Dave Nase
Speed Skating (2000)

Dave was a coach of the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club from 1963 until 1985, coached the gold-medal winning team from Saskatchewan at the 1975 Canada Winter Games and has been a member of Canadian coaching staffs at numerous meets against the United States.

Dave was born in Saskatoon on March 3, 1933.

Dave joined the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club in 1947, first skating in the juvenile class.

Dave, on the right, lines up with some of his skating teammates. He won a number of trophies, including the College Shop award for those 18 and over seven times.

He skated competitively for a number of years and in 1981, at the age of 48, he won four gold medals is his age group at the United States Senior Olympics at Lake Placid, New York.

Dave began coaching in the 1963-64 season, was the outdoor coach for 12 seasons, and was honored with the 20-year continuous membership award.

One of the big thrills came when Dave was coaching and his children, Steve, and Sandra, shared in a family haul that included seven city championships on one day. 

Dave was coach of the Saskatchewan team, which won the gold medal at the 1975 Canada Winter games at Lethbridge. For his leadership role, he was nominated for the Air Canada Coach of the Year award. Dave was also coach of the Saskatchewan team at the Canada Winter Games in 1979 where Saskatchewan finished in third place.

His coaching took him to international events and, here, he is shown in a coaching role with the Canadian National team in Europe. Dave and his wife, Ruth, were in attendance at the world championships in Colorado.

Away from the ice, Dave was a member of the Saskatoon Fire Department, receiving his service medal from Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Fedoruk (another member of our Hall of Fame) at retirement in 1993. He was also a horseback enthusiast, water and snow skier and was involved with the sea cadet’s movement.