Rhonda Leeman Taylor

Rhonda Leeman Taylor (born 1953 in Kingston, Ontario)^[1] is a former women's ice hockey player and ice hockey administrator from Canada. In 1980, Leeman Taylor became the first salaried female employee of the Ontario Women's Hockey Association (OWHA).^[2] Leeman Taylor also served as the chairwoman for the inaugural Women's National Hockey Championships in 1982^[2] and became the first woman to sit on the board of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (now known as Hockey Canada). Taylor also sat on the board of the OWHA.^[3] A book about her career and co-written with her niece, Denbeigh Whitmarsh^[1] was released in 2019.^[4] Leeman Taylor is also a Kingston and District Sports Hall of Fame member.^[5]

Hockey[]

Playing career[]

Ontario

In 1948, Canada's Sam Jacks was asked to become director of parks and recreation for the city of North Bay, Ontario in Northern Ontario. After moving to the city and accepting the position he then became a member of the (NORDA). Soon after he became instrumental in developing the first (NOPHA) which encouraged youth to play ice hockey on outdoor rinks. This effort enabled girls and boys more opportunities to play ice hockey, figure skate, and eventually gave opportunity for Canadian girls to play the sport of ringette,^[6] which Jacks created with the help of NORDA and the Society of Directors of Municipal recreation of Ontario (SDMRO). As a result of the efforts and activities of the SDMRO, NORDA, and NOPHA, Taylor was provided with the opportunity to not only play ice hockey, but gain access to an administration level of sport later on.

In 1961, the came into force in Canada whereby the Government of Canada made an official commitment to "encourage, promote and develop fitness and amateur sport in Canada." A few years later, the Canadian government created two new directorates: , which was tasked with improving the lifestyle of Canadians, and Sport Canada, which was responsible for developing competitive sport.^[7]

In 1969, at the age of 15, Leeman saw an ad in the Kingston Whig-Standard looking for women to form a community hockey team.^[2] The team would be known as the Kingston Red Barons, who would place a stuffed doll of Peanuts character Snoopy at centre ice before every game played.^[8] In addition to Leeman Taylor, fellow Red Barons players Annabelle Twiddy, Katherine Cartwright, Mary Skeggs are also members of the Kingston and District Sports Hall of Fame.^[9] Following her time with the Red Barons, Leeman played for the Queen's Golden Gaels women's ice hockey program from 1973 to 1976. Known as the Golden Gals back then, the program captured the OWIAA title in the 1974–75 season.^[2] After graduation from Queen's University, Leeman Taylor relocated to Kapuskasing, Ontario, launching a women's hockey organization.^[3]

Administrative[]

Taking on a volunteer position with the newly formed Ontario Women's Hockey Association in 1976, within three years, Leeman Taylor helped the Association grow the number of registered female teams from 101 to 203, travelling throughout the province.^[1] The first employee hired by Hockey Ontario to assist in the development of the OWHA, which was the floundering at the time, Taylor became the first salaried female employee of the Association in 1980. Serving in the role of chairwoman for the inaugural Women's National Hockey Championships in 1982,^[2] securing Shoppers Drug Mart as a sponsor,^[3] the final, held in Brantford, Ontario, saw Alberta and Ontario face-off, with attendance of approximately 1,600 fans. Also in the same year, she founded and directed the Female Council, a subsect of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association, representing female hockey in Canada.^[1] The following year, Leeman Taylor was instrumental in banning contact from all national women's hockey tournaments in 1983.^[1]

Awards and honors[]

• 1974-75 OWIAA championship
• Class of 1997: Kingston and District Sports Hall of Fame

References[]