Dave Dyer

A longtime event leader, FIS representative and community coach in multiple sports with a with a vast skillset, Dave Dyer’s talent for motivating volunteers, working with event organizers, supporting marketing initiatives and applying structure to programs helped advance the sport of cross country skiing in Canada. 

Dave started his cross-country skiing involvement after being recruited as an apprentice coach by the legendary Heinz Neiderhauser. He then added the role of the Jackrabbit coordinator for the National Capital Division in Ontario, where in 1982 he introduced the roll out of the Jackrabbit Ski League and a year later introduced the first Jackrabbit Ski Day in the National Capital region. 

From his roots as a club coach, his passion for sport, combined with his desire to get out on the road and meet people – “working in the trenches,” he called it – as well as an ability to work with event organizers in all capacities, Dave transitioned from regional Jackrabbit program development to national programming in a role with Cross Country Canada (now Nordiq Canada) in 1984.

In his ever-evolving role with Cross County Canada, Dave worked closely with volunteer officials, coaches and staff for over 40 years to develop a comprehensive and effective program for the hosting of cross country ski events at the national and international levels, including: the development and annual maintenance of technical packages and policy’s to guide three tiers of competition levels; the development and maintenance of an integrated Canadian and FIS competition rule book; overseeing and coordinating the development of an officials certification program; and, providing ongoing professional development opportunities for technical delegates.

Dave was also a key contributor in the preparation of a geographically balanced race calendar for over 40 years and helped create an enhanced prize purse in support of developing athletes at all Tier 1 level events. This included sponsor solicitation and support for events, athletes and programs leading up to and beyond the 2010 Winter Olympics. From the early years of support from Vachon and Fleishmann’s to the latter long-term commitments with partners such as Haywood Securities, AltaGas, Teck and Canadian Pacific, the integration of the regional marketing objectives of sponsors with the national team, event and development properties was an ongoing challenge faced by Dave, who is quick to point out that the success and marketability of the athletes significantly improved their market standing.

After joining FIS on the Cross Country World Cup Committee in 2004, he represented Canadian interests on the FIS Marketing Committee starting in 2010 where he added a new skillset to his vast toolbox, including the ability to navigate and negotiate TV and Marketing rights contracts for international event sponsorships; no small feat.

Dave successfully coordinated with federal and provincial partners and the local organizing committee to provide many excellent Canada Winter Games events. This solid work eventually led to a more permanent role with the Canada Games Council, where he worked for nearly a decade as the Director of Marketing and Communications from 1992 to 2002.

In 2002, Dave rejoined the CCC staff. The organization was in dire straits at the time, facing federal budget cuts in the late 1990s and a significantly downsized staff. Dave’s new role served a dual purpose, to get the associations events strategy back on track and to expand the budget with robust marketing initiatives. His new title was the Director of Marketing and Events Management.

In 2010, Dave joined the FIS Marketing Committee where he added a new skillset to his vast toolbox, the ability to navigate and negotiate TV rights contracts for international event sponsorships; no small feat.

Dave also became a key player in the efforts to bring World Cup cross-country ski racing back to Canada starting in 2005, including the tremendously successful Ski Tour Canada 2016 World Cup series – an impressive multi-stage event which combined World Cup city park races in Gatineau, Montreal’s Mont Royal and the Plaines of Abraham in Quebec City with the World Cup Finals at the spectacular Canmore Nordic Centre – a first for North America and perhaps Dave’s crowning achievement.  Ski Tour Canada  was recognized as the Prestige Award recipient of the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA) Canadian Sport Event of the Year in 2016.  Featuring ski expos at each site, the Tour raised national profile for the sport and generated over 52 million television views world-wide.

“If you don’t roll up your sleeves and get involved, things don’t tend to happen,” Dave said.“Doing stuff for the ski community just makes sense. There’s a pride in ownership. Cross country skiing is a sport where you can have a positive influence and long term impact.”

Over the span of his career, Dave contributed over and above the expectations of a volunteer and an employee to the benefit of the ski community. He fostered lifetime commitments from volunteers and Nordic club staff from coast to coast to coast.

Dave saw his role as one of coordinating efforts of “volunteers who work professionally in the sport they love,” as he says. “My role was really to offer checks and balances and to sometimes step in with troubleshooting and offering best practices. And if you need a hand I will be the first one to help out.”

Often found in the heart of the action, Dave is considered the embodiment of someone with a big engine and a big heart. His contributions to the sport of cross country skiing are countless. Whether at a local club Jackrabbit event, the Canada Winter Games, a national championships, or a domestically hosted World Cup; for the past 40 years Dave’s thoughtful manner and professional approach, along with his negotiation, mediation and marketing skills have directed, shaped, and touched every aspect of cross country skiing in Canada.

“It’s a very humbling experience,” Dave said about being inducted to the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame. “As a trenches guy, you believe in the sport and you champion the athletes and the excellence that they display, while you also recognize the excellence of the officials, coaches and race organizers. I’m honoured and it has given me a time to reflect on my career.”

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• 1981-84: Division Coach
• Introduced the Jackrabbit program in the National Capital Division in 1981 and organized the inaugural Jackrabbit Ski Day in 1982.
• 1984: started with CCC (Nordiq Canada) as National Jackrabbit Coordinator.
• 1986-92: National Events & Marketing, with Nordiq Canada. Events included the introduction of the Vachon Canada Cup, Fleischmanns Ski Odyssey Loppet Series and World Cups in Hardwood/Thunder Bay and Silver Star in 1992.
• 1987-88: Event Volunteer for World Cup pre-Olympics and Olympics in Canmore.
• 2004: Joined the FIS Cross County World Cup committee representing Canadian sites bidding for World Cup hosting initiatives.
• 2002-21: National Events and Marketing Director for Nordiq Canada.
• 2022-23 Contracted by Nordiq Canada to manage the Canada Points list, XML race result submissions to FIS and serve as the NSO tech representative at the CWG 2023 in PEI.
• Certified NCCP L2 Coach in baseball, soccer and cross-country skiing.
• Level 4 Official – cross-country skiing.
• 2005: Received the inaugural Russell Soccer Club Builder award & lifelong membership.
• 2023: Dave Rees Award for life-time contribution to the development of cross-country skiing.
• Certified NCCP L2 Coach in baseball, soccer and cross-country skiing.
• Level 4 Official – cross-country skiing.
• 2005: Received the inaugural Russell Soccer Club Builder award & lifelong membership.
• 2023: Dave Rees Award for life-time contribution to the development of cross-country skiing.
• Retired in April 2023.

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