Background
Courtright was born in North Bay, Ontario, Canada, where his father worked as a civil engineer
Courtright was born in North Bay, Ontario, Canada, where his father worked as a civil engineer
As a teenager his family moved to Ottawa, Ontario where he attended Glebe Collegiate Institute, and later, the University of Ottawa where he received a bachelor of arts
He was the second of five children with an older sister, Celina, and three younger brothers, George, Joseph, and Homer. After completing his degree at U of O he enrolled at Queen"s University in Kingston, Ontario where he received a degree in Applied Science in 1941 and would later return as a Vice Principal. lieutenant was during his time living in Ottawa that Courtright became extremely active in sports.
He became a star athlete in high school, playing on the football, basketball, and track and field team
While attending the University of Ottawa Courtright began to develop his skills as a world class javelin thrower. At the same time he continued to play varsity football, basketball, and competed in many of the other track and field events.
lieutenant was his success at the javelin that provided him with a spot on the 1936 Canadian Olympic Team. Despite making it through to the final round, Courtright finished 14th in the javelin throw event.
Following the Olympics Courtright competed in the 1937 Pan-American Exposition Games (a precursor to the Pan American Games) in Dallas, Texas where he captured the gold medal in the javelin throw.
That year he captured the Canadian intercollegiate championship for the shot put and retained his title in the javelin. The next year Courtright was chosen to represent Canada in his final international tournament, the 1938 British Empire Games, in the javelin, shot put, and discus. While he managed a 9th-place finish in the discus and a 7th-place finish in the shot put, Courtright came through to capture the gold in his best event, the javelin.