NEWS

My CUAC Story, by Victor Moge, Winnipeg

September 20, 2025

Dear Committee Members,

I am sorry that I did not make your 100-Year Legacy event last night but I would like to share my CUAC story going back decades and changing my life and the life of my younger brother.

I grew up in the North End, attending King Edward Elementary School, Isaac Newton Junior High School and St. John’s High School (Class of 1976).

When I was going from grade 8 into grade 9 at Isaac Newton Junior High School, CUAC (Women’s Committee) sponsored me to go to the track and field camp in the summer to the International Peace Gardens for a week. During my time there, I learned to become a better athlete after meeting several different coaches that I got to know. After getting back home, I continued pursuing track because at the time my brother, sister and I were being raised by a single mom who worked as a Fort Garry Hotel maid and we could not afford to pursue other any other sports where more expensive equipment was needed. I just needed a pair of running shoes, shorts and t-shirt for track.

Anyhow, I trained hard and ended up winning the 100 metre event for the first Inter-Junior High Track and Field event held at Pan-Am Stadium for my age class. After graduation from Isaac Newton, I attended St. John’s High School from 1972-1976 and continued excelling at track under the guidance of Coach Graham Kinley. Since my father was not around much, Coach Graham Kinley ended up being my father figure during those vulnerable years through his encouragement, reliability, encouraging a strong work ethic, being there every day and being proud of his athletes who competed for St. John’s High School. 

Our St. John’s High School won many 4×1 relay team events throughout the year and we ended up setting a new provincial record in 1976 at the Provincial Track and Field Championships where I did finish with a silver medal in the 100 metres and 200 metres. 

During my high school years, my younger brother ( 8 year younger ) started hanging out with the 7-11 kids in our North End neighbourhood on Boyd Avenue and I knew this wasn’t a good thing. I then decided to reach out to one of the track coaches from the week I spent at the Peace Gardens and Couch George Tanner took in my brother into his track club. Needless to say, my brother Ed Moge ended up winning the 100 metres at the Provincial Track and Field Championships and silver in the 200 metres. Because of his track success, my brother was recruited by the University of Manitoba where he also excelled at track and his relay team won the 4×1 relay at the University Track Championships while the team set a new record. Because my brother did fundraising with bingo’s for his Flying M Track Club, Manitoba Lotteries took a shine to my brother and offered him a job after graduation from university. My brother continued working at Manitoba Lotteries but was pursued by the Canadian National Bobsled team and he decided to try out and made the national team. My brother went on to participate as an athlete at the World Bobsled Championships in Switzerland. 

I continued running track for University of Manitoba and had a successful track career from my years there. I wouldn’t have attended university if not for being a track athlete and I met many wonderful friends because of track. I continued running track and participated in the 1984 Canadian Olympic trials but did not qualify to the next rounds. I did run in the Pan Am Track Championships where I won gold in the 200 metres and silver in the 100 metres.

I am proud to say that CUAC changed my life going back decades in 1971 by providing an opportunity to a young teenager and how it impacted my life and the life of my brother.

Thank you for your support and letting me share this story with you.

Cheers,

Victor Moge, Winnipeg, MB