Windsor Lancers

Dennis Fairall is the Head Coach of the Windsor Lancers Track and Field and Cross Country programs. 

The native of Tillsonburg, Ontario is one of the most decorated coaches in Canadian University history, having been honoured 65 times as the CIS or OUA Coach of the Year in Track and Field and Cross Country. 

Fairall began his coaching career in his hometown of Tillsonburg where he founded the Tillsonburg Legion Track Club in 1974. He remained with the club as Head Coach until 1985, when he joined the University of Windsor. 

Winning breeds winning and Dennis Fairall knows what it takes to be a winner both as an athlete and as a coach. Dennis was a member of Western's record setting 4x200m-relay team, capturing a gold medal at the 1975 OUA championships.

"You have to work hard and give yourself to the team every time you step on the field of competition. The team is bigger than the individual, and that’s where the inspiration to be the best comes from."

In his 28 seasons with the Lancers, Fairall's teams have captured an amazing 25 Canadian University Cross Country and Track and Field Championships (20 track and field, 5 cross country), in addition to the 46 Ontario University championships (39 track and field, 7 cross country). 

In addition to his University of Windsor coaching duties, Fairall has extensive international coaching experience. He was the Head Coach of the 1985 and 1989 Canadian Maccabi Games entry in Israel as well as serving as Head Coach of Team Canada at the 1989 World University Games team in Duisburg, West Germany. 

He was also a member of the 1989, 1995, 1997 and 1999 World University Games Canadian coaching staffs. 

In 2005, Dennis served as the Head Coach of Team Canada at the Pan American Junior Athletics Championships held in Windsor. Under his direction, Team Canada earned their highest medal count in the history of the event. 

"It is important in sport to work together to achieve a common goal, similar to what the student-athletes will do upon graduation in the working world. Our program attempts to create an environment through dedication to training and an outstanding competition schedule to allow athletes to develop to the highest level possible.”