Athletics Alberta is deeply saddened to share the news that Jack Leman has passed away. Jack has been an integral fixture of the Athletics Community in Alberta and will be missed dearly by all who knew him.
Our sincerest condolences go out to Jack’s family, friends, all those who knew him and were impacted by his presence in and around the track over the years.
From the Athletics Alberta Officials Committee:
In November we lost one of our long-time officials, Jack Leman. His passing leaves a hole in our
ranks that will not be easy to fill. Jack will be very much missed.
Jack was a level 5 track referee, a level 5 umpire, a national evaluator and a national clinician.
He worked as an official at many major meets including the 2001 World Championships in
Edmonton, the 2003 World Youth Championships in Sherbrooke, QC (where he saw Usain Bolt
win the 200m in a record time), the 2010 World Juniors in Moncton, NB, the 2010 World
Masters Indoor meet in Kamloops, BC, and several Canadian National Championships.
Jack Leman grew up in Regina, SK and attended university in that city. In high school he was a
sprinter but later in life transitioned to marathons and ran in the Vancouver Marathon three
times. He was a music lover, which was something that ran in his family. His father’s parents
were both members of the Regina Symphony, and his mother was an opera singer. Jack started
piano lessons at 8 or 9 years of age and continued for 15 years. On another family note, his
grandfather painted the large oil-on-canvas mural that was installed in the Saskatchewan
Legislative Building’s domed rotunda in 1933.
When asked this past summer about what kept him coming back, given the long hours, Jack
summed it by saying: “It’s the enjoyment of doing the job. I enjoy working with my fellow
officials. And there is the thrill of watching high-calibre athletes perform at their best. I have had
the opportunity to officiate at meets all over the country.” Expanding further on his involvement
in the 2001 World Championships, he stated that it was the highlight of his officiating career.
“We got to watch the best athletes in the world.”
Tributes
As an umpire, I will be forever grateful to Jack for sharing his expertise and knowledge of track
and field. This began at our very first meeting—the introductory clinic for those wishing to
become an AA official. From the very beginning, and throughout the years, he was especially
patient and always willing to take the time to explain the rules and interpretations to me, perhaps
because I asked so many questions as I started my journey to becoming an umpire. I also truly
enjoyed the friendly banter we shared over the years. (Marianne Chichak)
What a special man he was, and so dedicated to track and field for so many years, including the
last ones of his life. One of the sport’s finest gentlemen, with a huge wealth of knowledge and
experience. I will miss his presence around the track, but I have a feeling he will be watching us
from above… (Carmelle Cooper)
To say that Jack was passionate about our sport of Athletics would be an understatement. It was a rare occasion that he was not at one of our track events. He always said that the best seats in the house were on the Field-of-Play officiating. He enjoyed being right at the finish line, watching our Alberta athletes develop and grow into their best possible version, and always recognized the rising stars. He took his role of making it a fair competition very seriously. Always up to date with the latest rule changes, he wore the covers off most of his copies of the rule book. His passion showed through while he was conducting introductory clinics over the years. He wasn’t really happy about moving away from in-person officials’ intros to online clinics. But he still offered his assistance to help create and improve the clinics and also assisted with the development of several other Canadian clinics. He was quick to recognize an official who showed potential and made sure that that person knew the benefits of being an umpire. He encouraged, mentored and evaluated innumerable officials within Alberta and across Canada through the years. It was no surprise that he was awarded the National Officials’ Committee Wall of Honour in 2018. But Jack didn’t enjoy the recognition; he maintained adamantly that he was a volunteer and didn’t need any of that. He may no longer sit at the finish line table, but the legacy he created through the development and encouragement of other officials will live on.
