• Received the Wilson Challenge Trophy as the University's most outstanding male athlete in 1965-66.
• Played three years as an offensive lineman for the Golden Bears football team and was named to the Western Canadian All-Star team in his final two seasons.
• Twice awarded the Beaumont Cup as the Golden Bears most valuable wrestler (1963-64 and 1964-65).
• Lost only one match in intercollegiate wrestling competitions and won the Western Canadian Championship in each of his five seasons as a Golden Bear.
• An eight-time provincial wrestling champion, he placed seventh representing Canada at the World Wrestling Championships in Argentina in 1969.

Larry Speers was born in Athabasca and raised on a farm in the Perryvale District. He graduated from Edwin Parr High School in 1962. Larry is an excellent example of a person who, after completing his education, returns to make a significant contribution to the quality of life of the community in which he grew up.

While attending this University, Larry excelled in both wrestling and football and was the recipient of the 1966 Wilson Trophy as the Most Outstanding Male Athlete. As a Golden Bear wrestler, he lost only one match in intercollegiate competition and won the Western Championship in each of his five years in the sport. For his outstanding achievements in wrestling, he was awarded the Beaumont Trophy in 1965 and 1969. Eight times during his career he won the provincial wrestling championship and in 1969 placed seventh for Canada at the World Championships in Argentina.

Without prior football experience, Larry made rapid strides once introduced to the sport. Over his three years on the team he developed into an outstanding offensive lineman and was named to the Western Canadian All-Star team in his final two years with the Golden Bears.

Since attending the University of Alberta, Larry has competed, coached, and officiated at all levels of amateur wrestling. In 1970 he was one of three coaches to take Edmonton's top wrestlers on a five week tour of Europe. Following the tour, he coached wrestling at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and led his team to the league championship five consecutive years.
In 1969, Larry married Bonnie Stewart, a quality athlete herself. They moved to Rochester, Alberta in 1975 when Larry accepted a principalship in the district where he was raised. At the same time, they acquired the farm of his grandfather and decided that a rural lifestyle provided the best environment in which to raise their five children.

Larry's role in the community has gone beyond his duties as school principal. He not only has continued to teach, but has coached numerous hockey, baseball, soccer, basketball, volleyball, badminton and wrestling teams, as well as being an integral force in extensive community work. He and Bonnie op-authored a two volume, 1,250 page book outlining the history of the Tawatinaw Valley entitled "Rolling Hills and Whispering Pines.