Episode 11: Jeff McMillan
In part two of our series celebrating the University of Manitoba’s Hall of Fame era in track and field and cross country, we sit down with Jeff McMillan—an athlete synonymous with that golden run. From a 4x800m relay win decided by one hundredth of a second to three national banners at the U Sports Championships, Jeff relives the moments that made the 90's electric in the fieldhouse at Max Bell.
He also reflects on his powerhouse days at Sisler, record-setting performances, and the team culture that shaped his coaching career and entrepreneurial leap into ski wax innovation—technology that may very well be gliding across podium finishes at the upcoming Winter Games in Milan. It’s a story of prairie roots, relentless belief, and the kind of culture that builds champions for life.
Guests
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Jeff McMillan
Jeff McMillan is one of Manitoba's most accomplished distance runners and coaches. A product of Sisler High School in Winnipeg, Jeff was part of a dominant Spartans cross-country and track squad that swept every event at the provincial track and field championships — a feat that earned him the 1991 MHSAA Athlete of the Year.
Jeff went on to run for the University of Manitoba Bisons, where he became a key member of the program's legendary 1988–96 track and field dynasty — a group that combined for seven Canada West and CIAU team titles in nine years. Among the highlights was an epic 4 x 800 metre relay victory at the national championships. Jeff was inducted into the Canada West Hall of Fame alongside teammates Simon Trepel, Darryl Fillion, and Tom Bima, and is also a member of the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.
After his competitive career, Jeff turned his passion toward coaching the next generation. At St. Paul's High School in Winnipeg, he helped build one of the most dominant high school cross-country programs in Manitoba history — the Crusaders' junior varsity team alone won 19 of 21 provincial championships under his guidance, with the varsity squad matching that standard. Jeff has since relocated to the United States, where he continues to coach and develop young runners as well as run a world renowned ski wax company ULLA.