University of British Columbia Athletics

Narrator: Jack Taunton’s own experience as a nationally-ranked marathon runner incited a drive to pioneer an integrative sport medicine practice. Immediately after completing his Doctor of Medicine at UBC in 1976, Jack, Dr Doug Clement and Don McKenzie co-founded the Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre. Over the past 40 years, innumerable UBC students and athletes have benefited from his expertise as a doctor, coach, graduate supervisor, clinical teacher, researcher, and mentor. 

Due to his boundless resiliency and optimism, Jack has shown a knack for accomplishing the impossible; including supporting athlete health at EIGHT Olympic Games and earning a rare distinction from the International Olympic Committee for the best sport medicine program in Olympic Games-host history for his role as Chief Medical Officer for Vancouver 2010. 

Jack credits his drive to the fact  that he so badly wanted to make an Olympic team: "I never made the Olympic team, but I went to 8 Olympics as a doctor, but not as an athlete.”

His work ethic, innovation and team approach has garnered Jack numerous awards and accolades, including the UBC Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Faculty Community Service and induction to numerous Halls of Fame. 

Jack shares his success with the many lives that he has touched: “ It takes an army to do a lot of things, have to have the right people and be willing to work.  Nobody has ever said that I didn’t work hard enough.”

We are proud to invite Jack to take his place in the UBC Sports Hall of Fame, fully cognizant that he and his wonderful wife, Cheryl, are still busy working on projects to support UBC athletes and alumni at every level of sport.