Don Steponchev

Builder (1993)

Basketball

Don Steponchev, who was born in Regina and played his early basketball with Balfour Tech Redmen, has provided a great service to basketball through officiating.

He began officiating in Regina and continued his role after moving to Saskatoon in 1961.

Don has been president of the Saskatoon Basketball Officials' Association, interpreter of the rules for over 20 years, evaluator of officials for 15 years and a clinician. He has been an executive member of the Saskatchewan association for 10 years.

At the national level, Don has been a representative of the Canadian Association of Basketball Association and an accredited evaluator and assigner for national tournaments. In August, 1992, he was awarded the Ted Earley Memorial Trophy, the highest award bestowed by the Canadian officials.

Don became a certified referee in the wheelchair basketball movement in 1975. He was selected to officiate at the 1975 world championships in London, the 1976 Olympiad for Physically Disabled in Toronto, the 1978 Pan American Games in Brazil, the 1979 Gold Cup in Florida, the 1980 Olympiad in Holland, the 1981 European championships in Sweden, the 1981 Pan American championships in Halifax and the 1991 world championships in England.

He earned his international certificate for work with able-bodied athletes in 1978. He has worked international women's tournaments in Cuba, Bulgaria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia, international men's tournaments in Korea and China, the World Student Games in Edmonton, the Asian Women's Games in Singapore and the Asian Games in China.