View source for Don Pyke

{{short description|Australian rules footballer, born 1968}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2012}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Don Pyke
| image = Don Pyke.jpg
| caption = Pyke in April 2017
| fullname = Donald Lachlan Pyke
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|12|5|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Bloomington, Illinois]], U.S.
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| originalteam = [[Belconnen Magpies Football Club|Belconnen]]
| draftpick = No. 2, [[1988 VFL draft|1988 pre-draft selection]]<!--do not capitalise draft or pre-draft selection per 1988 AFL draft article title and the Wikipedia manual of style-->
| position = Midfielder
| image_size = 200px
| height = 180&nbsp;cm
| weight = 78&nbsp;kg
| years1 = 1987&ndash;1996
| club1 = {{WAFL|Cla}}
| games_goals1 = {{0}}63 (90)
| years2 = 1989&ndash;1996
| club2 = {{AFL WC}}
| games_goals2 = 132 (70)
| games_goalstotal = 195 (160)
| coachyears1 = 1999–2000
| coachclub1 = {{WAFL|Cla}} (WAFL)
| coachgames_wins1 = 39 (23–16–0)
| coachyears2 = 2016–2019
| coachclub2 = {{AFL Ade}} (AFL)
| coachgames_wins2 = 93 (56–36–1)
| coachstatsend = round 23, 2019
| careerhighlights = '''Club'''
*2× [[List of VFL/AFL premiers|AFL premiership player]]: [[1992 AFL Grand Final|1992]], [[1994 AFL Grand Final|1994]]
*[[John Worsfold Medal|West Coast Club Champion]]: [[1993 AFL season|1993]]
*2× {{WAFL|Cla}} Premiership player: [[1987 VFA season|1987]], [[1996 AFL season|1996]]
* {{WAFL|Cla}} Best and Fairest: [[1988 VFA season|1988]]
* West Coast Life Membership: 2003

'''Coaching'''
* [[McClelland Trophy]]: 2017
}}

'''Donald Lachlan Pyke''' (born 5 December 1968) is a former [[Australian rules football]]er who is the CEO of the [[West Coast Eagles]]. He was previously the senior coach of the [[Adelaide Football Club]] from 2016 to 2019 and a player for the West Coast Eagles from 1989 to 1996.

Pyke was the first United States born (but not US Citizen) player in the Australian Football League and has played the 2nd most games of an American born players in the history of the league with 132 games and is 2nd on Goals with 97 goals to [[Mason Cox]] (120 Goals 2015–present). Pyke was recruited by the [[Claremont Football Club]] for the [[1987 WAFL season]], playing in a premiership in his first season and winning the club's [[best and fairest]] award in his second season. This led to his recruitment by West Coast, who selected him prior to the [[1988 VFL Draft|1988 National Draft]]. Pyke spent eight seasons at the club, playing in premiership sides in both 1992 and 1994, and sharing the [[John Worsfold Medal|Club Champion Award]] with [[Glen Jakovich]] in 1993.

After retiring from playing, Pyke was the senior coach of Claremont from 1999 to 2000. He served as an assistant coach at Adelaide in 2005 and 2006, and later rejoined West Coast as a strategy coach at the end of the [[2013 AFL season]], under [[Adam Simpson]]. He was appointed senior coach of Adelaide in October 2015, replacing [[Phil Walsh (Australian footballer)|Phil Walsh]]. He coached the team to the [[2017 AFL Grand Final]], in which they were defeated by [[Richmond Football Club|Richmond]].

==Early life==
Pyke was born to [[Frank Pyke]] and his wife, Janet, on 5 December 1968, in [[Bloomington, Illinois|Bloomington]], [[Illinois]]. His father, who had previously played for {{WAFL|Per}} in the WAFL, was teaching at [[Illinois State University]], having moved to the United States in 1966 to attend [[Indiana University Bloomington|Indiana University]].<ref name="fg">[http://www.footygoss.com/index.php/main/columns/memory/view/where_are_they_now_frank_pyke/ Where are they now?: Frank Pyke] – footygoss.com. Posted 29 April 2010. Retrieved 30 November 2011.</ref> Pyke's other brothers, Stephen and [[James Pyke (cricketer)|James Pyke]], who later played [[cricket]] for [[South Australia cricket team|South Australia]], had been born in Australia. Pyke and his family returned to [[Western Australia]] in 1972, after his father accepted a role at the [[University of Western Australia]]. The family again moved in 1977, to [[Canberra]], where his father had accepted a role as Head of the Centre for Sports Studies at the [[University of Canberra]]. Pyke excelled at junior level at both football and cricket, playing for the [[Belconnen Football Club]] and representing the [[ACT Comets|ACT cricket team]] at under-16 and under-19 level.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/120/120031/Miscellaneous_Matches.html Other matches played by Don Pyke] – cricketarchive.com. Retrieved 30 November 2011.</ref>

==WAFL and cricket==
Pyke was recruited by Claremont for the [[1987 WAFL season|1987 season]], and played in the club's [[List of WAFL premiers|premiership]] win over {{WAFL|Sub}}. He also represented the Western Australia under-19 cricket team in two matches at the 1987–88 Australian Under-19 Championships, playing alongside future [[Test cricket]]ers [[Brendan Julian]] and [[Alan Mullally]].<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/180/180273.html Victoria Under-19s v Western Australia Under-19s] – cricketarchive.com. Retrieved 30 November 2011.</ref> Pyke won Claremont's [[best and fairest]] award (the E. B. Cook Medal) in 1988, playing mainly as an attacking rover.

==AFL playing career==
===West Coast Eagles===
Pyke was recruited by [[West Coast Eagles]] with a pre-draft selection in the [[1988 VFL Draft]]. He was one of five pre-draft selections, with the others including future premiership players [[Peter Sumich]], [[Craig Turley]] and [[Scott Watters]]. Making his debut in round one of the [[1989 VFL season|1989 season]], against {{AFL Ess}} at the [[WACA Ground]], Pyke played 16 consecutive games before being dropped after a nine-possession game in round 16 against {{AFL Syd}}. Due to injury and poor form, he only played four games in the [[1990 AFL season|1990 season]], under new senior coach [[Mick Malthouse]]. In the round two game against {{AFL StK}}, Pyke kicked three goals, a career high.<ref>[http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1990/151819900407.html St Kilda v West Coast] – AFLTables. Retrieved 30 November 2011.</ref> Pyke was later developed into a player more renowned for his defensive skills. He was selected to represent NSW/ACT at the [[1993 State of Origin Championships]]. He was a member of the Eagles' [[1991 AFL Grand Final|Grand Final]]-losing side and played in both the [[1992 AFL Grand Final|1992]] and [[1994 AFL Grand Final|1994]] premiership sides. Pyke was knocked out by [[Gary Ablett Sr.|Gary Ablett]] in the early stages of the 1992 grand final, but returned to play an important role in the win. Playing mainly as a tagger, he tied with [[Glen Jakovich]] for the 1993 [[John Worsfold Medal|Club Champion Award]], also earning seven [[Brownlow Medal]] votes, and was runner-up in the best and fairest to Jakovich the next year.<ref>[http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/players/playerprofile/donpyke/tabid/7302/playerid/15746/category/past/season/2011/selected/bio/default.aspx Don Pyke player profile] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831173024/http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/players/playerprofile/donpyke/tabid/7302/playerid/15746/category/past/season/2011/selected/bio/default.aspx |date=31 August 2011 }} – westcoasteagles.com.au. Retrieved 30 November 2011.</ref> A shoulder injury forced his premature retirement from playing in 1996, although he returned to play in Claremont's 1996 premiership side.<ref name=e>{{Ref AFL Encyc|5th|594}}</ref>

Pyke played for West Coast Eagles from 1989 until 1996 for a total of 132 games and kicked a total of 70 goals. Pyke was also a member of the [[1992 AFL Grand Final|1992]] and [[1994 AFL Grand Final|1994]] premiership sides.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://australianfootball.com/players/player/Don+Pyke/12674|title=DON PYKE|access-date=7 February 2023}}</ref>

==Post-playing career and administration career==
After his retirement, Pyke continued his involvement with West Coast, serving as team runner in 1997 and 1998. He would later become a director at the club from 2001 to 2004,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Don Pyke named new Adelaide coach |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/197356/don-pyke-named-new-adelaide-coach |access-date=2022-05-13 |website=afl.com.au |date=9 October 2015 |language=en}}</ref> and was rewarded with life membership in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Official AFL Website of the West Coast Eagles |url=https://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/club/history/life-members |access-date=2022-05-13 |website=westcoasteagles.com.au |language=en}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
===Early career===
In 1999, Pyke became the senior coach of Claremont until his resignation in 2000.

=== Adelaide Football Club assistant coach (2005–2006) ===
Pyke became an assistant coach under senior coach [[Neil Craig]] at Adelaide, whom he had previously interviewed for the Eagles' job.<ref>[http://www.footygoss.com/index.php/main/club_news/adelaide/view/don_pyke_gets_down_to_business_with_crows_training/ Don Pyke gets down to business with Crows training] – footygoss.com. Published 12 November 2004. Retrieved 30 November 2011.</ref> In late 2006, Pyke resigned as Adelaide's assistant coach after two seasons to return to Western Australia, and concentrate on his business.<ref>[http://www.racingandsports.com.au/racing/rsNewsArt.asp?NID=93056 Don Pyke quits as Crows assistant coach] – racingandsports.com.au. Published 29 September 2006. Retrieved 30 November 2011.</ref>

=== West Coast Eagles assistant coach (2013–2015) ===
In October 2013, he was made an assistant coach at [[West Coast Eagles]], when he returned to his old playing club under the new senior coach [[Adam Simpson]], specialising in "strategy, stoppages, and structure".<ref>[http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/2013-10-18/pyke-rejoins-west-coast Pyke rejoins West Coast] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018035111/http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/2013-10-18/pyke-rejoins-west-coast |date=18 October 2013 }} – West Coast Eagles. Published 18 October 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.</ref>

=== Adelaide Football Club senior coach (2016–2019) ===
On 9 October 2015, Pyke was appointed as the senior coach of the [[Adelaide Football Club]], succeeding caretaker senior coach [[Scott Camporeale]] who succeeded  the late [[Phil Walsh (Australian footballer)|Phil Walsh]] who was murdered midway through the [[2015 AFL season]].<ref name="CrowsCoach">{{cite web|title=Pyke named new Crows coach|url=http://www.afc.com.au/news/2015-10-09/pyke-named-new-crows-coach|website=afc.com.au|date=9 October 2015 |publisher=Adelaide Crows|access-date=9 October 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/adelaide-crows-don-pyke-appointed-senior-coach-20151009-gk57er.html|title=Don Pyke appointed Adelaide senior coach|last=Spits|first=Scott|date=9 October 2015|work=[[The Age]]|publisher=[[Fairfax Media]]|access-date=9 October 2015}}</ref> The Crows made the semi-finals in his first season as coach but were defeated by the [[Sydney Swans]]. In 2017 Pyke coached the Crows to their second [[McClelland Trophy]] and led them to their first [[AFL Grand Final]] since 1998, where they were defeated by {{AFL Ric}} by 48 points. On 12 September 2019, Pyke resigned as senior coach of the [[Adelaide Crows]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-12/adelaide-crows-coach-don-pyke-stepping-down/11505980|title=Adelaide Crows coach Don Pyke steps down after four years at the club|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date= 12 September 2019|access-date=29 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/don-pyke-steps-down-as-coach-of-adelaide-20190912-p52qn5.html|title=Don Pyke steps down as coach of Adelaide|date=12 September 2019|access-date=7 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/adelaide/as-crows-coach-don-pyke-fronted-the-media-to-explain-the-reasons-for-his-departure-he-stayed-true-to-himself-right-until-the-end/news-story/ffdc1d8ad326c1d36a61bf506f008042|title=As Crows coach Don Pyke fronted the media to explain the reasons for his departure, he stayed true to himself right until the end|date=12 September 2019|access-date=7 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/82679/am-i-part-of-the-solution-why-pyke-quit-as-crows-coach|title='Am I part of the solution?' Why Pyke quit as Crows coach|date=12 September 2019|access-date=7 February 2023}}</ref> Pyke was then replaced by [[Matthew Nicks]] as senior coach of the Adelaide Football Club.

=== Sydney Swans assistant coach (2021–2023) ===
In October 2020, it was announced that Pyke would join the [[Sydney Swans]] as an assistant coach under senior coach [[John Longmire]] from the 2021 season.<ref name="swans">{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/517335/don-s-back-former-crows-coach-lands-new-assistant-role|title=Don's back: Former Crows coach lands new assistant role|publisher=AFL.com.au|first=Marc|last=McGowan|date=13 October 2020|access-date=13 October 2020}}</ref>

==Statistics==

===Playing statistics===
:<ref>[https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/D/Don_Pyke.html Don Pyke's player profile at AFL Tables]</ref>

{{AFL player statistics legend}}
{{AFL player statistics start with votes}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1989 VFL season|1989]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL|WC}}
| 1 || 16 || 14 || 15 || 194 || 67 || 261 || 52 || 17 || 0.9 || 0.9 || 12.1 || 4.2 || 16.3 || 3.3 || 1.1 || 0
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1990 AFL season|1990]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL|WC}}
| 1 || 4 || 3 || 6 || 39 || 21 || 60 || 0 || 5 || 0.8 || 1.5 || 9.8 || 5.3 || 15.0 || 0.0 || 1.3 || 0
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1991 AFL season|1991]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL|WC}}
| 10 || 24 || 4 || 11 || 301 || 94 || 395 || 49 || 39 || 0.2 || 0.5 || 12.5 || 3.9 || 16.5 || 2.0 || 1.6 || 0
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1992 AFL season|1992]]†
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL|WC}}
| 10 || 12 || 9 || 3 || 133 || 65 || 198 || 24 || 17 || 0.8 || 0.3 || 11.1 || 5.4 || 16.5 || 2.0 || 1.4 || 0
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1993 AFL season|1993]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL|WC}}
| 10 || 22 || 12 || 6 || 352 || 112 || 464 || 100 || 42 || 0.5 || 0.3 || 16.0 || 5.1 || 21.1 || 4.5 || 1.9 || 7
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1994 AFL season|1994]]†
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL|WC}}
| 10 || 25 || 13 || 10 || 392 || 114 || 506 || 98 || 48 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 15.7 || 4.6 || 20.2 || 3.9 || 1.9 || 5
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1995 AFL season|1995]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL|WC}}
| 10 || 21 || 15 || 6 || 255 || 111 || 366 || 50 || 37 || 0.7 || 0.3 || 12.1 || 5.3 || 17.4 || 2.4 || 1.8 || 1
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1996 AFL season|1996]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL|WC}}
| 10 || 8 || 0 || 1 || 64 || 36 || 100 || 19 || 13 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 8.0 || 4.5 || 12.5 || 2.4 || 1.6 || 0
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=3| Career
! 132
! 70
! 58
! 1730
! 620
! 2350
! 392
! 218
! 0.5
! 0.4
! 13.1
! 4.7
! 17.8
! 3.0
! 1.7
! 13
|}

==Head coaching record==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|Year !! colspan="5"|Home and Away Season !! colspan="4"|Finals
|-
!Won!!Lost!!Drew!!%!!Position!! Won !! Lost !! Win % !! Result
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
![[2016 Adelaide Football Club season|ADE]]||[[2016 AFL season|2016]]
||16||6||0||{{winperc|16|6}}||'''5th out of 18'''||1||1||.500|| <small>'''Lost to [[2016 Sydney Swans season|Sydney]] in [[2016 AFL finals series|Semi-Final]]'''</small>
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
![[2017 Adelaide Football Club season|ADE]]||[[2017 AFL season|2017]]
||15||6||1||{{winperc|15|6|1}}||'''1st out of 18'''||2||1||.667|| <small>'''Lost to [[2017 Richmond Football Club season|Richmond]] in [[2017 AFL Grand Final|Grand Final]]'''</small>
|-
![[2018 Adelaide Football Club season|ADE]]||[[2018 AFL season|2018]]
||12||10||0||{{winperc|12|10}}||12th out of 18||—||—||—||—
|-
![[Adelaide Football Club|ADE]]||[[2019 AFL season|2019]]
||10||12||0||{{winperc|10|12}}||11th out of 18||—||—||—||—
|-! 
! colspan="2"|Total||53||34||1||{{winperc|53|34|1}}|| ||3||2||{{winperc|3|2}}||
|-
|}

:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/coaches/Don_Pyke.html|title=Don Pyke's coaching profile|publisher=AFL Tables}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of VFL/AFL players born outside Australia]]
* [[List of West Coast Eagles players]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{AFL Tables}}
* {{AustralianFootball}}
* {{WAFL FootyFacts}}

{{1992/94 West Coast Eagles dual premiership players}}
{{John Worsfold Medal winners}}
{{Adelaide Football Club coaches}}
{{1991 Western Australia State of Origin players}}
{{1993 New South Wales-Australian Capital Territory Australian rules football State of Origin players}}
{{1995 The Allies State of Origin players}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pyke, Don}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:VFL/AFL players born outside Australia]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Western Australia]]
[[Category:Claremont Football Club coaches]]
[[Category:Claremont Football Club players]]
[[Category:American emigrants to Australia]]
[[Category:American players of Australian rules football]]
[[Category:Adelaide Football Club coaches]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Bloomington, Illinois]]
[[Category:John Worsfold Medal winners]]
[[Category:West Coast Eagles administrators]]
[[Category:West Coast Eagles players]]
[[Category:West Coast Eagles premiership players]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Perth, Western Australia]]
[[Category:Allies State of Origin players]]
[[Category:Belconnen Football Club players]]
[[Category:VFL/AFL premiership players]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from the Australian Capital Territory]]