Jasnoor G.

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Red River Heritage Fair

The Edmonton Grads: The Canadian Basketball That Ruled the World

The Edmonton Grads was a women’s championship basketball team that played from 1915-1940. They are called the Grads because after they graduated from grade 12 they asked their coach to keep coaching them, because they loved the game so much! During their 25 years as a team they won 95% of their matches, often defeating their opponents by a lot. They were champions for 25 years and their record of 502 and only 20 losses is unmatched in all of sport!

What was the most interesting thing you learned about your topic?

The most interesting thing I learned was that the Grads won 502 games and only lost 20 games in 25 years! They also set a world record in all of sport. As well, many people underestimated them, but that was a huge mistake! Also, I was so surprised to learn that people didn’t want women to play sports back then.

What important lessons have you learned that you want to share with other Canadians?

I learned that back in the day, people thought women shouldn’t play sports because it wasn’t “proper” and because they thought they were too weak. The Edmonton Grads proved them wrong big time! In all of history no team has ever matched their record! I have learned that you shouldn’t judge a person by how they look, but rather by what they can do.

How would you compare your life today to the lives of those studied in your project?

Back in the day women were underestimated, they still are today, but not as much as the past. I also play basketball and it’s my favourite thing to do. Sometimes boys think that they’re better than girls and that also happened in the past. There are a lot of things different from the way people play basketball now than the past. For example, now you can watch basketball on TV, and also some of the rules are different, and the court looks different. Also, in the past you had to be less aggressive and more ladylike on the court. Now the more aggressive you are, the better you are, as long as you still play fair and don’t get fouled out. The only thing that hasn’t changed is the love for basketball. People still love basketball today, the way those ladies did in the past, including me. If you love something, do it and follow your dreams! I love basketball and I will follow my dreams and also make a difference by inspiring other young players.