Don Lyon

Don Lyon is linked to many of the biggest names in Canadian women’s ski racing — Betsy Clifford, Kathy Kreiner, Gerry Sorensen, Laurie Graham, Liisa Savijarvi, Karen Percy, Kerrin Lee-Gartner and Kate Pace-Lindsay among them. Under his leadership, “Lyon’s Lions” captured 17 World Cup gold medals, four Olympic medals and two world championships.

A native of Ottawa, Don began teaching skiing at Mont Tremblant, Que., in the late 1960s while honing his own skills on the professional ski tour. Drawing on his multi-sport background in football, soccer and kayaking, he joined the National Capital Division in 1968 and within a year was coaching Les Espoirs, a program for developing skiers. By 1970 he was on the Canadian women’s alpine ski team coaching staff, later becoming head coach after the 1972 Olympics.

Rejoining the women’s national team in 1981 after several years as technical director of the Canadian Ski Association, Don remained for 13 years, building one of the most successful coaching careers in Canadian sport. His athletes represented Canada at six Olympic Winter Games and seven world championships, highlighted by Kerrin Lee-Gartner’s 1992 Olympic downhill gold in Albertville, France.

Athletes credit Don with creating an environment of motivation, trust and confidence. Kerrin Lee-Gartner said after her medal win, “Don allowed me to grow into an athlete of world-class stature … Winning athletes have total confidence in their coaches.” Kathy Kreiner has also praised his nurturing coaching style and ability to instill belief.

Don left the national team in 1994, later coaching in Quebec’s Outaouais Zone and with the Quebec alpine ski team before returning to national-level coaching in 2003–04 with the women’s National Development Group. A past president of the Canadian Ski Coaches Federation and past chair of the Ski Canada Technical Committee, he has received multiple awards including induction into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Late 1960s — Began teaching skiing at Mont Tremblant, Que.; competed on the professional ski tour; played soccer for the Ottawa Sooners; won Canadian national gold in kayaking
• 1968–1970 — Joined National Capital Division as coach; led Les Espoirs development program; joined Canadian women’s alpine ski team coaching staff
• 1972–1974 — Head coach, Canadian women’s alpine ski team after Sapporo Olympics
• 1974–1980 — Technical director, Canadian Ski Association; coaching roles in Washington State ski clubs
• 1981–1994 — Rejoined Canadian women’s national alpine ski team; built “Lyon’s Lions,” producing 17 World Cup golds, four Olympic medals and two world championships; highlight: Kerrin Lee-Gartner’s 1992 Olympic downhill gold
• 1994 onward — Specialized in training camps for development-age athletes; coached Outaouais Zone and Quebec alpine ski team
• Leadership — Past president, Canadian Ski Coaches Federation; past chair, Ski Canada Technical Committee; technical delegate with the International Ski Federation
• Awards and Recognition — Inducted into Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame (1999); Canadian Ski Coaches Federation Dave Murray Memorial Coach of the Year Award; three-time CAC Coaching Excellence Award winner; returned to national-level coaching with women’s National Development Group in 2003–04

Note: Information compiled from several sources; may not include all accomplishments. © Canadian Ski Museum & Hall of Fame. For personal/educational use only. All rights reserved.