Our Impact on Others

Step 12 in the Hero's Journey in A Hero's Journey: Beyond Little Norway and Olympia Sports Camp calls to mind the impact a person's journey has on the lives of many others. What we bring to the next generation is as or more important as the accomplishments we have. Our goals become helping others reach their goals. 

Such is the life and career of former Olympia Sports Camp coach  Peter Campbell. His passing last week has left a hole in the lives of many players who were fortunate to be coached by him or coaches who were inspired by him. I put myself in the latter group. There is a celebration of life set for this Saturday, May 2 at Lazaridis Hall on the campus of Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, where Peter coached for the last 15 years of his storied career. The place will be packed by people like me, whose journeys were impacted by Peter.

First the career. 

Peter's impact on basketball in Canada took him from women's college and University coaching to building a championship Men's program at Laurentian University before bringing his coaching talents to Laurier. He also contributed to Team Ontario and to Canada's National team programs.

He coached at Laurentian from 1985- 2000, compiling 174 victories, taking the team to six national championship appearances and winning the OUA crown in 1998 and 2000. He won  OUA East coach of the year six times and earned national coach of the year honours in 1996-97, receiving the Stuart W. Aberdeen Memorial Trophy. 

He was inducted into the Laurnetian Voyageurs Hall of Fame in 2010. 

Campbell later took over the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, taking over a program that hadn't had much winning since the 1970's, leading the program from 2000 to 2016. At Laurier Peter guided the team to 14 consecutive playoff appearances, leading them to the national championship tournament in 2006.

He was inducted into the Golden Hawks Hall of Fame in 2020.

Peter is one of only two coaches to be named National University coach of the year and National College Coach of the year, winning CCAA coach of the Year honours in 1983 while coaching women's basketball at Fanshawe College.

Peter also contributed extensively to Canada's National Team programs. He won a bronze medal as an assistant coach with Canada's Senior Women's National Team at the 1986 FIBA World Championships and another bronze with Canada's U18 Men's National Team at the 2013 FIBA U 18 America's Championships. He also coached at six FISU Summer Universiade and the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia.

Now The Impact 

Peter coached Team Ontario from 1989 to 1993. At the time the provincial team was selected from a tournament of  regional teams in an elite development camp called JDP, or Junior Development Program. There would be games over a four day period, and every day the games would be followed by a meeting run by the provincial coaches who were  looking for feedback before making their team selections at the end of the tourney.  

I coached the Central regional team and I always found Peter to be a straight shooter with a heart of gold, always wanting to get the best team possible for the National Championships, and wouldn't mind ruffling a few feathers in the coaches meeting if the need be. He would run these meetings with an agenda in mind but also with a great deal of humour and accountability as we all felt part of the Provincial staff. 

I learned a lot about coaching a provincial team, knowledge I put to use when I took over from Peter and coached Team Ontario from 1994-1997. I remember him greeting me with a hug after we lost to BC in the gold medal game at Waterloo in 1994, and I remember him awarding me the Coaches Award at the 1996 Nationals in Brandon, Manitoba just three months after my dad had died. I could see the empathy he had in his heart as he gave me the award. Some moments you just never forget.

I connected with Peter again when  working with the national team from 2001-2003. I had the pleasure of working alongside Peter at a few training camps under head Coach Jay Triano,  Jack Donohue stopped by for a chat with the staff and the squad. As a coach I couldn't believe the circle I was in. 

Peter was a legend at Laurentian, a place that has a long history of great coaching. Laurentuan coaches most often also  become national level coaches.  The names Peter Ennis, Norm Vickery, Ken Sheilds, Richie Spears and Peter Campbell are synonymous with winning in the North, and winning for Canada. 

As I write this I can see Peter hovering over some poor official who is being given the business and doesn't realize  he's being given the business. Most interactions with officials usually ended with a smile, or a frown, or sometimes both.

What I liked most about watching Peter coach was that he believed in a high-tempo game based on intensity on defence and uncanny confidence on offence. Its no coincidence that some of the greatest scorers in the CIS ( now USports) were members of his teams.  Shawn Swords and Norm and Brad Hann at Laurentian and Kale Harrison and Max Allin at  Laurier. He developed many great players wherever he coached, with Shawn  reaching the pinnacle when he represented Canada at the 2000 Olympics.  

I also admired the number of great coaches and teachers that came from the tutelage of Peter Campbell. Rod Gilpin, John Campbell, Joey Turco, Jason Hurley, and Omar Miles come to mind. 

The loss of an icon like Peter Campbell is felt by the entire basketball community but none more so than his wife Jackie and sons Peter, Paul, and Jamie. Please know that there are hundreds of people mourning  his loss right now.

His impact was felt at Olympia Sports Camp as well.

Owner and founder Dave Grace was always looking for the best coaches and with Peter's connections in the London area, it wasn't long before Peter made his way to Interlaken. Dave loved Peter's presence in the coaches lounge and his presence on the courts of Olympia. What a group of coaches his week. Peter Campbell, John Scobie, Bob Bain, and John Robb.

Peter took his kids and they had a cabin on coach's row, but his son John was most excited when he was able to bunk in with the campers in their cabin. John, an apple that doesn't fall far from his father's tree,  loved the placed eventually worked as a  counsellor in 1985 and 1986.

Peter Campbell made the game fun. Fun to play for the many players at Laurentian and Laurier, and fun ti watch as his teams always made it tough to beat them.

He will be missed

A visitation will be held on May 2, 2026, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Atrium at Lazaridis Hall on Wilfrid Laurier University's Waterloo campus.

Olympia Sports Camp Summer of 2026 HERE WE GOOOO!!!

Do you have an idea or direction for a blog entry? Email me at coachdools71@gmail.com and lets talk possibilities. 

A Hero’s Journey: Beyond Little Norway and Olympia Sports Camp chronicles the people that make up the history of Olympia, but it does far more than that. It serves as an inspirational guidebook for readers to become the hero of their own path. In order to do this the book examines the history of the land on which the camp has been built, from its indigenous origins to the European settlement process of the 1800’s. and the use of the land by the Royal Norwegian Air Force during WWll. The book is built on a collection of stories related to mentorship, sports psychology, and community building. This book honours the 50-year history of the camp while giving us all a window into seeing a deeper level of understanding of the world and our place in it.

Books Available at: 

-  Tuck and Pro at Olympia ( ask about the coach's deal)

 - Amazon and Indigo.ca

-  Indigo, Burlington Brant Street location.

- The Different Drummer Book Store on Locust Street in Burlington\

- Cedar Canoe Books on Main St in Huntsville

- Etransfer me $30 and I'll drive it to your house ! 

- available online at aherosjourney.ca

- audiobook version is available at Audible, Amazon, and iTunes 

If you would like us to come to your town for a book event or get copies into your favourite bookstore , email me at coachdools71@gmail.com. We travel well.