Pat was an educator for 33 years as a high school math and physics teacher in the Central Alberta community of Bowden. During his career he made a significant contribution to the athletic life of the school. He coached high school volleyball for 15 years during which time the senior boys team established a reputation as a volleyball ‘powerhouse’. He also coached high school badminton for 25 years; assisted in basketball, track and field and football.
Pat was a very accomplished high school athlete. He was the holder of the Alberta Long Jump and Triple Jump record in the mid-sixties to the early seventies and currently he still holds the ASAA Track & Field Provincial record for Jr Boys Long Jump at 6.56M, which is the longest standing record for the ASAA, set in 1965.
On the national level, Pat held the Midget Open Long Jump record; Midget Open Triple Jump record; won a silver medal at the 1966 British Empire Games Trials; competed at four Canadian Age Class meets. These are only a few of his accolades in a very prestigious Track career.
Pat was the recipient of the Junior Male Alberta Athlete Award in 1964; Outstanding Midget Male Athlete in 1964; Captain of the ASAA Provincial Basketball Champions in 1966. Pat has most recently had a track facility named after him - the Filipenko Track & Field, in the Bowden community; where at the grand opening Pat ran the inaugural first lap of the track.
Pat continues to volunteer his time at ASAA provincials, and has committed to do so for as long as it takes, in order to present the gold medal to the young man that will eventually break his record!
https://youtu.be/PBFD376v9MY