2019 Canada Winter Games

Alberta Silver Medalist fights through the tragic death of his coach

Published

6 years ago

5 minute read

Janick Lacroix keeps fighting with his late coach in his heart and ear

By Chris Welner of HipCheck Media

There’s a voice Alberta boxer Janick Lacroix hears when he steps in the ring.

“Keep your hands up!”
“Keep punching!”
“Show respect”
“Show class.”

The words are part of many memories Lacroix holds for Mike Kucik, his coach who was shot to death at the age of 76 in an unexplainable tragedy in small-town Saskatchewan.

Lacroix was only 13 when the shooting happened and didn’t understand why his coach of almost two years was gone.

“It was a really tough day and I thought this can’t be true,” remembered Lacroix the morning after losing the gold medal bout at the Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alta. “I got depressed and I thought that’s it. I’m not going to box again.”

Kucik was a lifelong fan of the fight game from Ponteix, Sask. He boxed as a young man and had been in many a corner in the decades that followed as a trainer. No one really knows what happened, but it is believed a long-time friend shot Kucik before taking his own life.

“Mike meant a lot to me. He was like my second dad. He taught me to respect my opponent no matter what, to work hard and not to be scared of anyone,” says Lacroix. “He was my mentor and a great guy all around.”

Kerry Fahlman attended Kucik’s funeral in the summer of 2016 and told Lacroix he would take up his friend’s coaching mantle if the lad wanted to relocate three hours west to Medicine Hat. With his mom’s blessing, Janick took the offer and resumed training. Now 16, he lives on his own, trains seven days a week and attends Grade 11 at Medicine Hat High School.

“I definitely fought for my old coach Mike. I always fight for him. Everything I do is for him now,” says Lacroix. “Even when Kerry’s talking, I’ll hear Mike’s voice. He’s always with me.”

Born and raised in small-town Quebec, Lacroix’s family moved west to Saskatchewan when he was 7 years old. A few years later, when a hockey buddy asked if he wanted to join him at boxing, Lacroix found his new passion.

“I saw Janick the day after dad was killed and he was devastated,” says Kucik’s daughter Sharon. ”My dad did his coaching out of his garage and Janick just stood in the garage and cried so hard. He started punching the big bag that was hanging in there, and just kept punching it so hard. Even though I was devastated and still in shock I had to reach out to him and try to console him.

“I know for a fact that my dad will always be with him. Janick had so much respect for my dad.”

Lacroix has had 47 fights in his young career. He won a silver medal at the 2017 Canadian national boxing championships, took gold in 2018 in the 70-kilogram class and was named Alberta’s boxer of the year. After his loss in the Canada Games final to Ontario’s Mohammed Zawadi, Lacroix was already looking forward to a potential rematch at the nationals in Victoria in April. He knows he’ll have extra help in his corner.

“Mike treated me like his son. He checked on me every morning, made sure I did my training and ate well, did my homework. He was a great role model,” says Lacroix

In his pocket, Lacroix keeps a silver locket engraved with a pair of boxing gloves on one side and “Enjoy the Journey” on the other. Inside are two pictures: one of a young boxer named Mike Kucik, the other shows Kucik and a boy with dreams of being an Olympic champion. In the other pocket is a Canada Winter Games silver medal.

Click here to read a tribute to Mike Kucik by his grandson Christopher Rouleau.
Instagram @Janick_Lacroix

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2019 Canada Winter Games

Red Deer’s Lyn Radford joins new Chair Catriona Le May Doan on Canada Games Council

Published on December 5, 2024

Todayville

News release from the Canada Games Council

Hall of Fame Athlete Elected Chair of Canada Games Council Board of Directors

The Canada Games Council (CGC) is thrilled to announce the election of Canadian sport legend Catriona Le May Doan as Chair of the organization’s Board of Directors. Joining Le May Doan in officer positions are Vice-Chair Sean O’Donnell, Treasurer Sheri Somerville and Secretary Lyn Radford.

Canada Games Council Logo (CNW Group/Canada Games Council)

“I am very excited and honoured to be taking on the role of Chair of the Canada Games Council,” said Le May Doan. “I have been a part of the Canada Games Movement for almost 42 years. The Canada Games were my first multi-sport Games and had a huge impact on my career and I continue to believe in and witness the power of the Canada Games in building sport in our country, but also strengthening our communities.”

A three-time Olympic medallist and icon in Canadian speed skating, Le May Doan is a true champion on and off the field of play. She is a tireless ambassador for the transformational power of sport and a distinguished member of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and the Canada Games Hall of Honour.

A Canada Games alum in both speed skating and athletics for Team Saskatchewan, Le May Doan is currently the President and CEO of Sport Calgary. She recently served as Team Canada’s Chef de Mission at the Olympic Winter Games in 2022.

A longtime CGC board member, Le May Doan takes over the reins from outgoing Chair Evan Johnston, who is stepping down after 10 years on the board as he takes on the new role as President and CEO of The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company in January.

“On behalf of the entire Canada Games family, I’d like to thank Evan for his decade of volunteer service to the Canada Games Movement and his invaluable guidance and mentorship to our CGC Board and staff as Chair of the Canada Games Council,” said Kelly-Ann Paul, CGC President and CEO. “We are thrilled to welcome Catriona at the helm and know her strategic leadership will continue to solidify the foundation of our organization so that the Canada Games strengthen the fabric of our nation from coast to coast to coast.”

“I hope to continue the great work that Evan has done and I thank him for his leadership,” said Le May Doan. “I am looking forward to working with the incredible CGC team and our network of partners for the upcoming Games in St. John’s next summer, and then in Quebec City in 2027, where we will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Games. Together, we will continue to spark greatness in Canadians through the Canada Games.”

Those filling the remaining officer positions have all been on the CGC Board since 2022.

O’Donnell brings extensive executive experience in the federal public service and the Canadian sport system to the Vice-Chair role. Somerville is a business executive, entrepreneur, and award-winning PR consultant, all of which will serve her well as Treasurer. Radford brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in revenue generation for non-profit and sport organizations, as well as a Host Society leadership lens, to the role of Secretary.

The next Canada Summer Games take place from August 8-25, 2025 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, while the next Canada Winter Games will unfold in Quebec City from February 27 to March 14, 2027.

About the Canada Games Council

The Canada Games Council, a private, non-profit organization, is the governing body for the Canada Games. Held once every two years, alternating between winter and summer, the Canada Games represent the highest level of national competition for up and coming Canadian athletes. The Games have been hosted in every province at least twice since their inception in Quebec City during Canada’s Centennial in 1967. The Games are proud of their contribution to Canada’s sport development system, in addition to their lasting legacy of sport facilities, community pride and national unity. The organization of the Canada Games is made possible through the tireless dedication of local Host Societies and the contribution and support of the federal, provincial/territorial and host municipal governments.

2019 Canada Winter Games

Gift that keeps giving: 35 Alberta non-profits funded through the 2019 Canada Winter Games Legacy Fund

Published on May 18, 2021

Todayville

From the Canada Games Council

LEGACIES OF THE 2019 CANADA WINTER GAMES CONTINUE TO GROW

Legacy Fund Society awards legacy funds to not-for-profits across Alberta

The 2019 Canada Winter Games Legacy Fund Society has awarded the financial legacy from the 2019 Games to not-for-profit sport and community organizations across Alberta.

“The Legacy Fund Society is pleased to announce that we have awarded $655,000 in grants to 35 not-for-profit sport and community organizations across Alberta,” said Guy Pelletier, Legacy Fund Society Chair. “The grants support a wide variety of projects across the province. These organizations and their respective projects build on the numerous legacies of the 2019 Games.”

Through a grant application process in early 2021, the Legacy Fund Society received and reviewed funding requests for 200 projects from nearly 150 organizations at a value of over $7.1 million.‍

“The response to our call for applications was phenomenal. There was no shortage of meaningful and innovative projects,” said Pelletier.

“The 2019 Canada Games in Red Deer were truly transformative and continue to foster meaningful legacies across Alberta,” said Kelly-Ann Paul, Senior Vice-President of Host Relations at the Canada Games Council. “These legacy grants will enrich and uplift organizations and communities as we strive to strengthen the fabric of Canada through the power of sport.”

Requests for funding were reviewed and evaluated based on their alignment with the values of the 2019 Games and distributed in four categories: athlete and coach or official development; infrastructure or equipment development or acquisition; sport development capacity building; and non-sport or discretionary projects.

The following is a listing of the organizations who were awarded funding: