Ron Boden

Builder (2024)

Athletics

Officially speaking, Ron Boden has been in track and field for more than 50 years.

He was in the downtown Arena in 1970 when kids from elementary schools ran relays on the banked boards.

He was at the inaugural Saskatchewan First Nations Games in Kamsack in 1974.

He went to high school provincials in Griffiths Stadium and Regina’s Douglas Park and Yorkton’s Century Field.

He was at the Jeux Canada Games in Saint John in 1985 when sprinter Lisa Kroll and decathlete Dave Ostertag of Saskatoon won gold. He was at the Canadian championships in Montreal in 1990 when Saskatoon’s Cyprian Enweani was second in the 200.

Boden is a track and field official.

He’s been a track umpire, watching to see if a runner steps off the lane on a curve, for instance, or if one runner impedes another.

He’s been a walk judge, signalling with a coloured paddle if a walker breaks contact with the ground or bends the knee on the lead leg.

He’s been on the jury of appeal, hearing an athlete’s case when they protest a result or ruling.

Boden is everywhere. He’s down on the track as a finish line judge and up in the booth to read the photo finish on a computer screen. Recently, Ron served as Track Referee Electronics, where he reviewed action on four cameras that covered the complete indoor track.

He has been an official at the K of C Games and the Legion youth national championships, at the international Francophone Games and the World Universiade.

He goes the extra mile. Boden was on the National Officials Committee of the Canadian Track and Field Association to standardize equipment, set standards for upgrading officials and to find officials for national and international competitions.

As a national clinician, Boden has encouraged and developed officials, sharing his know-how at clinics, from weekday evenings at Caswell School to shoptalk in the Field House.