In Memoriam

Frank Reynolds

FRANK REYNOLDS

August 11, 1939 – December 28, 2006

It is with great sadness that BC Athletics learned of the passing of Frank Reynolds. His passing is a great loss to his family and many other people in all walks of life. We are honoured and privileged to have had Frank involved as a coach, athlete and club leader in Athletics. His positive impact on athletes and other coaches in Athletics will always be remembered and forever cherished.

Service

The service will be held on Friday, January 5th at Christ Church Cathedral, Burrard and Georgia, Vancouver at 2:30pm with the reception following at the Rowing Club in Stanley Park. Anyone wanting to share stories or comments about Frank can do so at the Rowing Club.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Oncology Department at Lions Gate Hospital would be greatly appreciated.

  • Donations can be made to: Lions Gate Hospital Foundation – Oncology Department, 231 East 15th, North Vancouver, BC  V7L 2L7
  • Or online at: www.lghfoundation.com – see the Tributes and Everlasting Gifts tab for the donation page.

Some of the athletes Frank coached include:

  • Chris Winter — 2004 World Junior Cross Country Championships Team Member, 2004 World Junior Championships Team Member (3000m S/C), 2005 World Junior Cross Country Championships Team Member, Canadian Youth Record Holder 2000m S/C (5:44.23)
  • Jessica Smith — 2005 Canadian National Legion Champion 1500m and 3000m and 2006 Legion Champion 800m and 1500m
  • Chantelle Groenewoud — 2004 BC High School Cross Country Championship Medalist (3rd), 2005 BC High Championships Medalist 1500m S/C (2nd)
  • Roberto Phillips — 2005 BC High School Championship Medalist 1500m S/C (3rd)

The following biography is from the Norwesters Track & Field Club website:

Frank Reynolds, a native of Vancouver, coached for NorWesters for over 16 years. A favourite of many athletes, Frank developed the North Shore's best middle and long distance runners through the use of both sport science and intuitive coaching methods. He completed his NCCP level 4 through the National Coaching Institute in Vancouver.

Frank coached many teams during his career, most notably several BC Athletics Provincial teams, National team assignments and his highest honour, coaching Canada’s National Blind Athletics team at the recent IBSA World Championships in Quebec.

Frank was a good club middle distance athlete in his early career and more successful as a masters athlete in the 1980s. His favourite moments in track and field included winning the Canadian Masters 800m Championship 1981, setting a Canadian High School record on King Edward’s 4x440 relay team in 1958 and beating Bob Schull, the 1964 Olympic 5000m champion, over 1500m in 1984. The overriding benefit he cited of his involvement in the sport of athletics was all of the friends, colleagues and athletes he met over his fifty-year involvement in our sport.

Frank was a strong advocate toward the advancement and recognition of coaching in British Columbia. As a director on the board of the Coaches Association of BC, Frank worked with other board members to heighten awareness of coaching education opportunities and raise the profile of coaching in British Columbia. His other passion was cross-country running and did his best to raise the awareness of this exciting sport as Chair of the BC Athletics Cross-Country Committee.

As an active runner Frank enjoyed anything in the outdoors from cycling, hiking, gardening, photography, bird watching and skiing. He was also a brilliant musician who thrilled bluegrass audiences the world over.

Frank believed, for a long and satisfying career as an athlete - "focus on the process, not the outcome".