Diane Lynn

Athlete (2002)

Softball, Curling

Diane Lynn played second base on the Saskatoon Harmony Centre teams, which won two national titles and played in the Pan-American Games and the World Games, played in the Canadian women's curling finals once and has won medals five times at the Canadian racquetball championships.

Diane was born in Saskatoon and became active in sports while attending elementary school in Warman and high school in Osler. She made her first appearance at the women's provincial curling finals on a team skipped by Lynn Fuller in 1977 and they finished in second place. Twice she went to the provincials with Barb Despins, 1979 and 1983, and the first trip was their moment of glory, winning the Saskatchewan championship. The Canadian championships were held at Montreal where the Saskatoon team finished in a tie for third place with seven wins and three losses, the first time playoffs had ever been necessary at the nationals.

While curling occupied her winter months, softball got the call in springtime and she began a good run with Harmony Centre in 1976. Within two years of formation, they were Canadian champions, beating Milverton, Ontario, 1-0, in the 1978 championship game at Regina. They won 61 out of 78 games that season.

Diane won the batting title and was voted all-star second baseman. They won the right to represent Canada at the Pan-American Games in Puerto Rico, where they finished fourth with a record of eight wins and three losses. Harmony Centre enjoyed an outstanding season in 1980, winning the gold medals at the Canadian championships in Hull, Quebec, by beating Agincourt, Ont. 2-1 and 2-0 in the final playoffs. They also went to an international tournament in Holland, where they won gold medals, and went to the 1980 World Games in Santa Clara, California, where they lost to the United States in the final.

Harmony Centre won three more provincial championships, 1981, 1983 and 1984, finished second at the nationals once and fourth at the nationals the other two times. During the 1983 nationals, Diane won the batting title and being voted all-star second baseman.

Diane became competitive in racquetball shortly afterwards and, and from 1987 through 1991, played in the Canadian championships. She won the women's D event in 1987, the women's veterans event in 1988, shared the mixed doubles title with Dave Dueck in 1989, and also had medal placings in the mixed doubles in 1990 and 1991.