Calgary Spartans » Our Coaches

The current roster of coaches are the following people: Dale Schoenthaler Stephen Adams Rich Hesketh Jonathan Wong Click on a name to jump down to that coach.
Dale Schoenthaler E-mail: frankslake@telusplanet.net Sprints & Hurdles (60m to 400m & 60mH to 400mH) A familiar face on the Calgary track and field scene, Dale works tirelessly to promote the sport of athletics and to ensure all athletes have the best possible opportunities to train and compete. With more than a decade’s coaching experience, Dale continually strives to, "help athletes become the best they can be; to reach their full potential, in sport and in life." An alumnus of the Regina Athletic Track Club, Dale joined the Calgary Spartans in 1992, perfecting his hurdling technique to the point where he became known to many as the "Technician". He joined the Spartans coaching staff in 1996, where he developed the hurdle and sprint group from the ground up. A Level III NCCP coach in Hurdles and Sprints, Dale has lead a variety of provincial teams – Royal Canadian Legion Provincial Teams, Alberta Summer Games Teams, Midget Dual Teams, as well as the National Team, at Legion Nationals in Newfoundland. As facilities and equipment manager for the Calgary Track Council, Dale is spearheading a $12-million project to build an indoor 400m track in northeast Calgary at Rotary Park. When Dale’s not at the track, he operates D&S Creations, specializing in home and office renovations and designing and building track and field equipment. A note to athletes planning to travel to meets with Dale -- prepare to work on your strikes and spares, as a road trip often includes a stop at the local bowling alley. "The real value of sport is not the actual game played in the limelight of applause but the hours of dogged determination and self-discipline carried out alone, imposed and supervised by an exacting conscience. The applause soon dies away, the prize is left behind, but the character you build up is yours forever."

Stephen Adams E-mail: d-coach@telus.net Middle & Long Distance (400m to marathon) Steve has quickly made his mark as an energetic, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic mentor to his athletes. It would be hard, perhaps impossible, to spend any time around Steve and not be caught up in his passion for athletics. A passion reflected in his coaching philosophy: "I believe in a positive environment that has the athlete’s best interests at heart." I believe each person is an individual and you need to understand their endurance level, strength level, speed level and most importantly their mindset. I believe you need to set goals that are specific to each athlete. I believe in sport being fun and never want my athletes to lose touch with that. I love to coach distance running because I love the challenge required to be a successful distance runner. In addition, Steve currently holds a NCCP Level 3 National Coaching Certification in Middle & Long Distance Running and is working towards obtaining his Level 4. From age eight, Steve was a versatile runner, competing in the 400m, 400m hurdles, 800m, 1500m, mile, 3000m, steeplechase, and the 5000m. A successful career with the Calgary Thunderbolts saw him clock impressive times as a 17-year old in the 1500m (3:56), 800m (1:56), and the mile (4:17). With a time of 9:29 in the 3000m steeple, Steve held the junior record for this event from 1988 until 2002. His racing career included appearances in Legion Nationals, Western Canada Summer Games, and Junior Nationals. Sidelined with an Achilles injury at twenty, Steve has recently taken up road racing, running his third ever 10k at the age of 35 in 35:09. "Desire is not something that can be given to you. It comes from within. Champions are persistent and dedicated. They are able to control and direct their physical and mental energies. And when they make decisions, they are more often right than wrong."

Rich Hesketh E-mail: RJHesketh@shaw.ca Speed and Power (Throws, Jumps, & “athlons”) During his 15-year track and field career, Rich completed a total of 57 decathlons with considerable success: Gold in the 1988 Canadian Decathlon Championships Four-time winner of the indoor Combined Events National Championships Member of 11 national teams including the Pan American Games (1991), two Francophone Games (1989 & 1994), and two Commonwealth Games (1990 & 1994) A Spartan himself from 1986-1991, Rich now enjoys watching his athletes compete well and achieve personal records. "I am glad to be able to give back to the sport that has given me so many great memories and opportunities."* His goals are to help athletes gain the independence and discipline to succeed at any level and to guide them to greater athleticism and an appreciation for multiple events. A professional athletic coach, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education from McMaster University, Rich still strives to learn as he coaches through education, research, and sharing information. He is the owner of DECAMAN ATHLETICS, a personal strength/conditioning coaching business.

Jonathan Wong E-mail: jonathan_s_wong@hotmail.com Junior Development Program A provincial medalist in various indoor and outdoor events in Alberta and Ontario, Jon has had success as an athlete and is now looking for the same for his athletes and in his coaching career. The opportunity to train with a number of coaches has allowed Jon to accumulate a vast knowledge of training programs and drills that will definately help the athletes of the JD Program. With the help of Tricia Schmidt (assistant coach of the Calgary Spartans Junior Development Program), the new challenge is now to develop a strong and competitve Junior Development Program that will continue the winning tradition of the Calgary Spartans. While trying to develop and continue the winning tradition of the JD program, Jon and Tricia continue to ensure that not only that their athletes learn the skills and techniques that will make them into competitive athletes, but also ensure that they also have fun doing it.