Episode 11: Doug Steele

Debbi Wilkes, speaks with Saskatchewan’s Doug Steele, whose career in skating spans decades from learn-to-skate toddler to Skate Canada President. Along the way, Doug was tasked with developing the national and international competitive framework for what was to become Synchronized Skating.

Doug Steele was involved with figure skating as a skater, coach, judge, and administrator.  After skating and coaching for many years, he became a Saskatchewan skating and test judge in 1972.  He served the Canadian Figure Skating Association (CFSA) as a committee member in Saskatchewan, and as a national board member.  Doug was elected president of the CFSA from 1992 to 1994.

He was instrumental in developing precision team skating, and served from 1994 to 1998 on the first International Skating Union (ISU) precision team skating technical committee.  This was the first time that a Saskatchewan person was elected to and held office in the ISU.  He is an ISU level judge and referee for precision team skating, and is an author, and contributor to many figure skating publications.