Bernie Chisholm has had a large impact on the sports of track and field and cross-country running at both the provincial and national levels for over 30 years. He has coached at the community club, local public school, and university levels, producing championship caliber athletes and teams that have won provincial and national honours. He has coached Dr. John Hugh Gillis High School cross-country teams to 49 provincial titles between 1973 and 2004.

Athletes coached by Bernie Chisholm at Dr. John Hugh Gillis High School, the Antigonish Track Club, or St. Francis Xavier University have been selected to represent Canada at World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Olympic Games in cross-country and middle-distance events. Bernie has served as a national coach on World Cross-Country Championships and World University Games teams.

Annual Program

While a student at St. Francis Xavier University, Bernie Chisholm responded to high school principal John Hugh Gillis and agreed to coach high school athletes.

Thirty years later, still teaching at the Antigonish high school now named after that former principal, he is still coaching, but has added university and community track and cross country to his coaching repertoire. And, while leading teams to 49 Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation championships, he can also count Olympic and Commonwealth Games, Canadian University Sport and Canada Games athletes among his charges.

Bernie started coaching in 1973, “I would guess I got spoiled very early in the game,” he says. “When one group finished, there was another one coming, and it continued. There were young people who were good athletes and wanted to be involved.”

The veteran coach contends if you can light the fire in them or turn the young people on to running, then they see the benefits and the enjoyment the sport brings. Chisholm says “The young people motivate me as much as I motivate them…” many people don’t understand the joy of running 10 or 15 miles, but he maintains the feeling of self-accomplishment, pride, discipline and self- motivation are very important and are traits felt by the runner.

Year after year, the joy of watching young people achieve goals has been a source of pride to Chisholm. “I’ve had athletes who were extremely gifted and willing to work hard. Those who have made provincial and national teams and represented their country have had a work ethic and drive that made them the athletes they are. As a coach, it’s gratifying to see them rewarded for their hard work.”

Among athletes coached by Chisholm were 1994 Commonwealth Games silver medalist Robyn Meagher, world championship cross country runners Lavinia Gough and Eric Gillis, All-Canadians Michelle Chisholm and Leanne MacLean, and twice Canada Games middle distance runner John MacLellan.

Meagher, now living in British Columbia, says of Chisholm, “I feel enormous gratitude for the way he supported my development as an athlete and as a person. The foundation I developed under his guidance over six years of coaching was instrumental in my success. He always looked at the big picture and placed sport within the larger context of his athletes’ lives and long-term goals.”

Gillis, the 2003 CIS cross country champion, maintains Chisholm has been there for him in good and rough times, with a constant optimistic outlook on sport and life. “Many of his achievements were masked in accolades the athletes attained, but entering the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame is all for the coach.”

Bernie Chisholm says the people he works with keep him going in the sport. “The young people motivate me as much as I motivate them,” he suggests. “I feel I’m part of the puzzle rather than the head of it. I really enjoy working with them.”

He also credits his wife, Brenda, and four sons, for offering the support they have. “Brenda has made many sacrifices and has been understanding of what I’ve done. That’s so important to a coach.”

Annual Program Courtesy of Gail MacDougall