Staff Spotlight: Larry Shannon

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Staff Spotlight: Larry Shannon

For 40 years, Larry Shannon and his passion for, and dedication to, all things Assiniboine, especially sports, has been unwavering. No one could better recount the complete history of the past decades of sports at the college than he. So here’s his take on the college in general and athletics in particular.

"I came to the college in 1980. I was enrolled in Business Administration and played hockey for the Cougars from 1980 to 1983. We had a successful team that went on to win three MCAA (Manitoba Colleges Athletic Association) provincial championships 1980–1983. I know the highlight of those years was our trip to Europe to play some exhibition games in Germany and Austria. The college also had three curling teams that were very strong, with the men winning gold in 1987 and 1989, and silver in 1986. The women took silver in 1986, with the mixed team taking bronze in 1986 and silver in 1987."

"I started to work for ACC in March 1983 when Bill McCaughan offered me a position in the stores department where I remained for 18 years, working with Dave Robson and Craig Freeman. A few years after the college got its autonomy in 1995, I was the successful candidate for the first Purchasing Agent’s position in 2001, a job I retain to this present day. The college getting its autonomy was the first step in us becoming what we are today."

"The college has seen a lot of changes over the 40 years I have been here. I would not recognize it if I had not been here all this time."

"It was a sad day in 1986 when the government of the day decided to stop funding college sports in Manitoba. It was not until 2000 that ACC President Brent Mills decided to bring back athletics to the college. I was asked to be the Athletic Director, in addition to my full-time duties as purchasing agent, and I was excited to accept the job."

Historic photo of Larry Shannon

Pictured above: 'Coaches: Grant Wilson, Larry Shannon and Norm Bootsman'

"It started slow, first finding a league to play in. We started in the MCCAA (Manitoba Christian Colleges Athletic Association) with both male and female volleyball teams for five years. After the first year in MCCAA, we changed the name to CPAC (Central Plains Athletic Conference), which in 2008 changed its name to MCAC (Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference)."

"In 2005, we introduced men’s hockey and won the CPAC championships in 2006- 07 and MCAC in 2009-10. Hockey was discontinued that next year."

"We started women’s hockey in 2007 and won CPAC in 2007-08 and the MCAC 2008-09 before deciding to move into the Manitoba Senior Women’s Division B for the 2009-10 season. We won the Senior B Provincial championship in 2013- 14 at home before going to Red Deer to play in the Senior B Women’s Western Canadian Shield where we finished with a silver. In 2014-15, we were the co-host of the Western Shield, held in Stonewall, MB, where the Cougars were victorious and won gold. In 2015-16 the Cougars found themselves back at the Western Shield, but came up short with a silver. Not a bad three-year run for the Cougars!"

"The Cougars then joined the ACHA (American Collegiate Hockey Association) in the 2016-17 season. In the 2018-19 season, the Cougars won the American Collegiate Hockey Association Championships. What an accomplishment for a small college on the prairies!"

"The team was undefeated in 2019-20 and was poised to repeat as national champions again. However, the championship tournament was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic."

"In 2013, the college hired a full-time Athletics Manager, Beth Clark, and she introduced both male and female soccer. Today, we have men’s and women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s soccer and women’s hockey. I’m happy to say that I am still involved in the athletics program. It feels good to give student athletes a chance to have the same positive experience I did when I first came to ACC all those years ago."

"It has been great, for 40 years, to give back to the college where I got my start. Not many people get to say that, and I feel proud that I can. I have spent all of my adult life at ACC, and I have a lot of great memories, along with some sad ones as well. The people are great to work with and the students keep you young. I am proud to say that I am a COUGAR and always will be."

To learn more about Assiniboine's history you can view our 60th Anniversary History Book:

60th Anniversary History Book

Take a look at the college's journey over the past 60 years. Join writer Diane Nelson as she strolls down memory lane, recounting her own personal experiences and reconnecting with past faculty, staff and students.

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