UBC Reports | Vol. 48 | No. 11 | Sep.
5 , 2002
1972
UBC lost a major piece of its history lately with the passing
of Lionel Pugh. As noted on the UBC Sports Hall of Fame web
site, Pugh was UBC’s track & field and cross-country coach
from 1964/65 until 1986/87 – UBC’s "Golden Age"
of track and field. He coached UBC to four national titles
and an astounding 25 Canada West championships. Many of UBC’s
track & field records were set during his time and he
produced 14 Olympians. He was Olympic coach for Canada in
’72 and ’80.
Pugh is fondly remembered as one of the great architects
of UBC’s sports program. A Physical Education graduate of
the University of Wales and Carnegie College in the United
Kingdom, he was appointed to the staff of UBC’s School of
Physical Education and Recreation in 1964.
For 23 years – from 1964/65 until 1986/87 – Pugh was the
coach of UBC’s men’s and women’s cross-country teams and men’s
and women’s track and field teams. This was the "golden
era" of UBC track athletics, with high performance athletes,
Olympians, records set and championships won. It was Pugh’s
era, particularly the early 1970’s that has proven to be unparalleled
in UBC track and field history.
