Don Burgess
Hockey (2000)

Don Burgess was a professor, hockey coach, and athletic director during his career at the University of Saskatchewan, the first president of the Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association, and an organizing member of both the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame and the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame.

Don was born at Tisdale on Jan. 1, 1931, one of five children in the family.

Don played Kinsmen peewee hockey, midget with the Lions, juvenile and junior with the Saskatoon Quakers before playing his final season of junior with the Moose Jaw Canucks in 1949-50.

He attended Denver University where he was a conference all-star for three seasons, an All-American nomination for three seasons and the team captain during both the 1951-52 and 1952-53 seasons.

He returned to Saskatoon, began teaching at Bedford Road Collegiate and then joined the University of Saskatchewan, where he was a professor from 1958 until 1991, and its athletic director from 1961 until 1971.

Don was the Huskie hockey coach from 1957 until 1964 and he's seen here with many familiar Huskie hockey faces that played in an alumni game. Even as early as his Denver days, Don was involved in minor hockey leagues and when he settled back in Saskatoon, he became the first president of the Saskatoon Minor Hockey League and was on its board of directors for six years.

Don served as a representative in the early Canada Winter Games programs, including 1971 in Saskatoon, on the coaching instructional staff with the Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association, regional leadership committee of the Canadian association and a trustee for the Molson's hockey scholarships.

He was a founding committee member with the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 1966 and held various roles until 1988; he helped launch the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame in 1984; and served on the board of directors with Sask Sport from 1974 until 1978.

He has been recognized with honors and awards from the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Canadian hockey associations, Sask Sport and the Canadian Association of Athletic Directors.

Don died on March 21, 1995.