Bryan Swystun – Athlete/Builder
Bryan Swystun’s life has been about sports; from a strong player in many disciplines, to organizing and coaching. Swystun has been able to successfully transcend his love of sports to help young athletes develop into the best they can be, not only in sport, but in life. Having developed athletes from grassroots to elite levels, Swystun has used his enthusiasm and love of coaching to develop these athletes into responsible citizens. Winning is not his primary focus, but teaching athletes to become the best they can both in and out of sport.
Swystun grew up playing all sports in Prince Albert from volleyball, golf and basketball to badminton, water sports and soccer. He was most proficient in hockey and football. In football he captained and quarterbacked his Crescent Heights minor team to a provincial title. He went on to play high school football for St.Mary and was set to redshirt at the University of Saskatchewan with the Huskies as quarterback. However his hockey career would take precedence over football.
Swystun played his minor hockey in Prince Albert through house league and developmental levels. Highlights included in Pee Wee he won a Provincial Title and with the Midget Raiders he was selected to attend the Sask Midget All-Star game. He had a short stint with the Humboldt Broncos in the SJHL, but returned home that year to play football in his Grade 12 year. That winter he played for the PA North Stars and was selected to the Saskatchewan Team that participated in the 1983 Canada Winter Games in Quebec.
He then accepted a hockey scholarship at Camrose College of the ACAC where he was the Rookie-of-the-Year in 1983-84. He then went on to play for the U of S Huskies from 1985-88 including a trip to the National Finals in 1987.
Swystun then took his hockey career overseas to play for the English Division 1 Romford Raiders in 88-89. He then returned home to finish his Education degree. After accepting a teaching position in Meath Park he extended his hockey life by playing Senior with Birch Hills, winning the Provincial ‘C’ title in 1993, as well as the Senior ‘A’ title with the PA Buckeyes in 1998.
In golf, Swystun represented Saskatchewan at the Canadian National Long Drive Competition in 2000 and 2001. In 2001 Swystun had the longest drive recorded in Canada at 426 yards.
His playing background set up Swystun to become a very knowledgeable and instinctual coach in many sporting disciplines. In hockey he coached from Initiation to house league to developmental levels with the PeeWee AA Raiders, as well as two coaching stints with the Midget AAA Mintos. His also has coached in soccer, lacrosse and football at the minor levels.
