New Team at Canyons to Play in Lyon’s Den

Chuck Lyon, a former College of the Canyons quarterback who scored the first touchdown in the school’s stadium in 1974, on Tuesday was named coach of the Cougars, who are on pace to next season revive their program after a 17-year hiatus.

Lyon, 42, a Canyons assistant for five years before the program was cut because of budgetary woes in 1981, returns to the school after 11 seasons as an assistant at Pasadena College and one at Long Beach College.

Lyon, an offensive coordinator much of his tenure, served as coach at Pasadena in 1995, guiding the Lancers to a 4-6 record. Lyon also was an assistant at Alemany High in 1984.

A 24-year resident of the Santa Clarita Valley, Lyon described the Canyons position as “a dream job.”

“I feel like I’ve come home,” Lyon said. “I’ve wanted this job since I began my career. My family commitments are very strong. “

Lyon’s hiring is a definitive step toward the reality of Canyons kicking off its second stint of football.

Last fall, the Santa Clarita Community College board of trustees approved the creation of a head coaching position and the expansion of the athletic program--provided the college raised $200,000 in start-up costs, including 50% from private sources. The board also approved the hiring of a women’s soccer coach.

The College of the Canyons Foundation Board, the school’s fund-raising arm, last summer launched a campaign that has exceeded expectations. The foundation last month reported to the board that it was ahead of schedule in fund-raising goals.

“The fund-raising effort is ongoing, but so far it is far beyond what we expected,” said Michael Wilding, Canyons’ dean of students.

Canyons will compete next fall in the Western State Conference, of which the school already is a member. Aviva Kamin, WSC commissioner, said the football schedule for next season is in the process of being drafted. A conference meeting is scheduled for today at Moorpark.

Lyon said his initial concerns are assembling a staff of assistants and recruiting local athletes.

“I plan on putting together a top-notch staff,” Lyon said. “I won’t mention anyone, but the names will be familiar.

“I understood [the program being cut] at the time. There was not a recruiting base to pull from that could support the program completely. But now there are four high schools and this area has grown tremendously.”