Contact Information / Coaches & Staff /Mission and other info / Don Canham

Club Beginnings.

Don Canham (former Michigan athlete, Coach and Athletic Director) had a clear-cut vision of creating a post-collegiant Olympic Development Program for track and field athletes in the United States . In 1966, his vision became a reality with the formation of the Ann Arbor Track Club in which he created.

The club was originally created for Ken t Bernard who was a 1964 Bronze Medalist in the Olympics and Canhams idea was to get as many high caliber athletes in once place as possible to train together. The theory was simple, that when elite athletes work out and train together, they will reach their full potentials.

However, by the year 2000, the Ann Arbor Track Club was headed in the direction of recreational running rather than Olympic development.

When his vice-presidency of the Ann Arbor Track Club was over in 2000, Rik Richardson decided it was time to form another club under Canhams original vision after Canham pleaded to not let another club head towards recreational running but rather stick with its main focus of Olympic Development training.

After talking it over with Canham and receiving his blessing as well as Don Canham Jr's blessing, Rik Richardson formed Athenian Athletics.

About Don Canham.

Don Canham is probably the most influencial man in college sports history. His ideas were visionary and it was his ability to look at the big picture during his time period that led to the current success of college sports today.

When Canham was named Michigan 's athletic director in 1968, he had his work cut out for him. He faced a half-empty football stadium, a six-figure deficit, crumbling facilities, and professional leagues threatening to eclipse college athletics altogether.

Facing those challenges, Canham thought outside the box and was amoung the pioneer of merchandise licensing and launched the first major direct-mail marketing campaign to sell football and other sports tickets. Canham used the cable networks to feature Michigan and other Big 10 teams before National audiences. He also started merchandising everything from coffee mugs to toilet seats, and went so far as to copyright the block "M" and the name " Michigan ."

His aggressive thoughts in marketing and promotion generated revenues that made Michigan Athletics one of the most self-sufficient programs in the country.

Canham's masterstroke, however, was to popularize tailgating. He did it by pitching not the man of the house but his wife, by extolling the charm of an outdoor meal, the fall colors, and the marching band, with barely a mention of the team itself.

Canhams once-controversial strategies are now the standard oppertating procedures nationwide.

Canham spent more than 40 years of his adult life as a successful track and field coach (1949-68) as well as Director of intercollegiate athletics (1968-88) at the University of Michigan before retiring on July 1, 1988 .

Canham began his Michigan career in 1938 when he enrolled at the school while trying to earn a spot on the track and field team. In 1940, his NCAA victory in the high jump led to a 45-year involvement with the school.

After serving in World War II, Canham returned to Michigan in 1946 to serve as an assistant track and field coach. By 1948, he would then serve the next 20 years as the head track and field coach where he won 12 Big Ten Championships while compiling a 52-13-2 record in duel meets.

In 1954, he was the Director of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In 1956, he was the first coach of a combined African track team at the Melbourne Olympic Games. That same year he was the first Ken yan Olympic Coach. In 1956, he was also President of the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association.

Canham, along with Bill Bowerman ( U. of Oregon ) and Oliver Jackson ( Abilene Christrian College ), founded the U.S. Track and Field Federation in 1962. Three years later he was also a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee (1965-1969 track and field).

Between 1965-67, he directed the first NCAA indoor Track and Field Championships in Detroit . In 1966 and 1967, the meet became the most successful indoor meet in track and field history with gross revenues over $80,000 per year. Profits were then returned to the competing schools. He also served as Chairman, NCAA Indoor Championship Site Committee Director, NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships

In 1968, Canham was named University of Michigans Athletics Director .

Before Canham became Athletic Director, Michigan posted a 51-42-2 record in the decade before his hire. In one of his first moves as Athletic Director, Canham hired Bo Schembechler as Head Football Coach.

Schembechler won 13 Big Ten titles in 21 years. The Wolverines played in 186 consecutive games in front of 100,000-plus fans at Michigan Stadium from 1975-2005.

Canhams other major coaching hires were hockey coach Red Berenson, Softball coach Carol hutchins, formers men's swimming and diving coach Jon Urbanchek and cross country and track and field coach Ron Warhurst.

Michigan Teams won 72 Big Ten Championships during Canhams tenure as athletic director from 1968-1988.

In 1987, was inducted to the Michigan Athletics Hall of Honor. By 1988, he was inducted into the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Hall of Fame.

In 2005, he was the recipient of U-M's Gerald R. Ford Award which is the highest honor awarded to a former student-athlete by the Athletic Department.

Following his days at Michigan , Canham successfully ran his family-owned business School-Tech, Inc., in Ann Arbor , which he started while coaching in 1954. An independent manufacturing and distribution company marketing instructional films as well as recreational, educational and athletic equipment, School-Tech has expanded into a multi-million dollar operation.

Canham was born in Chicago and graduated from Oak Park High School in 1937. He graduated from Michigan in 1941 with a bachelor's degree in physical education, history and science. He served in the Air Force for four years before becoming an assistant track and field coach at Michigan in 1946.

At age 87, Don Canham passed away on May 3 rd , 2005 .