Readers of The Mississauga News often must have wondered how the newspaper’s chief photographer, Fred Loek, managed to capture those captivating award-winning images of stunning sunrises on the Credit River.

     To those who know Freddie, the secret is no secret at all.  They also know that for years, from early spring to autumn frost, day in and day out, Freddie was up with the birds and out on the Credit mixing business with pleasure. His business is professional photography, and he’s won enough awards to testify that he’s very good at his craft. He has captured several of these sunrise award winners while out on the water in his coach’s boat.

     Freddie is very good at rowing, too. As a competitor, in his younger days he achieved modest successes, but they pale in comparison to his accomplishments as a part-time “hobby coach.”

Sisters Silken and Danielle Laumann, Rob Marland, Jeff Lay, John Wallace and Kay Worthington – all Olympic medal winners – and world champion Heather Huttin are but a few athletes who had, at one time or another on their rise to world-class status, benefitted at the Don Rowing Club from Fred Loek’s coaching skills, considerable understanding and knowledge of the sport he so passionately keeps on loving.

     It was only fitting that the Laumann sisters and Loek were all inducted into Mississauga’s Sports Hall of Fame together in 1999 during the silver anniversary of the annual Mississauga Sports Dinner. Born in the Netherlands, Loek – a member of the Dutch national junior rowing squad – emigrated to Canada, settled in Port Credit, competed a bit then became coach and a mainstay of the Don Rowing Club. As a competitor, his best Canadian result put him on the top of presentation podium as a winner in the 1976 Henley Regatta in St. Catharines.

     But it was as a coach where he really found his niche, particularly his ability to spot raw talent, introduce them to rowing and instill a desire for pursuit of excellence. Rob Marland and John Wallace (gold medallists with the Canadian eight in the Barcelona Olympics); Heather Huttin (junior world champion with Anita Moller in Moscow in 1979);

     His first coaching success came in 1991 when Heather Huttin and Anita Moller won the world junior pairs title in Moscow. In the ’84 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Silken and Danielle Laumann won the pairs bronze for Canada and the following year the Port Credit club’s lightweight tandem of Cameron Harvey and Rob Haag became bronze medal winners in the Canadian championships.

     In ’87, Freddie had more outstanding successes as he coached Silken Laumann through a nagging back injury to a bronze medal in the Universiade in Zagreb then to a Pan American Games gold in Indianapolis. Rob Haag was also a member of the Pan Am Games’ Canadian team. In Copenhagen, Heather Huttin (this time teamed with Janice Mason) won the world doubles title.

     The following year Freddie went to the Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea as a national rowing squad coach for Heather Huttin, Silken Laumann and Kay Worthington, a time-consuming honour that kept him away from The Mississauga News for six months.

     But it was well worth it, providing Freddie with an experience many dream of but few will ever realize – he coached in an Olympic competition.