ST. CATHARINES, Ont. — Longtime rowing coach Jack Nicholson, who served as a national men’s team coach in the 1980’s, has died. He was 82.
He recently suffered a stroke and died on Monday night, a Rowing Canada spokesman said.
Nicholson spent 60 years coaching at various levels and guided the Canadian men’s quad to a gold medal at the 1985 world rowing championships. Doug Hamilton, Robert Mills, Paul Douma and Melvin Laforme finished first that year in Hazewinkel, Belgium and added bronze in each of the next two years.
Nicholson, who started his rowing career in 1948 at St. Catharines Collegiate high school, also served as a coach at nearby Ridley College for over four decades.
"Jack is a guy who has dedicated his time mentoring our students since 1972, simply because Jack thought it was the right thing to do," athletics director Jay Tredway said Tuesday in a release. "Jack’s level of selflessness and spirit, I can’t think of anyone else in the same stratosphere. He’s a giant here despite his tendency to work in the background.
"I don’t think we’ll realize what we’re missing until we enter the next rowing season. This loss — it’s a big blow."
Nicholson was still coaching three sessions a day last season. He was inducted into the St. Catharines’ Hall of Fame earlier this year.
"You never remember the races, you remember the people," Nicholson said at the time.
A private service will be held this week. A celebration of life service will be held in the New Year.