The Velma Springstead Trophy is an award presented annually to

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

's outstanding female

athlete An athlete is most commonly a person who competes in one or more sports involving physical strength, speed, power, or endurance. Sometimes, the word "athlete" is used to refer specifically to sport of athletics competitors, i.e. including track ...

. It is named in honour of track athlete Velma Springstead whose career ended prematurely when she died from pneumonia in 1927 when only 20 years old. The Women's Amateur Athletic Federation (WAAF) of Canada founded this award in 1934. The trophy, also known as the "Rose Bowl," was donated by Alexandrine Gibb, sportswriter with the

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part of Torstar's Daily News Brands (Torstar), Daily News Brands division. ...

. The trophy was to be awarded on the basis of "performance, sportsmanship and behaviour." The award is now managed by the True Sport Foundation.

Past recipients

*2012 - Rosie MacLennan, trampoline *2011 – Christine Nesbitt, speed skating *2010 – Christine Nesbitt, speed skating *2009 – Christine Nesbitt, speed skating *2008 –

Chantal Petitclerc Chantal Petitclerc (born 15 December 1969) is a Canadian wheelchair racer and a Senator from Quebec. Early life At the age of 13, Petitclerc lost the use of both legs in an accident when at a friend's farm, a heavy barn door fell on her, fra ...

, Athletics *2007 – Kalyna Roberge, speed skating *2006 –

Cindy Klassen Cindy Klassen, (born August 12, 1979) is a Canadian retired long track speed skater. She is a six-time medallist having achieved one gold, two silver, three bronze at the Winter Olympics. She is the only Canadian Olympian to win five medals in ...

, speed skating *2005 –

, speed skating *2004 –

, wheelchair athletics *2003 – Perdita Felicien, track and field *2002 –

Catriona Le May Doan Catriona Ann Le May Doan, (born December 23, 1970) is a retired Canadian speed skater and a double Olympic champion in the 500 m. She served as the chef de mission for Team Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Career Speed skat ...

, speed skating *2001 –

, speed skating *2000 – Caroline Brunet, canoeing *1999 – Caroline Brunet, canoeing *1998 –

, speed skating *1997 – Caroline Brunet, canoeing *1996 – Alison Sydor, cycling *1995 – Alison Sydor, cycling *1994 – Myriam Bédard, biathlon *1993 – Kate Pace, alpine skiing *1992 – Kerrin Lee-Gartner, alpine skiing *1991 –

Silken Laumann Silken Suzette Laumann, (born November 14, 1964) is a Canadians, Canadian champion rowing (sport), rower. Life and career Laumann was born in Toronto Township, Ontario, Toronto Township, Ontario, now Mississauga. Starting in 1976, Laumann won ...

, rowing *1990 – Sylvie Daigle, speed skating *1989 – Heather Houston, curling *1988 – Carolyn Waldo, synchronized swimming *1987 – Carolyn Waldo, synchronized swimming *1986 – Carolyn Waldo, synchronized swimming *1985 – Carolyn Waldo, synchronized swimming *1984 –

Linda Thom Linda Mary Alice Thom, , née Malcolm, (born December 30, 1943) is a Canadian Olympic gold medal-winning shooter. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1967 from Carleton University. At the 1984 Summer Olympics, s ...

, shooting *1983 – Lynn Chronobrywy, modern pentathlon *1982 –

Angella Taylor-Issajenko Angella Taylor-Issajenko, CM (née Taylor; born September 28, 1958) is a Canadian coach and former sprinter. She won an Olympic silver medal in the 4 × 100 metres relay in Los Angeles 1984. At the Commonwealth Games she won seven medals, inclu ...

, track and field *1981 – Susan Nattrass, shooting *1980 –

, track and field *1979 – Helen Vanderberg, synchronized swimming *1978 – Diane Jones-Konihowski, track and field & Cathy Sherk, golfing *1977 – Sylvia Burka, cycling & Susan Nattrass, shooting *1976 – Cheryl Gibson, swimming *1975 – Nancy Garapick, swimming & Diane Jones, track and field *1974 – Wendy Cook, swimming *1973 – Karen Magnussen, figure skating *1972 – Karen Magnussen, figure skating

*1971 – Karen Magnussen, figure skating *1970 – *1969 – Linda Crutchfield-Bocock, luge *1968 – *1967 – *1966 – Elaine Tanner, swimming *1965 – Petra Burka, figure skating *1964 – Gail Daley, artistic gymnastics *1963 –

Nancy McCredie Nancy McCredie (February 5, 1945 – May 1, 2021) was a Canadian female track and field Athletics (sport), athlete. During her athletic career, she won three gold medals at the Pan American Games and one bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games. ...

, track and field *1962 – Mary Stewart, swimming *1961 – Mary Stewart, swimming *1960 – Anne Heggtveit, skiing *1959 – Anne Heggtveit, skiing *1958 –

Lucille Wheeler Lucile Wheeler (born January 14, 1935) is a former alpine ski racer from Canada. She was a double world champion in 1958, the first North American to win a world title in the downhill event. Early years Wheeler was born in Quebec and grew u ...

, skiing *1957 – Marlene Streit, golfing *1956 – Marlene Streit, golfing *1955 – *1954 –

Ernestine Russell Ernestine Jean Russell (born June 10, 1938), later known by her married names Ernestine Carter and Ernestine Weaver, is a Canadian former gymnast and American former college gymnastics coach. She represented Canada in the 1956 and 1960 Summer Ol ...

- gymnastics *1953 – Marlene Streit, golfing *1952 – Marlene Streit, golfing *1951 – *1950 – Rosella Thorne, track and field (sprinter) *1949 – Eleanor McKenzie, track and field (sprinter) *1948 –

Viola Myers Viola Lillian Myers (later Richardson, 1927 – November 15, 1993) was a Canadian sprinter who competed at the 1948 Summer Olympics The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XIV Olympiad and officially branded as London 1948, we ...

, track and field *1947 – Barbara Ann Scott, figure skating *1946 – Irene Strong, swimming *1945 – Barbara Ann Scott, figure skating *1944 – Rhona Wurtele and Rhoda Wurtele, skiing *1943 – Joan Langdon, swimming *1942 – Joan Langdon, swimming *1941 – Mary Rose Thacker, figure skating *1940 – Dorothy Walton, badminton *1939 – Jeanette Dolson, track and field *1938 – Noel MacDonald, basketball *1937 – Robina Higgins, track and field *1936 – Betty Taylor, track and field *1935 – Aileen Meagher, track and field *1934 – Phyllis Dewar, swimming

External links

True Sport Foundation: Canadian Sport Awards

References

{{National Sportsperson of the Year 1934 establishments in Canada Canadian sports trophies and awards Most valuable player awards Awards established in 1934

Past recipients

See also

Further reading

External links

References