Jeff Lee

2020 Inductee – Builder, Swimming Officiating

Jeff Lee Jeff Lee was inducted into the Sports Hall in 2020 where he was recognized for his lifetime accomplishments as a builder in swimming for his officiating. “It’s a wonderful honour,” he said about being inducted for his achievements.

Jeff, who moved from England to Canada over 70 years ago with his family, recognized his love of swimming in 1975 after becoming a parent. He became a swim official at his local YMCA with longtime coach Lillian Peart at that time. In 1978, he transferred to the Brantford Aquatic Club which runs out of the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre where his son, Jamie Lee, began swimming with him at the age of six. In 1982, Jeff became a Technical Board Member of the Brantford Aquatic Club until 1987 when he became the Aquatic Club President until 1992.

View the interview with Jeff Lee.

Through 1983 until 1992 Jeff was the Meet Manager in several competitions including; the Brantford Division 1 Championships in 1983/1984, Brantford Canadian Nationals and Youth Nationals Championships Meet in 1985, and Brantford Summer Nationals Olympic Trials in 1992.

In 1992, he was the Starter for the Paralympic Trails and was Meet Referee for all major meets for Brantford and Swim International from 1987 to 2002; which offered a minimum of three meets per year, equaling 45 major meets in Brantford. It was after this time that Jeff became a Canadian Master Swim Official in 1989. He was the Canadian National Starter from 1990 to 2008 in Long Course and Short Course Championships across Canada. He was also at the Canadian PAN-AM Games in Winnipeg as a Canadian Swim Official in 1999. He was at Canadian Nationals and world level meets across Canada for Short and Long Course (38 meets in total) from 1989 to 2008. “My wife Sandy has been by my side for over 54 years, travelling with me the entire time I was officiating. Our vacations together always included my volunteering at a swim meet of some kind. We enjoyed doing that! You meet some amazing people and great swimmers that way,” Jeff said.

He was the World FINA Starter from 1999 to 2008 for the PAN-PAC Games in Victoria, Olympic Trails in Montreal four times and represented Canada at FINA Official World Clinics several times travelling throughout Canada, Sydney, Australia and Manchester, England where he and his wife Sandy both tried to fit in time between meets to sightsee.

From 1998 until 2000 he became a Swim Canada Technical Chairperson. In 2007, Jeff won The George Jones Memorial Award for his lifetime sports volunteerism by the Brantford Sports Council. “My wife and I strongly believe in volunteering for our community and think it’s a wonderful thing for someone to do if they can,” he said. He was a member of the Canadian Foresters Volunteer Group from 1982 to 2020 and has been volunteering for the Ontario Lung Association since 2005.

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    2002 Manchester, England Commonwealth Games Lanyard

    2002 Manchester, England Commonwealth Games Lanyard

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    2003-2006 FINA Official Swimming Starter Accreditation

    2003-2006 FINA Official Swimming Starter Accreditation