Claude David, Volunteer: The Maker of Athletes
Claude David knows running. Now in his sixties, he shares a story filled with volunteer hours, coaching advice, and countless kilometers on the road. He thrives on the rhythm running brings and, more than anything, wants to pass his passion on to the next generation.
“There isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t think about running,” he confides about his lifelong companion.
For over three decades, Claude has been at the forefront of local running initiatives. He’s the founder of the Cross des couleurs, a forest trail race held each fall in Les Cèdres. He’s served on numerous boards and athletic federations and has mentored more youth than there are meters on the Centre Multisports track. His long list of contributions includes:
- Eight years as president of the Endurance Running Circuit
- Active involvement with the Fédération québécoise d’athlétisme
- The Défi hivernal de L’Île-Bizard
- Serving as track and field coordinator for the Jeux du Québec (Southwest region)
- Founding the Vaudreuil Track and Field Club
“When team sports no longer fit, you find your place in individual ones,” he explains. “I think I’ve had a real passion to share.”
A Role Model for the Next Generation
At the Centre Multisports track, where Claude coaches youth twice a week, he walks around like he’s at home—greeting every second person with familiarity. He’s spent a lifetime advocating for his sport, across every platform made available to him, without losing breath or relevance:
“If you start with a 12-year-old athlete who’s into it, you’ve got a 10-year commitment,” he sums up. “As they grow, you end up talking about more than just sports. You talk about life. I haven’t stayed stuck in 1980—these young people give me a pulse on today’s reality.”
And what is that reality? Beyond teenage concerns, Claude keeps a close eye on how athletic clubs have evolved. While they may no longer have the prestige of the past, Quebec’s university programs now retain talented athletes who once looked south for opportunities.
“It’s not a sport that gets much media attention,” he admits. “But if you lose your top talents, you won’t raise the sport’s overall quality. It’s like if hockey only went as far as the Midget level. Athletes are role models too.”
Why continue to give so much time? Claude doesn’t mince words:
“We do it because we live in a world where, if we don’t volunteer, we’re doomed. Nothing gets done without it.”
And perhaps this model of commitment is what truly makes athletes—pushing youth to go further, to be more, to believe they can.