Persona

Cartwright, Ethel Mary

1880-1955

A pioneer in women's athletics, Ethel Mary Cartwright was born on 1 October 1880 in Clapham, England. Appointed as an instructor at McGill's Royal Victoria College in 1906, she taught there until 1927, where she had been a coach, teacher and administrator for 22 years. While at McGill Cartwright devised eligibility and playing rules for women's basketball, organized a women's intercollegiate league, coached the Royal Victoria College team and established the "Bronze Baby Trophy" in 1921-1922, still awarded today to the CIAU (now CIS) women's basketball champions. Cartwright arrived at the University of Saskatchewan in 1928, where she was a leader and innovator for women in physical education and sport. She organized the women's physical education department. By 1931 a School of Physical Education had been established and under Cartwright’s leadership, women's sports at the university flourished and received autonomous recognition with the establishment of the Women's Athletic Directorate. Cartwright served at the U of S for 15 years as coach, teacher and administrator. Cartwright was also influential in the fight to employ women coaches and officials. In 1942 she established the Spirit of the Youth award, presented annually to the woman who best demonstrated the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, idealism and academic ability, character and athleticism. The Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education Recreation, and Dance (CAHPERD) presented Cartwright with the R. Tait McKenzie Honour Award, its highest distinction, in 1948. She was named Professor Emerita after retirement. Cartwright died in Magog, Quebec on 18 September 1955. The Ethel Mary Cartwright Trophy is presented annually to the Huskie Athletics female athlete of the year. Cartwright was posthumously enshrined in both the University of Saskatchewan Athletic Hall of Fame (class of 1984) and McGill University Athletics Hall of Fame (1996).