SSHoF logoRon Friesen

Athlete (2022)

Diving

Ron FriesenIn diving, they say the better the dive, the smaller the splash. When Ron Friesen entered the water, it was tiny bubbles.

Friesen liked doing back somersaults off the board when he was a lifeguard and swim instructor in the summer of 1967 after he graduated from Moose Jaw Central Collegiate. But it wasn’t until fall that he started his formal training in diving as a first-year physical education student at the University of Saskatchewan. A year later he was Canadian university champion on the one- and three-metre boards. Friesen won six national university titles, three times setting point records and three times being named the Canadian university diver of the year.

At the Canadian senior championships, he was chairman of the board. He won seven senior national titles competing on one- and three-metre springboard and 10-metre tower.

Friesen’s diving career was short, only five years. He went far. He went global. With support from his university coach, Tony Schidlo, Friesen competed in the 1970 World University Games in Turin, Italy, the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he won a bronze medal performing before the Queen, the 1971 Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia and the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany.

Friesen used his phys ed degree, cum laude, and sports experience to manage swimming pools in B.C. He earned a law degree, practised law, taught law and served as the CEO of the Continuing Legal Education Society of B.C. He received international awards for training programs he developed for lawyers and judges.

Ron met his wife, Dr. Christine Loock, at the 1971 Pan Am Games. She is also an accomplished diver. Christine was a U.S. national champion, a bronze medallist in the world championships and was ranked No. 1 in the world in 1975 by FINA, the governing body for aquatics. Ron’s brother Rick and Ron’s daughter Emma were Canadian diving champions. Emma also won an NCAA title in one metre while at the University of Hawaii and represented Canada at the Commonwealth Games, 44 years after Ron.