Lee MacKinnon

Lee MacKinnon was born in 1963 on the 4th concession of Kenyon.  He attended school in Alexandria and graduated from Glengarry District High School. When Lee stepped into Pattyn’s Gym in 1985, little did he realize that he was to embark on a 40 year journey in strength training that brought him on a 10 year circuit in powerlifting as well as a 26 year journey competing in Scottish highland athletics. While attending McGill University in 1988, he was introduced to a strength training coach. It took 9 years of training before MacKinnon was able to qualify for the Canadian Powerlifting National Championships to which he made the roster for 3 consecutive years. In 1994, he brought home a bronze medal at the Canadian Championships in Antigonish NS.

Realizing that his days were numbered on the circuit, he decided to re-direct his strength training to Highland Heavy Events. After three years of developing proper technique and competing as an amateur on the Highland circuit, Lee went on to winning amateur competitions and championships throughout Ontario.  He was successful in setting a new Canadian record in the sheaf toss in Maxville in 1999. When becoming a professional athlete on the Highland circuit in 2001, Lee participated in sanctioned Highland Games throughout North America.

At that time in his life, Lee’s young children expressed an interest in playing hockey.  Shortly afterwards they found themselves on the ice at three years old alongside dad. Little did Lee know at the time that he would step into a fifteen year coaching path as a volunteer for boys hockey and the Glengarry Highlanders Girls hockey team.     

At the age of 45, Lee decided to become a heavy event competitor in the masters division. Shortly afterwards, he qualified as an athlete to compete in world championships, and brought home medals from countries such as Scotland, Iceland, Germany, Switzerland and the U.S.  As a teacher with the Catholic District School Board, Lee decided to apply his teaching knowledge to instructing young adolescents on how to develop proper technique in becoming heavy event competitors. He offers three clinics  to local youth prior to the Maxville Highland Games. Although Lee has never stood on a world class podium, he claims the he has reaped the benefits of his world class adventures. They’re called friends.

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Glengarry Glens Junior C Lacrosse Team