Tracy Wilson and Robert McCall Athlete East met West and artist met athlete when Rob from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and Tracy from Port Moody, British Columbia teamed up in the summer of 1981. Both athletes had experienced success with other partners before joining forces, as Rob was the 1981 Canadian Champion and Tracy was the Junior Champion in 1980, which helped them realize that they were both driven to succeed. Combining two very different styles and personalities, they went on to create a team that produced a supercharged on-ice chemistry. They dominated the Canadian ice dance scene for seven years, taking seven consecutive national titles from 1982-1988. Skating with a powerful athleticism and a sense of humor that charmed both judges and audiences causing them to laugh one moment and sigh the next, they quickly became one of the top three teams in the World. Tracy and Rob were World bronze medalists from 1986 to 1988, but their crowning moment came in winning the bronze medal at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. To this date, they remain the only Canadian ice dancers to have won an Olympic medal. They retired following the 1988 World Figure Skating Championships and went on to entertain audiences all over North America in professional shows until Rob's death in 1991. Tracy went on to a career as a successful television commentator. Barbara Graham Builder As technical director of the Canadian Figure Skating Association from 1972 to 1991, Barbara's influence was felt throughout the skating community. A former National Junior Pair Champion and international judge, her great love and passion for figure skating was supplemented by her outstanding technical knowledge and ability to envision, develop and establish programming to support the progression of the sport. Taking the lead in skater development and training courses, including the development of NCCP technical development courses for coaches, she organized and conducted national training seminars for singles, dance and pairs, and oversaw judges and coaches clinics and workshops. She standardized the training of judges and laid the foundation to the best judges training system in the world. In 1992, Barbara received the Canada 125 Commemorative Medal for her outstanding contributions. Upon her retirement from the CFSA she travelled to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa as a sport consultant. She finally settled in Alberta where she continues to contribute her knowledge and expertise to the skating community. The achievements of Canadian figure skaters during Barbara's 30-year involvement in the sport are testaments to the hard work and dedication of this outstanding builder. Michael Jiranek Builder A national and international competitor for the former Czechoslovakia until he was 21 when a knee injury forced him into retirement, Michael arrived in Canada in the late 1960s and has never looked back. Settling first in Calgary, he earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Calgary. Coaching figure skating part-time while at University, Michael found his first job out of school to be unfulfilling and was soon coaching full-time. Twelve years later, he retired from coaching and moved Edmonton to raise cattle. Fate brought him into contact with a very young Kurt Browning and soon after they began to work together. Michael eventually guided him to three World titles in 1989, 1990 and 1991. Michael's coaching career has spanned the last 30 years, and his students include Canadian Ladies Champion Lisa Sargeant and Olympic and World ice dancers Karyn and Rod Garossino. Among his coaching awards are the 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992 Longines-Wittnauer Coach of the Year Award and the 1990 Amateur Sports Awards Coach of the Year. He was inducted into the Alberta Hall of Fame in 1995.
Athlete
East met West and artist met athlete when Rob from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and Tracy from Port Moody, British Columbia teamed up in the summer of 1981. Both athletes had experienced success with other partners before joining forces, as Rob was the 1981 Canadian Champion and Tracy was the Junior Champion in 1980, which helped them realize that they were both driven to succeed.
Combining two very different styles and personalities, they went on to create a team that produced a supercharged on-ice chemistry. They dominated the Canadian ice dance scene for seven years, taking seven consecutive national titles from 1982-1988.
Skating with a powerful athleticism and a sense of humor that charmed both judges and audiences causing them to laugh one moment and sigh the next, they quickly became one of the top three teams in the World.
Tracy and Rob were World bronze medalists from 1986 to 1988, but their crowning moment came in winning the bronze medal at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. To this date, they remain the only Canadian ice dancers to have won an Olympic medal.
They retired following the 1988 World Figure Skating Championships and went on to entertain audiences all over North America in professional shows until Rob's death in 1991. Tracy went on to a career as a successful television commentator.
Builder
As technical director of the Canadian Figure Skating Association from 1972 to 1991, Barbara's influence was felt throughout the skating community. A former National Junior Pair Champion and international judge, her great love and passion for figure skating was supplemented by her outstanding technical knowledge and ability to envision, develop and establish programming to support the progression of the sport.
Taking the lead in skater development and training courses, including the development of NCCP technical development courses for coaches, she organized and conducted national training seminars for singles, dance and pairs, and oversaw judges and coaches clinics and workshops.
She standardized the training of judges and laid the foundation to the best judges training system in the world.
In 1992, Barbara received the Canada 125 Commemorative Medal for her outstanding contributions. Upon her retirement from the CFSA she travelled to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa as a sport consultant. She finally settled in Alberta where she continues to contribute her knowledge and expertise to the skating community.
The achievements of Canadian figure skaters during Barbara's 30-year involvement in the sport are testaments to the hard work and dedication of this outstanding builder.
A national and international competitor for the former Czechoslovakia until he was 21 when a knee injury forced him into retirement, Michael arrived in Canada in the late 1960s and has never looked back.
Settling first in Calgary, he earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Calgary. Coaching figure skating part-time while at University, Michael found his first job out of school to be unfulfilling and was soon coaching full-time. Twelve years later, he retired from coaching and moved Edmonton to raise cattle. Fate brought him into contact with a very young Kurt Browning and soon after they began to work together. Michael eventually guided him to three World titles in 1989, 1990 and 1991.
Michael's coaching career has spanned the last 30 years, and his students include Canadian Ladies Champion Lisa Sargeant and Olympic and World ice dancers Karyn and Rod Garossino.
Among his coaching awards are the 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992 Longines-Wittnauer Coach of the Year Award and the 1990 Amateur Sports Awards Coach of the Year. He was inducted into the Alberta Hall of Fame in 1995.