 years. The ASAA Provincial T&F Aggregate Trophy is named in his honour. He continues to volunteer as an official at the Division, City and Provincial meets. In the past, he has been a Meet Director in track & field for the Canadian Special Olympics, the World Police and Fire Games, the Canadian Masters and the Senior Alberta Games. It is easy to understand why this award was named in his honour.