Kevin Heisler of Halifax has had an outstanding impact as a volunteer mentor, coach, meet organizer, board and executive member, and promoter for more than 35 years. He has been a dedicated and appreciated leader in track and field at the provincial and national level, specifically in his role as a coach on national team projects.

He was head coach at the 1997 Pan American Junior Championships and staff coach at three Worl Cross Country Championships since 1992, the latest Brussels in 2004. He has demonstrated a strong commitment and eagerness to be the best he can be as a coach and to provide athletes with great care and sound advice.

There are so many areas of expertise that Kevin brings to the table when he’s serving track and cross country. His coaching ability has taken many athletes to provincial and national titles and international events, but more so, his enthusiastic approach to each individual athlete has made the experience one they treasure. His athletes and other coaches call him “unflappable”, “motivating”, “reassuring”, and “calm”.

Athletes and coaches also praise Kevin for initiating and fostering one of the finest track and field meets in Canada; the Aileen Meagher Classic, held annually in Halifax since 1992. Rather than sending athletes away, at high cost, to face national and international talent and learn from competing against better athletes, Kevin decided to bring the better athletes to Halifax. The meet has drawn great crowds and created new fans of a sport that has its own base, but which is rarely seen by the general public beyond Olympic and World meets, along with a few other high profile events.

Through the years, Kevin has been a middle distance coach of many provincial teams, the Canadian junior men’s and senior women’s teams at world cross country championships, headed Canada’s delegation at the 1993 World Cross Country Championships in Spain, and was Canadian team leader at a 2002 meet in Beijing. He has been twice named Athletics Nova Scotia’s coach of the year. On eight occasions Heisler has served as a National team coach at international championships. Five of his athletes have achieved national team status.

Heisler has been meet manager for five National Cross Country Championships and meet director for the Aileen Meagher International Track meet since 1992. His athletes have competed nationally and internationally and won AUS and CIS honours. Heisler has been organizer and meet director for high-performance competitions in Atlantic Canada for the past 26 years, bringing national attention to the local track scene and its athletes.