Olympics

Reprint courtesy Calibre Magazine 

For a variety of reasons, the history of the gun industry in Canada is somewhat abbreviated. While our neighbors to the south lay claim to such storied names as Horace Smith, John Browning, Eugene Stoner, and even one of our own in John C. Garand, Canada’s own experience in the realm of gunmaking has been generally sporadic and typically short-lived. Sure, we had the Ross rifle for a while there, but we all know how long that lasted. Then came John Inglis, who’s huge manufacturing firm did turn out massive quantities of legitimately excellent Hi-Power pistols and a myriad of machine guns for the Allied war effort… but now produces far less exciting products in the form of home appliances. And of course today we have Colt Canada, nee Diemaco. But even as difficult as Colt Canada’s, Inglis’, and Ross’ businesses ventures have proven to be, all have been predominantly federally-supported arsenal efforts. The civilian side of the industry has had an even tougher road to hoe.

Cooey participated in local parades; trucking racks of long guns around town

But a few decades ago, long before the socio-cultural political assault on gun ownership began in this country, one company rose from a single ignominious machine shop in Toronto to a mainstay of our national firearms industry: The H. W. Cooey Machine & Arms Company.

Like almost all great gunmakers, the story of Cooey begins with the story of a single man: Herbert William Cooey. After dropping out of an apprenticeship with the Grand Trunk Railroad and quitting a job on an assembly line, the then 23 year-old H. W. Cooey opened his first machine shop up at the corner of Queen Street and Spadina Avenue in Toronto in 1903, referring to himself as a “mechanical expert and practicing machinist.”

Cooey’s first plant at Spadina & York

By 1907 he’d proven his own (rather arrogant) statement to be at least partly true, when he took the wraps off an automobile of his own design that incorporated a couple innovative features, including a pre-heated fuel source and double exhaust valves. At the same time, he’d also proven a shrewd businessman, and after just four years in business the H.W. Cooey Machine Shop was forced to move across town into a larger shop at Bridgman and Howland Avenue in order to meet the demand for young Herbert’s talents.

But it wouldn’t be until the First World War that Cooey would turn his prosperous machine shop towards the manufacturing of firearms. Called into action to make various small rifle parts (including the folding peep sights fitted to the aforementioned ill-fated Ross rifle) and small-bore training rifles, Herbert Cooey’s firm rapidly set about gaining a reputation for building extremely high quality parts.

At the conclusion of hostilities, Cooey’s already successful firm found itself buoyed even further by their extensive war effort and the substantial funds it earned as a result, and Herbert wasn’t prepared to let the momentum slow. Having already seen huge successes from his time as a manufacturer of firearm parts for the Ross rifle, he began working on a complete rifle of his own design.

Debuting in 1919 as the Cooey Canuck, this single-shot .22 bolt-action rifle was an overnight sensation, and proved to be one of the most popular rifles of its time. Considered highly accurate but very affordably priced, the Canuck gained international acclaim in 1924, when the rifle won the Certificate of Honour at the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Park; an industrial exposition created “to stimulate trade, strengthen bonds that bind mother Country to her Sister States and Daughters, to bring into closer contact the one with each other, to enable all who owe allegiance to the British flag to meet and know each other.” Winning a Certificate of Honour there was no small feat either; the Exhibition was the largest ever staged in the world in 1924, costing 12 million pounds and being attended by 27 million people.

Herbert Cooey and his wife, Suzannah

At the same time as Cooey’s Canuck was earning fanfare at the Exhibition, Herbert himself was working towards earning some accolades of his own at the 1924 Olympics held in Paris, France. Supplying the Canadian national team with the guns they would use in no less than 10 shooting events, Herbert himself shot with the Canadian men’s trap team, who would go on to win silver at the games.

By now the company known as H. W. Cooey Machine & Gear had committed itself to the manufacture of sporting arms, and changed its name to reflect that, becoming the H. W. Cooey Machine & Arms Company. Advertising the ever-popular Canuck (later renamed the Ace) in a myriad of papers and magazines, Cooey continued to put forth an image of excellent quality and wasn’t afraid to say so with ads that read “Make mine a Cooey – I want the best,” and “Don’t Take a Substitute.” But it was the ad in a 1922 issue of Rod & Gun Canada that perhaps best defined the Cooey rifle as “The ideal Christmas present for the red-blooded boy, whether he lives in the city, the town or the country.”

Cooey’s Single-Shot Rifles: The Cooey Canuck & Model 39

The Cooey Canuck set the stage for what would become, over the course of literally decades, one of the most iconic of Cooey firearms: The single-shot .22. Perhaps best known as the Model 39, this action would also come to be known as the Ace, the Bisley Sport, Model 75, and perhaps a dozen other models, brands, and assorted nomenclatures.

The Cooey single-shot .22 rifle would birth dozens of various models throughout its lifetime

The first of Cooey’s designs, this single-shot action that seems so rudimentary today was quite innovative when new, due in large part to the unique automatic half-cock safety. Billed by Herbert as a “patent pending system” (although there is no evidence of patents having ever been filed) this system employed a two-part bolt that used a half-cock notch on the striker assembly to retain the striker behind the bolt face when the bolt was closed, but did not actually bring the action to a fully cocked position. To do that, the shooter would have to grasp the tail of the closed bolt, and pull rearward. This engaged the striker upon the sear and completed the task of readying the rifle for firing.

As a result of this system, the Cooey Canuck was considered one of the safest rifles of its day, which combined with its diminutive calibre to make it popular among younger shooters and, more importantly, their parents. But don’t let that fool you: This is no toy. Although various models were obviously aimed at (no pun intended) younger audiences of the day, plenty of adults flocked to the early single-shot Cooey rifles due in no small part for their exemplary reputation for accuracy. Even today, well used examples are easily capable of shooting with accuracy that is on par with or better than many mainstream modern bolt-action .22s. And since they are some of the most simple, slow-shooting guns you’ll ever come across, it is highly unlikely that anything will have been worn out through too much use!

Simple, reliable, and safe, the Cooey made for an excellent gift for hundreds of thousands of young Canadians

By 1929, demand for Cooey rifles had outgrown the production capacity of Herbert’s facility at Howland and Bridgman, so the new Cooey Machine & Arms Company left Toronto in favour of a new facility in Cobourg. Taking over what was Cobourg’s largest industrial building and the former home of the Ontario Woollen Mill, the new building offered four and a half stories of square footage, and gave the firm the increased manufacturing capacity Herbert desperately needed in order to grow. And grow he did… by creating yet another iconic Canadian rifle: The Cooey repeater.

A Repeater Is Born: The Model 60 & Model 600

At the heart of Cooey’s new repeater was a new action, pictured here in the author’s Model 600, and easily identifiable by a new notch cut into the receiver to accept the cocking lug on the striker; Cooey’s first actual safety. With the rifle cocked, the bolt tail is pulled rearward and rotated, placing the cocking lug into the slot and preventing the rifle from firing. Coincidentally, as some of these more modern Cooey rifles wear, they can end up re-acquiring the automatic safety system of their forebears as the striker frustratingly ends up sliding into the safety notch upon closing the bolt. But that’s nothing that can’t be fixed! Furthermore, the half-cock notch of the earlier action was retained, allowing the rifle to be carried uncocked, but loaded and with the action closed.

The later Cooey Model 60 and Model 600 tube magazine-fed rifle continued the single-shot’s success

Of course, a faster action would be useless without a magazine to feed it, and at the time during which this Cooey repeater was being created there was no clear winner in the rimfire war; .22 Short, Long, and Long Rifle were all still commonly available and widely used. So, Herbert knew his repeater needed to be capable of carrying, chambering, and firing all three. And that meant one thing: He needed a tubular magazine. Slung below the action, with a removable follower, and a small loading port positioned forward and at the 6 o’clock position the Model 60’s magazine was long enough to swallow 11 rounds of .22 Long Rifle ammunition.

Marked as a Winchester rifle, this Cooey 600 was one of the rifles made after the Cobourg firm was purchased by Olin-Winchester, but before the plant moved to Lakefield

But that desire to remain compatible with three very different lengths of ammunition also meant that rounds would need to be fed from the magazine directly onto the bolt face using a Mauser-style controlled round feed. This brings us to yet another significant update to the venerable Cooey design; the dual spring-steel extractors on the bolt face. Wrapping around the top of the bolt, with protruding and bevelled claws stretching around the bolt face, this simple piece of stamped spring-steel allowed rounds to rise out of the magazine and be held affixed to the bolt face as the bolt was closed. The bevelled extractors prevented the round from rising too high on the bolt face, and the magazine below prevented the round from sitting too low on the bolt face, meaning the round would sit at approximately the right height to allow it to feed into the chamber, and the bolt to close behind it. During extraction, the dual extractor claws provided a ton of gripping area to pull the fired casing out of the chamber, and allowed the next round to push the fired casing up and out from between the spring steel claws, which would snap back around the loaded round now on the bolt face, allowing the cycle to repeat.

As one of Cooey’s most popular rifles, the Cooey Repeater (best known as the 60 and 600 but also having been available under numerous other names) was rugged and reliable, and brought the same level of accuracy Cooey’s single shot rifles were known for to a much more practical package. However, there is no getting around the fact that these are far more complex rifles, and they can be incredibly frustrating when they start to break down. Key parts to keep an eye on include the spring steel extractor, the magazine tube, and the follower. Usually, problems of unreliable ejection can be traced back to shooters too softly working the action, as the rifle’s ability to properly eject and feed rounds is directly related to the force with which the action is manipulated. However, be judicious in your heavy-handedness, as you obviously don’t want to beat the gun up unnecessarily.

The relatively unique Cooey action still works reliably all these years later, but parts can be difficult to source

Having created the wildly popular Model 60 repeating rifle in 1939, Cooey once again soon found himself embroiled in another war-effort economy. And again, he tooled up to support the effort, creating the Model 82 training rifle during World War II (which earned a contract for the procurement of 34,810 rifles by the army and R.C.A.F. Air Cadet Corps). Designed to mimic the look and, to a lesser degree, the handling of a full-size Lee Enfield rifle the Model 82 or M82 was little more than a Lee Enfield-style stock on a convention Model 39. However, the rifle’s historical relevance and relative rarity make it something of a collector’s piece today. And coincidentally, many are still in active service with the Royal Canadian Air Cadet Corp! But, just like in the months and years following World War I, the Cooey firm was keen to keep growing, and expanding their product offerings. So, with Herbert’s son Hubert taking on much of the design work at the company, the two Cooeys directed their engineering talents towards Cooey senior’s own passion: Shotguns.

The Model 84: Cooey’s Break-Action Smoothbore

It is somewhat fitting that one of the first guns designed by Hubert Cooey would also represent a massive departure from the Cooey tradition of rimfire rifle manufacturing. However, as disparate as a smoothbore may have been from Cooey’s bread and butter, Hubert was obviously raised in the Cooey culture and so knew that any shotgun bearing the Cooey name needed to marry practicality, reliability, and value. The best solution? A single-shot break-action.

The Cooey 84/840 is a Canadian gem; handling very nicely and proving incredibly robust

A massive change from the usual Cooey production, the Model 84 debuted in 1948 as a svelte and compact single-shot break-action shotgun in .410, 28-, 20-, 16-, and 12-guage. Simplicity was at the forefront of Hubert’s mind while creating the 84, as the simple single-shot design kept the lockwork separate from the action and required the shooter load the gun and then cock it in a separate action unlike many other break-action shotguns. As a result, shooters were expected to keep the gun broken or uncocked until ready to shoot, so there are no external safeties. Barrel lengths varied greatly from 26” to 36” long, and although early models were restricted to 2-3/4” long chambers, later Model 840s (the nomenclature change denoting guns made after the 1961 acquisition of Cooey Machine & Arms Co. by Winchester) had 3” long chambers.

The ethos of simplicity is even more evident in breaking the Model 84 down. Unlike most other break-action guns, there is no latch under the fore-end to secure the forestock to the barrels; instead it is simply held in place by spring tension. Simply pulling the forestock away from the barrels releases it. From there, the gun is further broken down by opening the action (which, coincidentally, can be done by pushing the lever left or right) and pulling the barrels off their pivot, like one would any other break-action.

Breaking down simply, and with so few moving parts, many 84 and 840s remain in use today

The Model 84 and 840 remained exceptionally popular throughout the gun’s 31-year production run. Over 1.9 million of these shotguns would leave the Cobourg factory before the Cooey brand was mothballed, and Winchester would follow up on the 84/840’s success with their own Model 370, 395, 168, and 37A; all based upon Cooey’s design. And it’s not hard to see why. With a slender receiver, a reliable action, and an excellent balance it is a very sought-after shotgun.

Unfortunately, tragedy would befall the Cooey family in the late ‘50s, with Hubert passing away suddenly and unexpectedly in 1957. Herbert would come out of retirement to head the firm that bore his name for a few brief years before selling Cooey Machine and Arms to the Olin Corporation in 1961, shortly before his own death in the February of 1962 at age 80. Two years later, Olin had already placed Cooey under the management of their Winchester-Western Division, and Cooey would launch their most successful design to date; a design that combined the firm’s knowledge of rimfire rifles with the more modern desire for a reliable semi-automatic repeater. That rifle? The last rifle a Cooey would design, and the only Cooey product still in production today: The Model 64.

The Model 64: Cooey’s Continued Living Legacy

Officially launched in 1964 (the same year Ruger launched the 10/22), the Cooey Model 64 had roots in the mid-50’s, when Hubert Cooey recognized Cooey’s need for a semi-automatic repeater to join their strong bolt-action lineup.

The Savage 64, originally known as the Lakefield 64b, was the last gun design penned by a Cooey

Borrowing heavily from his father’s work on the Model 39, Hubert took a similar bolt, receiver, and trigger design and matched it with a simple direct-blowback system operated via a small action spring mounted to the tail of the bolt assembly. Then, he fitted the trigger group with a simple lever-style safety not unlike that found on the Remington Model 700 (introduced in 1962), and designed a simple but effective 10-round box magazine from which the blowback action would reliably feed.

Still made in the Lakefield plant, where much of Cooey’s manufacturing equipment and staff went, the Savage’s design is almost unchanged

Unfortunately, as simple as the gun was, Hubert would die before the project was seen through to completion. Likewise, Herbert would find himself somewhat overwhelmed when he returned from retirement to take command of the company once again after his son’s passing, a fact that many indicate as a key motive behind his sale to the Olin Corporation. But Olin, the conglomerate behind Winchester, recognized the value in Hubert’s design and ordered Cooey to put the lightweight and simple Model 64 into production to give the brand something with which to compete against the likes of the Marlin Model 60 and equally new Ruger 10/22.

Like all Cooey firearms, the Model 64 was immediately regarded as simple, efficient, reliable and most of all, a bargain. Even ten years after its introduction the Model 64 would still be available here in Canada for less than $50. Sadly though, even with the long track record of producing excellent products, it wasn’t long before political and labour issues forced the closure of Herbert’s long-lived Cobourg facility in 1979. But, through some fortunate happenstance, the machinery and hardware used within the Cooey plant would find a new home down the road in Lakefield, Ontario with the aptly named Lakefield Arms Company; a company where many former Cooey employees would also find their next job.

In continual production for decades, the Savage/Lakefield 64 is one of only a handful of Canadian-made guns on the market today

But Lakefield Arms didn’t just get Cooey’s hardware. They also got the rights to Cooey’s Model 64. So, with the machinery moved and many of the same people manning it, Lakefield Arms retooled the production line and began production of their own Model 64; the Lakefield Arms Model 64B. Even after Lakefield Arms was purchased by Savage Arms in 1995 the production of Hubert Cooey’s Model 64 continued right up to the present day. Now known as the Savage Arms Model 64, it remains one of Savage’s most popular offerings, with no less than six different sub-models currently available.

Before Cooey was dissolved entirely, it is estimated that approximately 12 million firearms would leave Cooey’s various factories. From 1919 until April 1961, production schedules remained a relatively steady 20 firearms per day, which increased dramatically when the firm was sold to Winchester, who in turn replaced the Cobourg facility’s aged machinery with modern hardware. This increased the plant’s production capacity to 2,000 firearms per day. Over 67 different models of firearm would fill the Cooey catalog eventually, with numerous other firearms produced for other brands such as Hiawatha, Iver Johnson, Winchester, Mercury and various others.

While most Cooey designs are relegated to the history books, Savage’s 64 keeps at least one Cooey design in production

That Cooeys are basic, affordable guns cannot be debated. But there’s something about them. They are part of our nation’s shooting heritage. For many of us, they’re the first guns we ever laid hands on, and undoubtedly for many more they will provide a similar service again as we introduce our own young ones to the shooting hobby. They’re rugged, they’re reliable, and they represent a time in Canada’s past when it wasn’t untoward to give a young boy a rifle for his birthday. So if you happen to be lucky enough to own one of these rifles, hold onto it. Look after it. And use it. It’s what they were designed for.

Source:   https://calibremag.ca

Frank was born April 7th 1958 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Peterborough Ontario. His parents, Frank and Maria, were ecstatic about the arrival of a beautiful baby boy. He would be the third child in his loving family. His sisters Anna Maria and Pia were extremely happy to have a new addition to the family.

Frank was a very quiet, adorable baby, who needed more care and attention while at home. Everyone assisted his mother at the time. Frank was very “Special” to the family. He was included and encouraged to participate in many activities with the neighborhood children. He also played with his sisters. He would laugh with anticipation and excitement whenever company was around.

Frank’s participation in the Special Olympics has brought his family pride and joy. His facial expressions displayed his indomitable spirit throughout competitions. His many gold medals attest to his strong and determined character.

Dino, the youngest has been his “Best Buddy”. The rapport the two brothers share is indescribable. Their bond is truly exceptional. 

Frank’s 60th birthday brought a reflection of happiness to his family. His parents would express their love and appreciation to everyone involved in his care.

Frank has Cerebral Palsy (CP) which affects his body movement, muscle control, muscle coordination, muscle tone, reflex, posture and balance. It also has impact on his fine motor skills, gross motor skills and oral motor functioning. Cerebral Palsy’s effect on functional abilities varies greatly. Many affected people can walk while others, like Frank, use wheelchairs.

Frank’s CP affects three of his limbs, both legs and right arm. His mobility is purely via a one-armed wheelchair to move around. He uses his left arm only to propel his wheelchair.

In the early 1980s, Frank started wheelchair racing as a recreational activity. He competed in the Eastern Ontario CP Games and to his surprise, he won most of the events in which he competed. He then went to the Ontario CP Games, where he continued to roll up the wins. Frank continued winning both at the Regional and Provincial games.

Frank was using his everyday chair to race in, which certainly placed him at a disadvantage, since most racers had specially made racing wheelchairs. They could also propel them with two arms.

Frank was classified as a CP3, which meant racers had three limbs affected. Where Frank could only wheel with one arm, his competitors all wheeled with two arms (one of their arms would be mildly affected by CP, but they were still capable of using both arms to wheel).

Unfortunately, records at this time were not recorded on computers. The Ontario CP Sports Association has some partial results. Frank has a scrapbook of newspaper clippings with his results at provincial and international meets. He has an extensive collection of medals trophies and plaques won while completing across North America and in Belgium. Douglas Wilton, the head coach/manager of the Canadian CP team, can confirm these results.

As a result of his success, Frank was invited to try out for the Canadian CP National Team. He attended their training camp in Windsor in 1983. Team coaches stated Frank needed enhanced training plus a racing wheelchair to compete at the next level in the Olympics and the World Games.

In consultation with his local coach, Frank decided he wanted to complete at the next level. This meant training would ramp up. As well, he needed to find someone to design and build a one-arm racing wheelchair, as there was none – zero – available anywhere.

It was at this point two significant changes happened for Frank:
One – Training: A two-year training program was designed by Team Canada coaches specifically for Frank and his local coach to carry out. The goal was for Frank to peak at the 1984 Olympics for the International Games for the Physically Disabled (later called Paralympics). His training was ramped up to three weight training sessions per week plus three track sessions per week. 

The training became progressively harder, and Frank met all the targets and challenges. This training was not easy, and during the winter they drove 45 minutes each way to an indoor track for training three days a week. It was a big commitment. After 1984 Frank took a short break from training, then back to another two-year program to peak again for the 1986 Cerebral Palsy Work Championship Games.

As all high-level athletes know, years of training six days a week can be an incredible grind. Add to that the fatigue of the travel for training and meets for an individual in a wheelchair. Three winter nights each week, Frank got picked up at 6:30 p.m. to drive 45 minutes to an indoor track for his training session. This involved a warm-up, stretching, that night’s track routine, cool down and back into a cold car for another 45-minute ride home. All these years of weight and track training made him tough to beat, and revealed Frank’s character.

Two – Get a Racing Wheelchair: Frank initially raced in his everyday Everest and Jennings wheelchair. A new Everest and Jennings chair was purchased and modified which resulted in Frank’s times improving. Frank received a lot of acknowledgment and praise from competitors and coaches from around the world for being able to compete at the World level without a racing chair. 

Frank’s competitors were all wheeling with two arms using the latest technology in racing chairs. We could not get a wheelchair maker or a university engineering department or a machine shop to make one. Much effort was put into finding someone who could design and make a one-armed racing wheelchair.

Then in 1985 we met an Ontario wheelchair racer who had made his own chair. This wonderful man worked diligently with us to make a one-armed racing chair for Frank. It was one of the first one-arm racing chair to be made on the planet. This was the final piece in Frank’s puzzle for success. As a one-armed racer, Frank was bucking the odds, but now he was finally on a more even playing field with the technology.

Ms Suzanne Atkinson, a regional newspaper reporter, was actively following Frank’s success and wrote about his incredible journey. Her coverage resulted in many groups and individuals in the community generously donating money to purchase this chair and cover some of the expenses.

As Doug Wilton, the Canadian head coach/manager, said, “Frank is the greatest one-armed wheeler in the world, always competing against 2-armed wheelers.”

Frank’s local coach often commented that, “Frank’s accomplishments and success can only be truly appreciated by those who saw him race or competed against him. With his extreme competitive nature, Frank is truly a courageous Olympian.”

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND AWARDS

Represented Canada internationally from 1983-1986
June 1984- Olympic Year – International Games for the Disabled (now called the Paralympics)
4x 100 metre relay race (World Record 101 seconds) Gold Medal
60 metre sprint – 6th
200 metre sprint – 10th (disqualified for a lane violation in his heat)

1984 CP Provincial Games
60 metre sprint – gold (new record)
100 metre sprint – gold (new record)
200 metre sprint – gold (new record)
400 metre sprint – gold
Shotput - bronze

1985 Michigan State Championships for the Physically Disabled
60 metre sprint – gold
200 metre sprint – gold
400 metre sprint – gold
4x100 metre relay race – gold

1986 Cerebral Palsy World Championship Games – Gits, Belgium
4x100 metre relay race – gold
400 metre sprint – silver
100 metre sprint – bronze
Team Canada won the overall Medal count with 42 Gold Medals, 16 Silver Medals and 12 Bronze Medals

1982
Presented with a Championship Certificate from the Province of Ontario in recognition of being a Provincial Champion in the field of amateur sport

1984
Presented with a Sports Jacket emblazed with a crest of the Town of Cobourg and the Bicentennial flag from the Mayor of Cobourg and the Chamber of Commerce
Presented with an Ontario Championship Certificate from the Province of Ontario
Presented with an Achievement Award Certificate from the Province of Ontario for distinguished performance in the field of amateur sport

1985
Presented with a Certificate of International Achievement from Premier David Peterson, at the Ontario Provincial Amateur Sports Banquet

1986
Presented with a Certificate of World Achievement from Premier David Peterson, at the 20th Annual Sports Awards Banquet in recognition of distinguished performance in the field of amateur sport

1987
Presented with a Civic Award from the City of Peterborough
Presented with an International Achievement Award from the Premier of Ontario

1990
Inducted into the Ontario CP Sports Athletes “Hall of Fame”

2019
Inducted into the Cobourg and District Sports Hall of Fame

Sources: Suzanne Atkinson, reporter
   Doug Montgomery, Frank Mazza’s local coach
   Doug Wilton, Head Coach and Team Manager for Canada’s National Cerebral Palsy team (1979-2000)

Reviewed August 2020

Jeremiah Brown was born November 25, 1985 in Cobourg. He was the middle child, Julia younger and Jenny older. He and his family spent part of his youth living in Port Hope across the road from the Ganaraska River. In his late teens, in Cobourg, he tried to pull off a prank that landed him in jail for several days. He was sentenced to 80 hours of community service and 1 year of probation.

Jeremiah attended high school in Cobourg where his sport of choice was hockey. Because of the prank he had to change schools and drop hockey. He graduated and attended McMaster University in Hamilton. They didn’t have a varsity hockey team so he decided to learn how to play football. In his sophomore year he put on 40 pounds but only made the service team. In his third year he got to 255 pounds, could bench press 225 eleven times and earned a position on the Marauders Varsity Team as an offensive tackle. A shoulder injury half way through the season shut him down and though he played his final year, the shoulder injury became aggravated and he began looking for other sports opportunities.

In 2004 Jeremiah and his girlfriend Amy had an unexpected pregnancy and Ethan was born in May, 2005. It was a busy time with classes and child care for both Amy and Jeremiah and football for Jeremiah. When Jeremiah started looking for another sport, he recalled seeing an article in his youth about a Canadian world champion in single sculls working hard to win gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. By chance he entered a rowing fundraiser and then followed up with a look-see. He thought he could teach himself how to row! How wrong he was!

He borrowed a single scull for his first rowing venture and headed for Rice Lake. His first mistake was putting on the oar locks backwards causing him to fall into the lake after a mere 10 strokes. Undaunted and determined, he got himself back into the boat and tried again. He would experience many such dunkings into the water but he craved the challenge to excel. He would have to lose that weight but rowing would be easier on his shoulder. The day he saw on TV the Canadian Men's Eight Rowing Team win Gold at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Jeremiah set himself the “impossible” goal of winning Gold at the 2012 Olympics in London England, just 4 short years away.

Jeremiah and Amy and 3-year-old Ethan moved to British Columbia where he started working for a TD bank in Victoria. Victoria was where the national men’s eight rowing team trained. He met Doug White who agreed to be his rowing coach. He started a learn-to-row program in the Canadian national program and spent some 1700 hours in training. By the fall of 2009 he was able to row 200 metres and was able to represent British Columbia in the Nationals.

In 2010 he earned a silver medal at the national championships in the single sculls. In January 2011 he was named to the national rowing team. He began working with renowned coach Mike Spracklen. Spracklen was a polarizing figure as Jeremiah expressed in his feelings “I felt a lot of rage towards him (yes, RAGE) at various times in the two years leading  up to the Olympics...Mike was the only person around who had coached athletes to Olympic medals...he was my ticket to the podium”.

In further describing those months of grueling training Jeremiah provides insight into what drives an elite athlete despite injury and other obstacles: “There is not a clear answer to why we willingly suffer on a daily basis. Before I began training at this level, I thought it had to be the ego and even vanity that pushed athletes on in the pursuit of an Olympic gold medal. But the ego gets broken down in those first 2 months of training and vanity is overshadowed by fatigue and, at times, despair.

At some primitive level we all have a disposition towards fighting or fleeing. The elite athlete is a fighter. When tested, he or she will feel the same symptoms as their fleeing counterpart; fear, nervousness, tension, anxiety, etc, the difference being that something irrational will compel the elite athlete to fight and overcome these symptoms just because it's in their nature. That's why I suffer. I don't have a choice.  I'm a fighter and I can't turn it off. (Jeremiahspeaks.com).

Jeremiah won bronze at the World Championships as part of the men’s eight. 3 weeks before the 2012 Olympics he was named to the men’s eight team. All that hard work paid off for Jeremiah and the dream of standing on the podium at London was realized. After a potentially disastrous preparatory heat, the Canadians fought off the British and Australians in an exciting final, almost catching the Germans, but thrilled to be second and silver!

Following the Olympics Jeremiah had three herniated discs and had ruptured tendons in his fingers. And mentally he had had enough of rowing. Jeremiah counts himself lucky that he was spared the post-Olympic depression that afflicts many other athletes. Part of the way forward was to throw himself into one of his other passions, music. He plays the drums He was named an Honourary Fellow of the Royal Conservatory of Music in 2013 for his advocacy for the arts.

In the summer of 2014 Jeremiah and family moved to Peterborough to be closer to his parents in Cobourg and Amy’s business, West Pines Park Resort, north of Bancroft. Several months later Jeremiah was selected by the Canadian Olympic Committee as the national manager of Game Plan, the COC's program to help elite athletes make the transition to the next chapter of their lives. “A lot of athletes find it difficult, I found it difficult coming from the Olympics.

There is a transition that needs to happen and an identity shift that needs to happen, there is an ego check that needs to happen ... it’s a really tough time for Olympic athletes and athletes who identify (with the Olympics). That’s their life. Here I was, I was someone who played different sports, I had my degree, I even had marketable skills in finance that I could still presumably find a job fairly easily compared to my peers and I still found it challenging and to this day it is challenging”.

Jeremiah’s accomplishments include developing the Game Plan Education Network, which saw Canada’s leading universities sign on to provide more flexibility and support for Canada’s national team athletes; the Game Plan Employer Network, a brand new recruiting resource connecting Canada’s top companies with Canada’s top athletes; developing a partnership with Smith School of Business at Queen’s University, which will provide over $11 million in direct scholarship to retired Olympians and Paralympians.

The work of Jeremiah and his team has been featured by major news outlets including the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, CTV, CBC, Radio Canada, and Al Jazeera. Jeremiah has been consulted by the International Olympic Committee for his expertise while continuing to support the development of athlete welfare programs around the world.

After the Olympics Jeremiah also began writing. His plan was to self-publish an e-book for college rowers – part memoir, part how-to. Feedback from rowers he sent a draft to was they wanted to hear more about his story and the motivations that drove him. In total it took Jeremiah 5 years to write the book. In early 2018 The 4 Year Olympian, was published by Dundurn Press. It spent five weeks as the #1 bestselling sport memoir in Canada, and has achieved a cult-like following in Canada and the USA. The book has transcended the sport memoir genre with its raw honesty and appeal to anyone chasing a big dream.

Following the release of his bestselling book Jeremiah recreated his amazing journey into an emotionally captivating experience. Consistently ranked as one of the top speakers on transformation, resilience, teamwork, and leadership, Jeremiah brings an engaging warmth and humour while delivering powerful, inspiring keynotes. Through his talks, Jeremiah has inspired thousands of people around the world.

Jeremiah Brown spent his life harnessing the power of resilience to adapt to new environments and overcome setbacks.

Updated August 2020