The Velma Springstead Trophy is an award presented annually to

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...

's outstanding female

athlete An athlete (also sportsman or sportswoman) is a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance. Athletes may be professionals or amateurs. Most professional athletes have particularly well-dev ...

. It is named in honour of track athlete

Velma Springstead Velma Springstead (22 August 1906 – 27 March 1927) was a Canadian track and field athlete. Springstead won the gold medal in high jump during the 1925 Canadian Track and Field Championships and became a member of the first women's track and fi ...

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 Alexandrine Gibb (1891 – December 15, 1958) was a Canadian athlete and journalist, and a pioneer in women's sports. She created and managed the first international women's team. Gibb advocated for women's branches of sports across Canada and wa ...

, sportswriter with the

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and pa ...

. 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 Christine Nesbitt (born 17 May 1985) is a Canadian retired long track speed skater who currently resides in Vancouver, British Columbia. She won the gold medal in the 1000 metres event at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. She had previously ...

, speed skating *2010 –

, speed skating *2009 –

, speed skating *2008 –

Chantal Petitclerc Chantal Petitclerc (born December 15, 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 Perdita Felicien (born August 29, 1980) is a Canadian retired hurdler. Felicien is the 2003 World champion in the 100 metres hurdles and 2004 World indoor champion in the 60 metres hurdles. She also won silver medals at the 2007 World Champion ...

, 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 and served as the chef de mission for Team Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Career Speed skatin ...

, speed skating *2001 –

, speed skating *2000 –

Caroline Brunet Caroline Brunet (born March 20, 1969 in Quebec City, Quebec) is a Canadian sprint kayaker who competed from the late 1980s to 2004. Competing in five Summer Olympics, she won three medals in the K-1 500 m event wit ...

, canoeing *1999 –

, canoeing *1998 –

, speed skating *1997 –

, canoeing *1996 – Alison Sydor, cycling *1995 – Alison Sydor, cycling *1994 – Myriam Bédard, biathlon *1993 –

Kate Pace Kate Pace (born February 13, 1969), also known as Kate Pace Lindsay, is a Canadian retired alpine skier. Born in North Bay, Ontario, she won six World Cup medals and three Canadian downhill championships. She finished 1st place in the downhill e ...

, alpine skiing *1992 – Kerrin Lee-Gartner, alpine skiing *1991 –

Silken Laumann Silken Suzette Laumann, (born November 14, 1964) is a Canadian champion rower. Life and career Laumann was born in Toronto Township, Ontario, now Mississauga. Starting in 1976, Laumann won a number of awards, including a gold medal in qua ...

, rowing *1990 –

Sylvie Daigle Sylvie Daigle (born December 1, 1962) is a Canadian speed skater. She is a member of the Canadian short track relay team that won gold at the 1992 Winter Olympics and silver at the 1994 Winter Olympics. She is also a five-time ...

, 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, ...

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

Angella Taylor-Issajenko Angella Taylor-Issajenko, CM (née Taylor; born September 28, 1958) is a Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most C ...

, 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, golfer *1977 – Sylvia Burka, cycling & Susan Nattrass, shooting *1976 – Cheryl Gibson, swimming *1975 –

Nancy Garapick Nancy Ellen Garapick (born September 24, 1961) is a former Canadian competition swimmer, Olympic medallist, and former world record-holder. She won two bronze medals in the 100-metre backstroke and 200-metre backstroke at the 1976 Summer Olympic ...

, 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 Linda Crutchfield-Bocock (born 3 April 1942) is a Canadian former alpine skier and luger who competed in the 1964 Winter Olympics and in the 1968 Winter Olympics The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games (fren ...

, 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 athlete. During her athletic career, she won three gold medals at the Pan American Games and one bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games. McCredie was awarde ...

, track and field *1962 – Mary Stewart, swimming *1961 – Mary Stewart, swimming *1960 –

Anne Heggtveit Anne Heggtveit, (born January 11, 1939) is a former alpine ski racer from Canada. She was an Olympic gold medallist and double world champion in 1960. Early years Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Heggtveit was raised in New Edinburgh, one of the o ...

, skiing *1959 –

, skiing *1958 – Lucille Wheeler, skiing *1957 – Marlene Streit, golfer *1956 – Marlene Streit, golfer *1955 – *1954 – *1953 – Marlene Streit, golfer *1952 – Marlene Streit, golfer *1951 – *1950 –

Rosella Thorne Rosella Thorne (11 December 1930 – 16 April 2022) was a Canadian sprinter. She competed in the women's 100 metres at the 1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics ( fi, Kesäolympialaiset 1952; sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1952), offi ...

, track and field (sprinter) *1949 – Eleanor McKenzie, track and field (sprinter) *1948 – Viola Myers, track and field *1947 – Barbara Ann Scott, figure skater *1946 –

Irene Strong Irene Marie Watler ( Strong; 3 March 1929 – 20 February 2018) was a Canadian competitive swimmer from Surrey, British Columbia. She competed at the 1948 Summer Olympics and the 1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics ( fi, Kesäo ...

, swimmer *1945 – Barbara Ann Scott, figure skater *1944 –

Rhona Wurtele Rhona is the name of: * Rhona Adair (1878–1961), British golf champion * Rhona Bennett (born 1976), American singer, actress and model * Rhona Brankin (born 1950), Labour Co-operative politician and Member of the Scottish Parliament * Rhona Brow ...

and Rhoda Wurtele, skiing *1943 –

Joan Langdon Joan Marjorie McLagan (née Langdon; December 2, 1922 – March 15, 2022) was a Canadian competitive swimmer and breaststroke Breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on their chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the m ...

, swimming *1942 –

, swimming *1941 – Mary Rose Thacker, figure skating *1940 –

Dorothy Walton Dorothy Louise Walton, , née McKenzie (7 August 1909 – 17 October 1981) was a Canadian badminton player who is the only Canadian ever to win the All England Open Badminton Championships, winning the Women's Singles in 1939. Born in Swi ...

, badminton *1939 –

Jeanette Dolson Mildred Jeannette Dolson (later ''Cavill'', August 13, 1918 – July 17, 2004) was a Canadian athlete who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics. She was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and died in North Palm Beach, Florida, Unite ...

, 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