Mrs Figure Skating
Elizabeth Swan 1924-1985
By Darcy MacRae The Independent (June 2005, reproduced with
permission)
Elizabeth Swan won't soon be forgotten by the people of
Clarenville. A native of Australia, Swan moved to Clarenville in
1953 with her husband, Dr. John Swan, and in 1964 started the Flying
Blades, the town's first figure skating club. At the time, the
Flying Blades was the first figure skating association in the
province to be formed outside St. John's.
Her dedication to the sport was unparalleled.
"She was a passionate volunteer," says Rod Nichol, who worked
alongside Swan on the Clarenville and area recreation association in
the late 1970s and early '80s.
Swan, who was affectionately known as Mrs. Figure Skating, was
a pioneer of the sport in Newfoundland and Labrador and synchronized
skating in Canada. Along with serving as first president of the
Flying Blades, she organized the first provincial figure skating
championships in 1968. She was provincial figure skating chair for
nine years, served as a national director for four years, and
chaired the committee that established precision skating in Canada.
Swan also conducted numerous workshops and judged many figure
skating competitions across Canada and played a major role in having
professional coaches become an integral part of the national figure
skating association.
With accomplishments too numerous to list, it's not surprising
Swan was voted into the provincial Sports Hall of Fame in 1986 and
the Canadian Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1995. Her efforts earned
her the respect of her peers, while her warm, compassionate
personality earned their friendship.
"She was a very genuine person," Nichol says. "She was a very
hard working individual; very committed to the efforts of recreation
and youth."
Jean Burden worked closely with Swan for years with the Flying
Blades Figure Skating Club, and saw first hand what kind of heart
she had. Burden says Swan wanted so badly for children to have the
opportunity to enjoy skating that if ever a child came along who
couldn't afford skates but wanted to join the Flying Blades, Swan
would find a way to get the child on the ice.
Quite often, Swan would magically appear with a pair of skates
for the child, claiming she had found them in her basement. After
that happened a few times it became obvious Swan was willing to
search high and low to find a child a pair of skates, and would even
go so far as to buy them herself. "She was so dedicated," says
Burden. "What she wanted was for every kid to be able to skate."
Swan's dedication to skaters in Clarenville knew no limitations. She
would often be at the rink by 6 a.m. to assist in a Flying Blades'
practice, even if only a few skaters would be on hand. She was
always eager to stop and talk with parents.
"She was a real down-to-earth person," Burden says. "I've
never met anybody like her since." Swan died in a car crash during a
snowstorm on Feb. 25, 1985 (the same year she was named National
Volunteer of the Year), on her way home from judging the provincial
figure skating championships in Labrador City. Her death rocked the
Town of Clarenville and all of those who knew her. "The day we heard
she died É was just awful," Burden says, fighting back tears. "It
was heart breaking to know that somebody like her could go so
quick."
In honour of her contributions, Clarenville dedicated a
recreation park, featuring a softball field and playground facility,
in her memory. The grounds are known as Elizabeth Swan Memorial
Park.
darcy.macrae@theindependent.ca
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