SAULT STE. MARIE – Lake Superior State’s longest-tenured coach, Don Myers, has retired after guiding the Laker softball team for 21 seasons.

Myers, who coached 915 softball games for LSSU, was named Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1991. His headlining achievements include coaching GLIAC "Player of the Year" Kerri Kelly (’95) and GLIAC "Freshman of the Year" Nichole Dunford (’10), but he is most-proud of the positive rapport he built with his players and softball community.

Myers was instrumental in establishing the Bud Cooper Golf Classic, which helped increase scholarships for LSSU women’s athletics, increasing fund-raising revenue for Laker softball and running a successful winter skills clinic.

“Coach Myers has been a great ambassador for Lake Superior State University,” said LSSU Director of Athletics Kris Dunbar. “I remember him being an approachable guy when I was a student-athlete, and his demeanor with his athletes and the public never changed. He genuinely cares about LSSU, his players, his church and his community. I can’t thank him enough for his many years of service to the program.”

Myers is one of only three coaches to head the Laker softball program. Karen Sutton-Boger served as his assistant throughout all 21 seasons. She also assisted former head coach Jennifer MacLaren for two seasons.

“If we were the first school to play softball in the Upper Peninsula, and I think we were, then I think we were on the front line of the sport in the U.P.,” Myers said. “That credit goes to Bud Cooper. He was a visionary and could see that softball was a good sport for women and growing fast. That was in 1976, and I think they played 12 games back then.”

These days, the Lakers play a demanding 45 or 50-game schedule. Their scholarships have expanded from 1.7 to 6.75. A fully-funded NCAA Division II softball team has 7.2 scholarships.

“I remember our first season,” Myers said. “We had six players and we considered enrolling Karen so we’d have enough players. We picked up (basketball players) Dorene Archambault, Darlene Bazner and Karen Morgan, and activated a trainer in case we needed her. Those kids were athletes, and we were fairly competitive. Even today, Karen Morgan is second in single-season base hits, and all she did was take batting practice for five minutes a day.

“The toughest challenge is recruiting. It’s very difficult to sell an athlete to come as far north as they can to play a warm-weather sport. Our attempt has been to try to recruit athletes and work them into positions. We haven’t had luxury of recruiting by position like Grand Valley and Ashland does. We look for athletes, and our job is to mold them into position players where need them the most.”

The GLIAC has doubled in size during Myers’ two decades at the helm. He has seen the positive and negative aspects of the league’s of growth and aspirations of national prominence.

“The GLIAC has changed from being close-knit unit to a more wide-spread visionary group,” Myers said. “It is very concerned about rankings and things of this nature. When I first began, it was a tight group of Michigan people. We did things that were great for GLIAC and didn’t always look at one university and how it fit into the picture. We were more concerned about being a great conference. Now, the thinking is about individual schools’ placement within the conference.”

Myers, who was a catcher for the University of Tulsa and enjoyed a successful professional career as a salesman with Republic Steel, has a lifetime of stories to tell about his playing and coaching days. He noted Sutton-Boger’s ability to complement his coaching style.

“Karen has helped immensely with her understanding of the nuances of the game, the flex and D.P. rules, and things like that,” Myers said. “She has kept us on the straight and narrow because of her knowledge of the game and understanding of the rules…She is a little more steady. I used to get thrown out of games, and I learned that’s not why we are coaching.

“I regret that we could never produce a winner. I’ve never been a part of a losing thing in my life. All of the guys I grew up with in Little League went to a big school. Some went to Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State) and won a national championship, and a bunch of us went to Tulsa.

“Will my former players check in with me from time to time and let me know how they are growing as good responsible, purpose-driven citizens who what to serve their fellow man? I hope so! I hope the softball team soup kitchen workers will remember their days helping the less fortunate at our church, ringing the bells for the Salvation Army, picking up trash along the highway, and waitressing at the Madrigal Dinner for Hospice. I hope all of these activities will be a part of their memory banks, as well as the time spent playing softball for the old coach.”