Don Spring
Don Spring, 1981 BComm, began a brilliant hockey career as a youth pursuing the Canadian dream — to make it to the NHL. He achieved his dream and along the way, he has left a legacy of success stories. While a student in Edson's Parkland Composite High School, he actively competed in volleyball and swimming. Hockey was his first and greatest love and by the age of sixteen, he was a star on Edson's Junior B hockey team. At seventeen, he became one of the youngest players ever to play for the University of Alberta's Golden Bears.During Spring's seasons as Bears defenceman (1976-79), the team won three consecutive Canada West championships and competed in three national CIAU finals. The teams captured the silver medal in his first season and gold medals in each of his last two — a rare accomplishment. All who watched his superb defensive play, including those charged with the selection of all-star teams, recognized Spring's all-round excellence. Spring was singled out for berths on the CIAU All-Star team in 1978 as well as on Canada West 2nd All-Star teams in 1977-78 and 1978-79.
During his final season as a Golden Bear, Spring and his teammates were selected to represent Canada at the Pacific Rim tournament in Japan. They completed the tournament on the gold medal podium — a fitting international tribute to an outstanding team.
Spring, along with four other Golden Bear stars, was named to Canada's 1980 Olympic hockey team.
Spring signed as a free agent with the Winnipeg Jets of the NHL in the spring of 1980. He joined the Jets for the 1980-81 season and continued with them until 1984. He completed his professional hockey career with the ESC Essen (West Germany) Elite League hockey team in 1985 and returned to Canada to join Clare Drake's Golden Bears as an assistant coach.
Throughout his career, Spring has served the Golden Bear Hockey program in many ways: as a hockey school instructor/co-ordinator, as an instructor at the Professional Hockey Conditioning Camps, and as an active Golden Bear Alumni volunteer.
In 1987, the Golden Bears won the right to represent Canada in the World Students Games (held in Czechoslovakia), and Spring accompanied the team as Clare Drake's assistant. The team was the only non-All Star team in the tournament and still finished with a bronze medal.
Spring joined Amoco as an analyst in 1985, then moved to Petro-Canada as a Business Manager in 1987. In 1988, Don joined the host of volunteers who helped staff the 1988 world-acclaimed Calgary Olympic Games: he did so by visiting schools in the Edmonton area to share his Olympic experience.
Spring has coached and served as a minor hockey division coordinator and has also been a major organizer of minor hockey tournaments. Truly hockey has played a major part in his life and today, he shares his love of the sport with the youths who fill the rosters on his teams.
In 1999, Don, his wife Carol, and their three children, Michael, Eric, and Lauren, moved to Kelowna where Don is the owner and President of Spring Fuel Distributors Inc.
The University of Alberta is proud to add John Spring's name to the Sports Wall of Fame; he is a 2006 inductee.