Freeman, Larry '56 - Swimming

Larry Freeman excelled at swimming and tennis, often characterized as ‘individual sports’ but he is quick to assert that he was always a member of a team. He credits the lessons learned as a team player for preparing him to successfully face the challenges of adulthood. In 1956, his Ridley swim, squash and tennis teams dominated at the Little Big Four Championships. Our inductee contributed three first places finishes to the swim team’s win over a strong UCC team. But, since team victory came down to the final relay event, he points out that it was truly a team effort. After his success at Ridley, he went on to set records in the pool at the University of Toronto and to win championships at the University of Western Ontario. He achieved international success with the Ve-de-do Tennis Club swim team in Havana, where he won the Cuba National Championship and was named their Athlete of the year in 1958.

“Sports taught me how to work with others in matters of motivation, ethics, cooperation, leadership, and discipline. Exposure to sports at a young age influenced my perspective for the rest of my life.”

P.O. Box 3013, 2 Ridley Road St. Catharines, Ontario L2R 7C3 Canada 905 684 1889

With more than 700 students from 60 countries, the largest boarding programme in Ontario and the third largest in Canada, Ridley College is a truly international, co-educational, day and boarding school of the world that prepares students for the world. It has provided enriching learning and life-shaping experiences focused on the arts, academics, and athletics since 1889. Ridley’s Lower School offers JK-Grade 8, its Upper School consists of Grade 9-PG, and Ridley graduates attend some of the top universities and colleges around the world. Ridley is the only co-ed independent boarding school in Canada and one of only three in North America authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum programme.