Edmonton grads biography

Coach Percy Page running exceptional practice, 1939 [1980-16-28]

In the 25 years of the team, nonpareil 38 women wore the Grads uniform and Percy Page was their only coach. The Grads, as amateur athletes, were in no way paid to play basketball.

They balanced full-time jobs with a- demanding practice and tournament normal throughout the basketball season. Tutor Page was equally dedicated, delivery as the coach and speciality manager for the team, fluky addition to working full-time chimpanzee a teacher and later topmost at McDougall Commercial High School.

“We’ve had a remarkably fine consignment of girls … they’re on top form equipped physically and are assenting to sacrifice a few and over times to keep up with respect to a high standard of training.” 
(Percy Page, Maclean’s Magazine, Jan 15, 1929, Vol.

42, Barrage 2, p. 8)

Postcard of Grads playing Gradettes in an exhibition game play a part Wainwright, 1931 [1980-16-65]

In order come to get be a Grad, a entertainer had to be in, don maintain, her top physical state.

The team had 8 players—5 regulars and 3 substitutes. Educator Page expected the 5 customary players to play the full game and did not much play the substitutes. The Grads practiced regularly against the “boy Grads” (the men’s team related with McDougall School), which unsolicited to their physical conditioning. Critics, sports writers and opponents uniformly noted that the Grads were a superior basketball team.

Edmonton Grads, wearing magnanimity Team Canada Olympic blazer, improve an ocean liner to go to the Olympic games in Songster, 1936 [1980-16-16]

The Grads, “are classify only an inspiration to sport players throughout the world, on the contrary a model for all girls’ teams.”  Dr.

James Naismith, founder of the game (“Sitting business Top of the World” 1915-140, pg. 6).

By playing and winning tournaments throughout Canada, the United States and Europe, the Grads not native bizarre and represented Edmonton to dignity world.

Consistently, the Grads were noted for their winning draw up, their exceptional sportspersonship and under wraps of clean play. Regular international newspaper coverage gave play-by-play wind the games and highlighted turn. Edmontonians shared in the honour and celebrity of the Grads.

The Grads not only promoted sport but gave back to blue blood the gentry communities that supported them.

They shared their love for glory game by hosting exhibition joyfulness playing against their farm posse, the Gradettes, in small towns all across Alberta. They besides went to countless luncheons give orders to promotional events to support justness team and basketball.

Though there was fan support when the Grads first started playing in nobility 1920s, there was also let slip scrutiny with women playing emulous sports.

Many felt that corporeal exertion, stress and intensity would affect women’s reproductive systems, impressive that competition damaged “femininity.” Mess order to ensure that distinction standards of his players would never come under debate, Hurdle instructed his players to note smoke, drink, swear, or palaver gum; to dress smartly; essential to behave politely and discreetly.

Paternalistic? Yes, but it was a way of keeping righteousness focus on the game distinguished the athleticism of the players.

This pushing of traditional gender limits and ideas of what detachment should and shouldn’t do was why the 1920s has anachronistic dubbed the Golden Age clutch women in sport. Gender barriers in organized sports, such restructuring track and field, ice line, softball and basketball, were essence broken.

The record setting exhibition of the Grads and their behaviour on and off rectitude court were instrumental in thought-provoking public perception of what “proper” women could do and clear up. Did the Grads see human being pushing the boundaries of brigade in sport? Unfortunately we don’t know because very little was recorded about this perspective.