Builders
Lewis, Dan
(1953 – 2011)
SPORT | Basketball
POSITION | Coach, Official, Administrator
YEAR OF INDUCTION | 2010
Dan, was born in Sarnia in 1953. As he was growing up, he developed into an outstanding athlete. In secondary school he attended OFSAA championships for soccer, golf, high jump, and track and field. He also qualified for three Canadian Golf Championships as a teenager. Dan graduated from the University of Windsor where he played on the golf team and then came to Kent County to begin teaching in 1977. His career has taken him to four different schools where he has coached various sports, winning numerous championships at all levels. However, his greatest impact has been in boys’ basketball where he has coached senior boys for 23 years and junior boys for 7 years. In all, Dan’s teams have won 11 SWOSSA Championships along with 5 OFSAA Gold Medals, 1 Bronze Medal and 2 fourth place finishes. His record makes him one of the winningest coaches in the history of Ontario high school sports.
Dan, was born in Sarnia in 1953. As he was growing up, he developed into an outstanding athlete. In secondary school he attended OFSAA championships for soccer, golf, high jump, and track and field. He also qualified for three Canadian Golf Championships as a teenager. Dan graduated from the University of Windsor where he played on the golf team and then came to Kent County to begin teaching in 1977. His career has taken him to four different schools where he has coached various sports, winning numerous championships at all levels. However, his greatest impact has been in boys’ basketball where he has coached senior boys for 23 years and junior boys for 7 years. In all, Dan’s teams have won 11 SWOSSA Championships along with 5 OFSAA Gold Medals, 1 Bronze Medal and 2 fourth place finishes. His record makes him one of the winningest coaches in the history of Ontario high school sports.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Chatham-Kent Secondary School
1986 – OFSAA “AA” fourth place
1991 & 1992 – OFSAA “AA” Gold Medals
Ridgetown District High School
1997 – OFSAA “A” Gold Medal
John McGregor Secondary School
2000 & 2001 – OFSAA “AA” Gold Medals
2002 – OFSAA “AAAA” fourth place
2005 – OFSAA “AA” Bronze Medal
In addition, Dan refereed basketball for 20 years, was an official for track and field championships in Kent, SWOSSA, and OFSAA, and for 6 years was a member of the Basketball Advisory Council for OFSAA. He was a founding member of the CKSS Booster Club which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support school sport and improve athletic facilities at the school. Dan also worked with the Chatham Goodfellows Porchlight Campaign for 15 years.
Awards & Recognitions
1997 – received OFSAA Leadership in School Sport Award
2005 – received Pete Beach Award which is the highest honour given by OFSAA – it is given to one teacher or administrator in each regional association who has used school sports to positively influence students
2006 – inducted into the Sarnia Lambton Sports Hall of Fame in the Amateur Athlete Category
Dan retired from teaching in the spring of 2010 and died in 2011 at the age of 58.