Helen Reith (curler)
| Helen Reith | |
|---|---|
| Gerry | |
| Years in Thunder Bay | by 1920–at least 1987 |
Helen Reith was a multi-sport athlete and curling builder from Fort William who competed at a high level in several disciplines over five decades. Helen Reith was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1988 as an athlete.[1]
Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
Helen Reith was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame on 17 September 1988 in the athlete category for curling, basketball, track and field, swimming, hockey and baseball, representing Fort William.[1]
Career
Raised in Fort William, she began her athletic career during the 1920s while participating in high school sports. In track and field, she entered broad jump, high jump, and relay competitions at the district level. She also excelled in Basketball, eventually joining the Fort William YMCA Girl's Basketball team. Her performance on the court led Percy Page, the coach of the world-renowned Edmonton Grads, to invite her for a tryout, though she chose to remain in her hometown instead.[1]
During the 1920s and 1930s, she was active in several other team sports. She played hockey for the Fort William YMCA within the Thunder Bay Ladies' Hockey Association. Additionally, she was a participant in various local and intercity Baseball leagues. As an individual competitor, she found significant success in Swimming, securing three city championships in Fort William and winning a one-mile race at Loon Lake for five consecutive years.[1]
Her longest athletic involvement was in Curling, a sport she participated in for more than three decades as both a player and an organizer. Acting as a skip, she led her teams to titles at bonspiels held in Winnipeg, Wawatosa, and Duluth, as well as various locations across Northwestern Ontario. A highlight of her competitive curling career occurred in 1951 when she skipped her team to an undefeated record at the Lakehead Women's Bonspiel.[1]
Beyond her time on the ice, she contributed to the growth of the sport as a builder. She was a founding member of the Northwestern Ontario Ladies Curling Association and worked to promote the game among high school girls. She also served as the Chairperson for numerous bonspiels. In 1987, her long-term dedication was recognized when she became the first woman to receive the Sun Life Grand Prix of Curling Honour Award.[1]
Residence in the Thunder Bay area (by 1920–at least 1987) rests on the following dated evidence. She grew up in Fort William, played high school and YMCA sports in the 1920s and 1930s, and received a curling award in 1987.[1]
Honours and achievements
- Won the one-mile Loon Lake swimming race five years in a row
- Won three City of Fort William swimming championships
- Invited to try out for the world champion Edmonton Grads basketball team
- Skipped a rink to a perfect record at the 1951 Lakehead Women's Bonspiel
- Helped establish the Northwestern Ontario Ladies Curling Association
- First female recipient of the Sun Life Grand Prix of Curling Honour Award in 1987[1]
- Possibly the same as Helen Yvonne Reith (née Gerry); the name matches, but too little is shared to merge the pages.
- Possibly the same as Helen Reith; the name matches and some details fit, but too little is shared to merge the pages.
- Possibly the same as Helen Reith (née Gerry); the name matches and some details fit, but too little is shared to merge the pages.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "Helen Reith (Gerry)", athlete profile, Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, https://www.nwosportshalloffame.com/athlete-profile/a549fb31-e84e-45f9-b1f1-310d3c79d89b (accessed 31 October 2026). Archived copy on datum.locker.