Erin Murphy, Port Coquitlam
Erin Murphy is an enthusiastic and encouraging woman who finds joy in sharing her love of mountain biking with other women, especially those who would normally not get involved in such a stereotypically male sport. She has made a positive impact on the lives of the hundreds of women she has befriended and taught. She founded the Women’s Only mountain biking clubs in Port Coquitlam, Burnaby, Port Moody and the Vancouver YWCA. Women completing her courses come away with lifelong skills and self-confidence.
Minh Ngo, Surrey BC
Karen Tung, Vancouver BC
Mikela Grady, Vancouver BC
What was that saying? If you build it, they will come. Three young athletes from Gladstone Secondary School built a powerful basketball program at a school that, only three years ago did not have a basketball team. Not only did Gladstone not field a team three years ago, but also they had not fielded a Senior Girl’s team for over 15 years. While in grade ten Minh K. Ngo, Karen Tung and Mikela Grady were committed to form a team. This year, as seniors, Gladstone challenged for the City Championships as the number one seed in Vancouver, a first in Gladstone’s 50-year history.
Norma Foster, Burnaby BC
Norma Foster has done what no other woman in the world has been able to achieve. She has been appointed to the Referee Council of the World Karate Federation (WKF) making a milestone in the sport. Foster is the first woman in the world to achieve status as an official in the WKF. Foster has achieved many firsts in her career. She was the first woman to earn a black belt in the north of Scotland 25 years ago. She is currently the only woman, and one of four individuals, who hold the authority outside Japan to grade students for a black belt on behalf of JKA Wado Kai, her particular style of karate. She was also the first woman to achieve officiating qualifications in the World Karate Federation.
Robert Jackson, Richmond BC
Robert (Bob) Jackson has over the past 28 years been actively involved in providing athletic opportunities for students in a variety of areas within Richmond. He has provided leadership and support to girls’ soccer programs in the community for many years as a coach, as a manager or whatever was needed to allow the girls to be able to participate as a team. During his involvement as facilitator there has been dramatic growth in the number of activities being offered at Richmond Secondary School and the number of participants and teams involved. The greatest growth has been in the number of female participants. As of 1999, 46% of the participants were girls.
Gayle Guest, West Vancouver BC
Gayle Guest has been involved in providing athletic opportunities for secondary students in a variety of secondary schools in Richmond for over twenty years as a coach, teacher-sponsor and an athletic administrator. During her tenure as President of the Richmond Secondary Schools’ Athletic Association there has been a dramatic growth in the number of activities, in the number of school teams and in the number of participants. Over the last eight years there has been a 100% increase in the number of participants, however, over this same period there has been a 150% increase in the number of female participants.
Joe Sullivan
Assistant Coach, Hazelton Secondary Wrestling Team
For more than two decades, wrestling coach Joe Sullivan has actively encouraged and promoted women’s participation in a sport many still consider the last bastion of male athletic dominance. Considered by many to be driving force in the early development of women’s wrestling in BC, Sullivan has continually worked to insure that sport’s growth. He has argued strenuously that high school girl’s matches should be treated on par with boys and that female officials should preside over female wrestlers’ weigh-ins. Equally important are the lessons Sullivan has taught young male wrestlers as a coach and role
BC Wheelchair Basketball Society
The women’s wheelchair basketball program in BC first began in the early 90s and saw the introduction of able-bodies participants to ensure there were enough individuals to create one women’s team. The BC wheelchair Basketball Society has since continued to encourage the growth and development of women’s wheelchair basketball with a Women’s Development Day, BC Breakers Annual Women’s Tournament, creation of the BC Surf Team – a second provincial team and in supporting two women’s teams at the Women’s CWBL finals. These initiatives have ensured the growth of BC Women’s Wheelchair Basketball.
SFU Women’s Softball, Burnaby BC
The SFU Women’s softball team placed first in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). SFU is the only Canadian team amongst over 240 softball programs in the NAIA. SFU is usually ranked in the top 25 earning top ten finishes in 1995 (9th) and 1999 (1st). They had an outstanding 1999-year with a 40-7 record. Three women on the team were named for the 1999 All American Team.
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