Larry may have 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 with preparing him to successfully face the challenges of adulthood.
In 1956, Larry's Ridley swim, squash and tennis teams dominated at the Little Big Four Championships. He contributed three first places finishes to the swim team’s win against a strong UCC team. However, since team victory came down to the final relay event, Larry points out that it truly was a team effort.
After his success at Ridley, Larry went on to set records in the pool at the University of Toronto and to win championships at Western University. 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 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.”