Olympian, Calgary Marathon founder, and builder of our sport, Doug Kyle, has passed away. He was 91.
Christine Laverty, board member and coach with Caltaf, shared her memorial to Doug Kyle recently. Her words are below.
I am not originally from Alberta so I only got to meet Doug and Carol Kyle in 1998 when I got back into coaching Track and Field. Both these amazing people impressed me with their generous spirits and love of the sport of Track and Field. By then they were firmly imbedded in the life of Officials but the community was quick to share with me the story of the Kyles. The fact that Doug was an Olympian and that Carol won the Senior Women’s high jump at Senior Nationals at the young age of 18. It made sense to me then that Carol was always the top Official at the High Jump and Doug was the Track Referree.
But the story did not end there as I was also informed that these two amazing athletes/coaches/officials had also started the Caltaf Club back in 1958. I was a spring chicken back then at the age of 5. I only got into track myself 11 years later. By then Caltaf had already been delivering an excellent track program to old and young alike in Calgary. I was soon to learn that some of the top coaches of other clubs in the City and Province had at one point either been an athlete or Coach in this fantastic Club. I was in awe of both of these individuals.
I joined the Caltaf Club back in 2000 and have had the pleasure to get to know Doug on a more personal note. I took over running the Caltaf Classic and always depended on Doug to be my Head Official. He was the one I relied on. Of course, when I chaired the 2011 & 2012 Nationals, I reached out to Doug for his expertise and knowledge. I would have to say that we became friends over that project together.
Every year since then I have looked for Doug at every track meet in Calgary. Even this past year, he was my track referee for the indoor Dino series and of course the 2023 Caltaf Classic. I was so happy to see Doug and his family run/walk down the Foothills track for what would be Doug’s last stroll. I cried at the finish line and could not get my words out to thank him for all he has done for out sport. I had to rely on Jason Lindsay to help me out with that one.
I will never forget the generosity of the Kyle family, allowing me to get to know Doug at the track. I have to say that I saw him, even this past summer, over at Glenmore Track timing his laps as he pushed his walker around the track. He was an inspiration to the athletes I was there working with, realizing that the gentleman timing his laps was Doug Kyle, Olympian, Builder and #1 Supporter of Athletics in our City.
Goodbye Doug. Until we meet again and can both run laps together…
Christine Laverty
Caltaf Coach
Caltaf Classic Meet Director
Athletics Alberta Director at Large
