It has been noted that veteran swim coach Rick Burton: “His philosophy of developing not just swimmers—but well-rounded individuals—through a supportive team culture.”
It was under his leadership as head coach of the Fort McMurray Mantas Swim Club from 1992 – 2007, that the club grew significantly and produced several national- and international-level swimmers.
Prior to entering the world of coaching in 1979, Burton was a member of Canada’s Junior National Team (1976-1977) and held at one time 11 Saskatchewan and Alberta Provincial swimming records.
During his 16‑year tenure with the Mantas, he grew the program from around 18 swimmers to approximately 250.
Several notable athletes progressed under his coaching, with alumni reaching the Olympics.
Notable simmers included Mark Versfeld (1995-2000) 2 gold medals at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and a member of Canada’s Olympic team at the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney Australia. Other swimmers that competed internationally included Joshua Au, Christine Belter, Jonah Donald, Karina Klein, Michael Power, Adrian Tull and Niels Versfled,
Head coach of the Alberta Youth Team in 2007 he was also provincial stroke coach for four years.
Burton was also named Keyano Huskies Ambassador of the Year having guided the colleges swim team for 13 years until the sport was dropped by the governing body Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference in 2007.
In July 2023, he was named Head Coach of Swim Ottawa, officially starting on August 15, 2023
Burton is also a outstanding golfer having won the Fort McMurray Golf Clubs Men’s Open a record 10 times.
