Life balance found on the field

An Alberta man who credits the presence of sports in his life with many of his successes, wants to create more athletic programs to encourage Aboriginal youth to run for a medal and not for their lives.

 “It was the first thing that got me off the streets and out of gangs. I was doing a lot of fighting back then,” said Ron Walker, 38. Originally from Sucker Creek, Walker grew up in Edmonton’s inner city.

One day, a 14-year-old Walker passed by a practice of an inner city running club and decided to join.

 He went on to participate and place in provincial championships.

 Twenty years later, he is now the First Nations, MÈtis and Inuit liaison for the Edmonton Catholic School District.

 Walker is striving to facilitate an all First Nations/MÈtis sport team within Edmonton.  After experiencing the powerful effect a routine schedule of training for track and field changed his life, he is working hard to mentor and coach Aboriginal youths, but lack of funding and logistics is making it difficult.

 “Even though I have years of coaching experience, I have to have a teacher,” said Walker, whose position as a liaison makes him support staff. “Sometimes teachers are so busy that it is hard for them to coach a team.”

 Despite the frustrating process, Walker has no plans to give up. Perseverance is a familiar concept for him.Walker hit a rough point in his life when he separated from his wife. His unhappiness was reflected in the 300 pounds he gained.

 In 2008, Walker make changes. He quit smoking and reconnected with the same activity that got him out of trouble when he was a teenager.

 “I just pushed my daughter in a stroller everyday for a good 10 km and just trained for two or three months.”
 Walker became determined to get back his healthy lifestyle because he feared his daughter, Maris, now 7, might lose him at a young age.

 He shed the pounds and began to compete in track and field tournaments around the country. Walker recently competed in javelin, discus and shot put at the 2010 World Masters Indoor Championships in Kamloops, BC , in early March.

 As a competitor in the men’s 35 to 39 category, Walker challenged himself by competing against former Olympians.

 One Olympian who is on his side is Georgette Reed, head coach of the University of Alberta’s track and field team.† Reed competed in the women’s shot put event in the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona.

“It’s not all about powering it out there.† There is a technique and patience that has to be utilized to match that power to have everything come to fruition,” said Reed, noting that Walker’s technique has improved since joining her training sessions in February.  “I believe if he sticks with it, he will only get better.”

 With the help of Reed, Walker has plans to continue to compete and challenge himself.

 Walker’s love of track and field has helped him grow from some of the most challenging points in his life, something he hopes to share with others.

 “Sports develop us not only as human beings, but as spiritual beings too,” said Walker.