Meet Head Women's Golf Coach Lela Cannon
April 14, 2005
Editor’s Note: Kate Mathis is a student in a news journalism class taught by veteran reporter Michelle Kaufman.
Coral Gables, Fla (www.hurricanesports.com) – – Lela Cannon grew up in the 1940s during a time when little girls were supposed to say inside with their mothers and play with dolls. This little girl chose not to follow that mold. During her childhood in Connecticut, Cannon played basketball outside and watched baseball with her father.
Lela Cannon never let tradition dictate how she would live her life. She is a person who takes life as it comes.
When Lela Cannon was asked to coach the women’s golf team at the University of Miami in 1983, she said she would coach for just one season. But now, she is entering her 22nd season as coach of the program.
Cannon’s journey has an unconventional beginning. Originally a tennis player, she took up golf in 1970 at the age of 32. Cannon, 66, was a natural when it came to the game. She quickly became a member of the Connecticut State Golf Association, which requires members to have a handicap of 16 or less.
The thought of being a head golf coach for a major program never really crossed Cannon’s mind. She enjoyed her family life with her late husband and two children, Marc and Melissa. Cannon first started coaching her children’s swim teams.
Her children grew up and went to college at Miami. Cannon went along with them. The University of Miami Athletic Department learned about her golf expertise and asked her to take on the women’s program. Cannon accepted the position but for just one year.
“It was an accident,” Cannon said herself about her decision to coach. “I was asked to be the golf coach, and I agreed to do it for a year and it kept going.”
Cannon led her first squad to the 1984 National Championship. The same year she was named head coach of the US All Star Team that competed against Japan. Cannon agreed to continue coaching after her first season after signing local standout Tracy Kerdyk.
“We won the national championship my first season in 1984. I recruited and made promises to the athletes that I would stay,” explains Cannon.
Some other highlights of Cannon’s career include 1984, 1988, and 1993 state championships. Cannon has also coached eight All-Americans and four Academic All-Americans. She has helped numerous athletes find success on the LPGA tour. She has coached past greats like Kerdyk win 11 career tournaments, All-American recognition twice, and 1987-88 Player of the Year honors. She is currently working with local standout Tina Miller who was the 2003 BIG EAST Champion. In 2002, she was initiated into the National Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Cannon is surprisingly soft-spoken about her accomplishments. However, she is most proud of her induction into Iron Arrow in 1999. She shares this honor with her son. Iron Arrow is the oldest and most prestigious honor society at UM. Induction into Iron Arrow is based on an individual’s leadership, character, scholarship, service, and love of the University.
“You have to be nominated, and then everybody has to agree on it,” explained Cannon. “Coaching in Japan and winning the national championship were huge, but Iron Arrow is the greatest honor of all.”
It is easy to see that Cannon sees success on the golf course as an important aspect of life, but not an entity. Cannon has rules for her team, but they are rules on behavior and character, not skill and execution of the game.
Cannon asks her athletes to be competitive and focused. She has stricter rules for her team than most college coaches. Her team is not allowed to drink, miss classes, or miss practice. Cannon also asks her girls to act like a lady on and off the field of play.
“I’m big on attitude, attitude, attitude,” said Cannon.
Cannon lists her golf role-model as Earl Stewart, who once coached golf at Southern Methodist University. She admired his philosophy of trust and respect between coach and athlete. It is obvious that Cannon trusts and respects her team.
“When it comes to college life, they have it all together,” said Cannon. “Athletically, I worry most about their short game, putting. And we work on that a lot. One bad round is no big deal.”
Cannon, who is petite, is full of energy. She has dark brown hair, and she is more physically fit than the average woman in her mid-60s. She is very enthused about her team this year. She was even profiled in Celebrating Women’s Coaches, A Biographical Dictionary by Nena Rey Hawkes and John F. Seggar in 2002. The book documents 42 of the top women coaches.
Around the University of Miami athletic department, Cannon is known as an individual who cares about her team as well as others. She is also known for being a lot of fun, a sort of “life of the party” figure. During staff meetings with Athletic Director Paul Dee, Cannon feels at ease to state her opinion, or even crack the occasional joke.
Cannon is also known as a caring person among her peers. One co-worker says that when she announced that she was taking up golf, Cannon bought her some golf balls and towels.
In her free time, she enjoys exercise and spending time with her grandchildren, Will, John, and Kate. She says she is an avid walker.
Cannon shows no signs of slowing down and says she plans to keep coaching for a few more years.
