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University Of Alberta Golden Bears & Pandas

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Golden Bears & Pandas

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Be The Roar

Sports Wall of Fame

Mike Payette

Mike Payette

  • Class
  • Induction
    2013
  • Sport(s)
    Golden Bears Wrestling
• The only Bears wrestler to win five consecutive CWUAA wrestling championships.
• Three-time CIAU champion and two-time silver medalist.
• Won the Beaumont Cup (for the U of A's most outstanding wrestler) four consecutive years, as well as the Wilson Challenge Trophy for the University's most outstanding male athlete.
• Coach of Canadian teams at six international wrestling tournaments (1984-85) and head coach at the U of A (1986-90).
• Technical director and national program director for the Canadian Amateur Wrestling Association (1991-2006).

Mike attended Canterbury high school in Ottawa where he showed early athletic prowess by winning Canadian national Juvenile and Junior wrestling gold medals as well as a silver medal at the 1979 Junior World Elite Championships. Having been coached in Ottawa by Golden Bears wrestling alumni Gord Bertie and Ole Sorenson, Mike was influenced to attend the University of Alberta to work with Golden Bears coach John Barry. Mike thrived as a member of the Golden Bears wrestling team, winning a Canada West championship five times (the only Golden Bear to accomplish this feat) and a national university championship on three occasions. Mike received the Beaumont Cup, emblematic of the top Golden Bears wrestler, over four consecutive years (1983-86) and was awarded the Wilson trophy as the University of Alberta’s most outstanding male athlete in 1985. Mike holds two degrees from the University of Alberta; a Bachelor of Education (1985) and Master of Arts in Physical Education (1990).

Following his spectacular run as a wrestling competitor, Mike was head coach of the Golden Bears wrestling team from 1986 to 1990, winning Canada West coach of the year honors in 1989. Mike also coached Canadian teams at six international wrestling competitions. In addition to coaching Mike was involved in athletic administration, serving on the executive of both the Edmonton and Alberta Amateur Wrestling Associations.

Mike’s credentials as a certified Level 5 wrestling coach, Master Coaching Course Conductor and holder of a FILA International Coaches License, qualified him to take a position in Ottawa as Technical Director of the Canadian Amateur Wrestling Association (CAWA) from 1991 to 1993. During his tenure in this position, Mike implemented a develop system for age group wrestlers and initiated the women’s amateur wrestling program in Canada.

Between 1993 and 2006 Mike was the National Program Director where he oversaw a comprehensive development system that included national team selection and training, sport medicine support, science and research as well as senior national and international event operations. Mike was CAWA’s team leader at 25 international wrestling events. With Mike as National Program Director, Canada showed a drastic improvement in World Championship results and improved its Olympic and Pan American Games medal totals.

Mike returned to Edmonton in 2000 and in his spare time continues to give back to the sport of wrestling by helping coach at the Edmonton Wrestling Club (which he helped found in the 1980s) and at Harry Ainlay high school. Mike is also active in Nor’Wester rugby club activities.
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