It is with great sadness that the Sheridan College Athletics and Recreation department announces the passing of Steve Blundy, who lost his battle with cancer on Saturday, January 25, 2014.
“Sheridan has lost one of the most inspiring individuals in our almost 50 year history,” said Jeff Zabudsky, president and CEO of Sheridan. “Steve Blundy has a truly remarkable legacy.”
Truly an all-time Bruin, Blundy was an integral member of the Sheridan community in parts of six different decades and in several different roles, from student-athlete to coach and staff member.
His time with Sheridan began when the doors opened in 1967 and though he was part of an informal hockey team in that first year, he would go on to have an illustrious career when the Bruins began intercollegiate play in 1968-69.
A member of Sheridan’s very first graduating class, by the end of his playing career, Blundy had worn a letter on his sweater in all four of his years — three times an assistant captain and once a captain — and would accumulate 97 points (43 goals and 54 assists) in 47 career games played.
During Sheridan’s first official year of OCAA play in 1968-69, he would not only be named a league all-star and the team’s MVP, but also the school’s male athlete of the year.
Blundy began the non-playing portion of his Sheridan varsity career as a facility manager in 1972 and was also a trainer on the football team during the 70s. He would later become the head coach of women’s hockey — overseeing that program from 1976-81 — and took the reins of the men’s hockey team in 1979.
Though he took some time away from his coaching duties to assist with the opening of the J.M. Porter Athletic Centre at the Trafalgar Campus in 1984, he returned to the bench in 1985 and would remain the head coach until the program was retired in 1992.
All told, he was the winningest coach in team history, having compiled a 128-84-6 record.
His club won the 1982-83 OCAA championship and he was named OCAA Coach of the Year in back-to-back seasons (1986-87 and 1987-88 seasons).
After retiring from a 35-year career at Sheridan in 2007, he was inducted into the OCAA Hall of Fame in 2011 and became the first legacy inductee of the Sheridan Bruins Hall of Fame — having met the criteria in multiple categories — during Homecoming 2012.
“There is a deep sadness on campus today,” said Jim Flack, director of athletics and recreation at Sheridan. “We all knew this day was imminent, but when a flame of energy like Steve’s is extinguished, the finality still comes as a shock. There is no one that played more roles in the development and philosophy of our department. Steve understood that no matter what role he played, the delivery of athletics and fitness were invaluable to the whole student. He cultivated a philosophy of a student who cared about academics, who took care of their mind and body, and he wanted teams that represented the Bruins with dignity and pride.”
He was the devoted husband of Patricia, loving father to Chad (wife Mary Ann), daughter Merritt (husband Chase) and granddaughter Mary Kaedence. He is also survived by mother Meryl, brother Ian (wife Sandra) and sister Connie.
A celebration of Steve’s life will be held on February 3, with details to be announced shortly.
It was Steve’s wishes that donations in his name are made to Sheridan’s Sky Blue Endowment Fund for Athletic Scholarships (by contacting Josie Kelly by email at josie.kelly@sheridancollege.ca) or Ian Anderson House, the hospice where Steve spent his final days surrounded by loved ones (ianandersonhouse.com).