{{Short description|American ice hockey executive}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Use American English|date=February 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Lynn Olson | birth_date = | birth_place = Richfield, Minnesota | death_date = | death_place = | nationality = | other_names = | occupation = | education = | years_active = | known_for = | awards = Lester Patrick Trophy | spouse(s) = | children = 2 | relatives = }} '''Lynn Olson''' is an American ice hockey executive and retired paralegal. Olson became the first woman hired to work for the USA Hockey's girls and women's section in 1988. She was also a part of the movement that led Minnesota to become the first state to recognize girls' hockey as a varsity sport.
==Career== Olson was born and raised in Richfield, Minnesota where she graduated from Richfield High School.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lynn Olson: CLASS OF 1968 |url=https://www.classmates.com/people/lynn-olson/551135351 |publisher=Classmates |access-date=December 24, 2021}}</ref> Following the birth of her second daughter, Olson began skating on a senior women's ice hockey team.<ref name="Pierce">{{cite web |last1=Pierce |first1=Jessi |title=Thank You, Lynn |url=https://www.mhjonline.com/articles/thank-you-lynn |publisher=Minnesota Hockey Journal |access-date=December 24, 2021 |date=November 11, 2020}}</ref> She played hockey in the Minnesota Women's Hockey League which comprised 12 teams in two divisions. In 1984, Olsen used her paralegal background to draft articles, bylaws, and operating rules for the league. She was subsequently elected president of the league in 1985 where she then requested the Minnesota Amateur Hockey Association be accepted as an affiliate. In 1986, the merging was completed and Lynn was elected Women's Hockey Director.<ref name="Richmond">{{cite web |title=Richfield’s Lynn Olson To Receive 2020 Lester Patrick Trophy |url=https://www.minnesotahockey.org/news_article/show/1124414 |publisher=Minnesota Hockey |access-date=December 24, 2021 |date=September 24, 2020}}</ref>
While serving as Women's Hockey Director, Olson continued to advocate for girls and women's ice hockey. While her daughters were enrolled at the Academy of Holy Angels, she prompted the Minnesota State High School League to sanction girls ice hockey as a varsity sport in 1994. This resulted in Minnesota becoming the first state to recognize girls' hockey as a varsity sport.<ref name="Douglas">{{cite web |last1=Douglas |first1=William |title=Olson earned Lester Patrick Trophy with dedication to women's hockey |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/lynn-olson-earned-lester-patrick-trophy-with-dedication-to-womens-hockey/c-328696410 |publisher=National Hockey League |access-date=December 24, 2021 |date=December 6, 2021}}</ref> She coached the first varsity girls’ high school game sanctioned by the Minnesota State High School League on November 14, 1994.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Randy |title=Before Minnesota's girls' hockey boom, one game started it all |url=https://www.startribune.com/amped-arena-still-special-minnesota-s-first-prep-girls-hockey-game/570472732/?refresh=true |access-date=December 24, 2021 |publisher=Star Tribune |date=May 15, 2020}}</ref> In their inaugural 1994–95 season, Minnesota had 24 girls high school hockey teams.<ref name="Johnson">{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Randy |title=Women's hockey pioneer Lynn Olson, from Richfield, honored with Lester Patrick Trophy |url=https://www.startribune.com/women-s-hockey-pioneer-lynn-olson-honored-with-national-award/572521921/?refresh=true |access-date=December 24, 2021 |publisher=Star Tribune |date=September 25, 2020}}</ref> Following this, Olson also helped establish the Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey program.<ref name="Reinert">{{cite web |last1=Reinert |first1=Bob |title=American Hockey Contributors Jack Barzee and Lynn Olson Honored with Lester Patrick Award |url=https://www.ushockeyhalloffame.com/news_article/show/1200168 |publisher=USA Hockey Hall of Fame |access-date=December 24, 2021 |date=December 10, 2021}}</ref>
Beyond Minnesota, Olson also advocated for the International Ice Hockey Federation and the International Olympic Committee to have women's hockey included in the Olympics. She became the first woman hired to work USA Hockey's girls and women's section in 1988, but it served only as an advisory panel to the board of directors.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Berkman |first1=Seth |title=Hefty Raises, Olympic Gold, and Then Crumbs for U.S. Women’s Hockey |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/03/sports/us-womens-national-team-hockey.html |access-date=December 24, 2021 |publisher=The New York Times |date=April 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211224181007/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/03/sports/us-womens-national-team-hockey.html |archive-date=December 24, 2021}}</ref> Her efforts were proven successful in 1992 when it was approved by the IOC.<ref name="Johnson"/> In 2015, Olson was named the recipient of the AHCA's Joe Burke Award as someone who has "shown great support and dedication to Girls/Women's hockey."<ref>{{cite web |title=AHCA Awards |url=https://www.ahcahockey.com/awards.php |publisher=AHCA |access-date=December 24, 2021}}</ref>
In 2020, Olson was named the recipient of the Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to hockey in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=Olson to receive Lester Patrick Trophy |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/lynn-olson-to-receive-lester-patrick-trophy/c-319106466 |publisher=National Hockey League |access-date=December 24, 2021 |date=September 24, 2020}}</ref> She was also named a 2021 Academy of Holy Angels Activities Hall of Fame Inductee.<ref>{{cite web |title=Congratulations to the 2021 Academy of Holy Angels Activities Hall of Fame Inductees & the 2020 Rising Star Awardee! |url=https://www.academyofholyangels.org/news-and-events/aha-news/2021/09/14/2021-activities-hall-of-fame/ |publisher=Academy of Holy Angels |access-date=December 24, 2021 |date=September 14, 2021}}</ref>
==Personal life== Olson is married to a firefighter.<ref name="Reinert"/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Olson, Lynn}} Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:American ice hockey administrators Category:Ice hockey coaches from Minnesota Category:Ice hockey players from Minnesota Category:Lester Patrick Trophy recipients Category:People from Richfield, Minnesota