Getting his first introduction to skiing by jumping off moguls, it did not take long before this Fort William First Nation athlete began flying off the ski-jump at Anemki-Wajiw, (Mount McKay), marking the beginning of an illustrious career.

 

Training at Big Thunder when it opened in 1975, Steve's abilities soon earned him a spot on the national team. His first of many national titles came in 1979, claiming the 70m event at the Canadian Juvenile Championships. The 1979-80 season propelled Steve onto the world stage where he performed brilliantly. Placing in the top 10 at World Cup events, he claimed the 70m event at the World Nordic Championships for Juniors, the U.S. Junior Nationals and the 90m Canadian Championship crown.

 

In March of 1980, just one week shy of his 16th birthday, Steve shocked the ski-jumping world by winning the 90m event at a World Cup competition in Lahti, Finland. His jump of 124 meters broke the old hill record by 8 meters and stood for 12 years. Named the top under-20 Canadian male athlete, he was nominated for the 1980 Lou Marsh Award placing third behind only Terry Fox and Wayne Gretzky and was awarded the 1979 Tom Longboat Award that recognizes Aboriginal athletes for their outstanding contributions to sport in Canada..

 

A three time Olympian, Steve placed 9th in the Large Hill event in 1980 and 13th in the Normal Hill in 1988, the best ever placement to date by a Canadian male in that Olympic ski-jumping event. Rounding out his incredible 10 year jumping career by winning the 70m event at the 1991 Canadian Nationals he retired from competition. Steve's record of success has earned him a spot in the history books as one of the finest ski-jumpers ever produced in Canada.

 

Inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, September 10th, 1994