Ottawa Pacers Book of Achievement
Walter Dietiker
Founding President

Founding Father

Category

Elected

As the Founding President, he held the post for four years.  Head Coach for several years.  CASSA Awards Chairman 1970 to 1974.  Established Time Awards Program with Jean-Paul Dionne.  Walter attended CASSA's 1969 First National Referees Clinic and was Chief Referee at numerous Kitchener meets.  CASSA Executive Secretary 1971.  OASSA Secretary 1971 to 1973.  Coached the Carp Club in 1972, founded by Joyce Rampton, a Pacer member.  All elected positions from 1969 to 1973 were held at the same time, a unique feat.

Walter and Betty's young family, Judy, Debbie, Brenda, Martha and Conrad, all skated with distinction in these years.  In 1970 Walter and Jean-Paul Dionne created a three level City Skating School for beginners to advanced skaters, hockey, speed and figure at the request of the Ottawa Department of Parks and Recreation.  The school operated for ten years.  The Pacers used this school to teach skaters and coaches.

In 1982 Walter moved to Vancouver but presented the Pacers with the Dietiker Trophy in 1984 for annual presentation to "the Person Most Supporting the Sport of Speed Skating".  The trophy was dedicated to the memory of Jack Barber, long time President of the Ottawa Speed Skating Club and Harold Costin, long time President of OASSA.

Walter was the guiding force for the Pacers in the difficult formative years.  His influence remains the club's focus today for building the sport from the grass roots to the National level.