BC Women & Sport

BC Women & Sport Awards 

BC Women & Sport celebrates women who have made exceptional contributions to physical activity, sport, recreation, and gender equity in British Columbia. 

Recipients will be recognized at the Sport BC Athlete of the Year Awards on March 4, 2027, and celebrated again at Sport BC’s International Women’s Day event on March 8, 2027. 

Bobbie Steen Legacy Award 

Recognizes an emerging female leader committed to advancing gender equity in physical activity, sport, and recreation in BC. 

The recipient receives a $2,000 award to support programs or education that champion gender equity. 

Submit a Bobbie Steen Legacy Award Nomination

In Her Footsteps 

Celebrates women who have made exceptional contributions to sport in British Columbia through leadership, achievement, advocacy, coaching, officiating, administration, mentorship, and other efforts that advance opportunities for girls and women. 

Two recipients are recognized annually and are permanently featured in the In Her Footsteps: Celebrating BC Women in Sport exhibit at the BC Sports Hall of Fame. 

Submit an In Her Footsteps Nomination

In Her Footsteps Criteria

Bobbie Steen Legacy Foundation Award Overview

Click here to review the complete list of past In Her Footsteps recipients.

A partnership between the BC Games Society and BC Women & Sport will see a leadership award presented in conjunction with the BC Games (Winter & Summer). The award will identify, recognize and celebrate those who have supported girls and/or women to participate more fully in physical activity or sport.

2012 SURREY BC SUMMER GAMES

The BC Games were originally a vision of Premier W. R. Bennett who believed in providing “an opportunity to bring all parts of BC together, large and small communities, in the spirit of sport and friendship”.  Mr. Bennett’s vision for the BC Games has provided a substantial foundation and structure on which excellence in sport and community has been and continues to be built. Established in 1977 by the Provincial Government under the Societies Act, The original mandate of the BC Summer and Winter Games Society was to provide an opportunity for all British Columbians to compete in an organized sports festival that promoted physical fitness, individual achievement, and community pride.  The very first BC Summer Games were held in Penticton in 1978 with the first BC Winter Games taking place the following year in Kamloops. Now named the BC Games Society, in 1994, we shifted from a participation focused event to become a key part of athlete and sport development in the province.

The mission of the Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health (CEWH) is to improve the health of women by fostering multidisciplinary and action-oriented research on girls’ and women’s health and to introduce sex and gender into all health research. The CEWH pays particular attention to research and knowledge exchange that will improve the health status of girls and women who face health inequities due to socioeconomic status, race, culture, age, sexual orientation, geography, disability and/or addiction. We achieve this mission through generating new knowledge about women’s health, and facilitating knowledge exchange to close the loop between research and action on women-centred programs, practice and policy. We develop women-centred programs as well as gender-transformative practice and policy in partnership with researchers, health and social service practitioners, health system planners and community-based health advocates. We specialize in bringing evidence to practice and policy.

Since 1966, the community has entrusted the BC Sports Hall of Fame with the responsibility to collect, preserve, study, and interpret materials that relate to British Columbia’s rich sport history. The inspiration for the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is its Honoured Members and the collection of artifacts and stories of their challenges and triumphs. The BC Sports Hall of Fame educates and entertains through its programs and collections by telling stories of outstanding achievements in sport in British Columbia. It showcases accomplishments of individual athletes and teams, as well as those who have contributed to the development of sport in the province. Internationally recognized as the ‘go to’ organization for BC sport history, researchers, writers, media members and sport historians have gained access to and an appreciation of BC’s rich sporting heritage through our extensive artifact and archival collection. The BC Sports Hall of Fame is committed to working collaboratively with the community at large. Through our museum displays, education and community programs, and community outreach we strive to further our vision of Honouring the Past and Inspiring the Future.

In 1981, Canadian Women & Sport was founded to advocate for progressive change within Canada’s sport system. Its goal was to see the enhanced presence of girls and women at all levels and in all areas – as athletes, participants, leaders, officials, coaches and trainers.

Canadian Sport Centre Pacific (CSC Pacific), in partnership with the national network of Canadian Sport Centres and BC network of PacificSport Centres, delivers sport performance programs to help athletes and coaches win medals for Canada. Working in support of our national and provincial sport partners, CSC Pacific is creating a stronger system for the development of athletes, coaches, integrated support teams and sport performance facilities. Three Canadian Sport Centre Pacific Campuses and five PacificSport centres across BC have over 1500 athletes and coaches registered and benefitting from our programs & resources.