Robert Steadward

Robert Daniel Steadward, (born May 26, 1946) is a Canadian retired sports administrator, professor, sports scientist, and author. Steadward helped organize the first Canadian wheelchair sport national championships in 1968, and later coached Canada in wheelchair basketball at the Summer Paralympics. He became a professor at the University of Alberta in 1971, later served as chairman of the Department of Athletics, and published more than 150 papers about disability sport. He was the founding president of the Alberta Wheelchair Sports Association in 1971, founded the Research and Training Centre for Athletes with Disabilities in 1978, served as president of the Canadian Paralympic Committee from 1984 to 1990, and later became a member of the Canadian Olympic Committee.

Steadward became the first president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in 1989, after a successful campaign to consolidate international disability sport organizations. He signed a memorandum of understanding with Juan Antonio Samaranch of the International Olympic Committee during the 2000 Summer Olympics which united the Paralympic movement with the Olympic Games movement, and saw one city host both events. During his tenure as president of the IPC, the organization grew from 37 to 172 national federations, and the Paralympic Games grew in popularity. The Commonwealth Games subsequently integrated disabled sports into its program, as a result of his efforts. His career has been recognized with the Order of Canada, the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, and the Alberta Order of Excellence. He has also been inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame, and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.

Early life and education Steadward was born on May 26, 1946, in Eston, Saskatchewan. His parents Danny and Irene encouraged their children to be active participants in the community. As a youth, he enjoyed ice hockey, baseball, track and field, and riding horses.

Steadward initially studied dentistry at the University of Alberta but abandoned that career path. After a few years of not attending school, he returned to the University of Alberta and earned a Bachelor of Physical Education in 1967. during which he was a member of the Epsilon-Alpha chapter in the Kappa Sigma fraternity.

Canadian disabled sports Steadward was president of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, which included national teams for wheelchair basketball.

Steadward became involved in disabled sports in Edmonton during the 1960s while he was a student. He coached a wheelchair basketball club called the Edmonton Handicaddies; and along with Gary McPherson, he helped organize the first Canadian wheelchair sport national championships, hosted at the University of Alberta in 1968. After realizing there was lack of funds allocated to disabled sports, he decided to become more involved. He founded the Alberta Wheelchair Sports Association in 1971, and served as its president until 1975.

In 1971, Steadward joined the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Alberta. He envisioned a place where disabled athletes had a place to train for competition in sports, and have access to quality coaching. While with the CPC, he also acted as a governor, treasurer, coach at the national level, and head of mission to international events.

Steadward was elected to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2000. The IPC was composed of 37 national federations in 1989. At the time of his retirement, the Paralympic Games had 172 nations involved and more than one million spectators in attendance. He was an agent for gold medal Olympians Jamie Salé and David Pelletier during their 2001 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.

Publications List of select publications by Steadward: Wheelchair sports classification system (1978) Paralympics (1997) Adapted physical activity (2000)

Personal life Steadward married Laura Thompson in 1967, whom he met while studying at the University of Alberta. He is a fan of the rodeo, and has served as president of the River City Roundup Festival, Miss Rodeo Canada, and Friends of Pro Rodeo.

Honours and awards Steadward was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 1984. In 1995, he received the Robert Jackson Award and the King Clancy Award.

Steadward is an honorary life member of the Paralympic Sports Association, the Alberta Wheelchair Sports Association, the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association, and the Canadian Paralympic Committee. Other sports and service honours include; member of the International Olympic Order, member of the International Paralympic Order, honorary life member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Lois Hole Community Development Award, and induction into the University of Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.

Other academic honours include; the University of Alberta Alumni of Distinction, honorary degrees from the University of Alberta and Université catholique de Louvain, and an honorary diploma from MacEwan University.

Legacy Steadward is known in Edmonton as "Bob the Builder". The Research and Training Centre for Athletes with Disabilities he founded in 1978, was later known as the Rick Hansen Centre after the conclusion of the Man in Motion Tour. It was rededicated as the Steadward Centre for Personal and Physical Achievement in 2000.

The Lieutenant Governor of Alberta credited Steadward for bringing attention to the Paralympic movement, and stated that he "served to inspire all people with disability to pursue more active lifestyles". The Steadward Centre for Personal and Physical Achievement which he founded was credited for being a "model for independence and fitness training for people with disability". Canada's Sports Hall of Fame credited Steadward for promoting disability sport internationally, and "giving the Paralympics an unprecedented level of support, respect and funding".