y the 20s, Canadian women had won the vote and had become a significant part of the labour force. They further declared their independence in their short dresses and bobbed hair. Women were defying the conventions of 'acceptable feminine behavior', and now they wanted to compete more in sports. The rise of women athletes was so rapid that the period between 1923 and 1935 has been called the "Golden Age of Sports" for Canadian women. What had been considered a joke, quickly became popular entertainment and a significant way for women to prove their equality.

Women realized that if they wanted to play seriously, they would have to start their own clubs and leagues. In reaction to "male-only" policies, they formed their own organizations; many great female athletes emerged during this period. However, no Canadian team has yet to match the skill and popularity of the famed Edmonton Grads basketball team.

Beginning as a high-school team, the Grads ruled women's basketball from 1915 to 1940, winning 49 out of 51 domestic titles. During that time the team was Canadian Champion from 1922-1940, North American Champion from 1923-1940, and World Champion from 1924-1940. They never lost a series in the Underwood International Championships, winning 23 times. In fact, they won the trophy so consistently that in 1940 they were given permanent possession of it.

None of the Grads were ever paid.

oth men's and women's basketball thrived in the Prairie provinces during the 1920s and even throughout the Depression of the 30s. In fact, the Depression played a significant role in growth of the sport; many unemployed men looked to the game for a few hours escape from demoralizing boredom.

Today, basketball fans have come to expect miraculous performances from the giants of the game. The phenomenal feats of Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson would have amazed Dr. James Naismith, the Canadian who invented the game 100 years ago by hanging a peach basket on a gym wall.

Very few sports have actually been invented. Usually there is an evolution from an existing sport. In originating the game of basketball, Naismith is unique.

Naismith was a teacher in an all-boys school, and he taught one of the most rebellious gym classes in the school. His belief that a healthy body and mind are directly connected was challenged not only by the lazy attitude of the students, but also by the winter season which limited their outdoor activity. The teacher needed something new to keep his sluggish pupils occupied.

After some unsuccessful attempts to modify soccer, football, and lacrosse for the confines of the gymnasium, Naismith decided to analyze the qualities he wanted in an indoor sport. He came up with the 13 rules, which he scribbled down on the school's bulletin board. He nailed two peach baskets on the gym balconies and the new game was born. This original list of 13 simple rules has certainly undergone revision. A century later, we have developed a game that has a much greater focus on pace and athleticism. But it still remains both wonderful to play and thrilling to watch. A sport which stresses skill over strength and speed over power, basketball is played by men, women and children the world over. It is now the most popular sport in America.

A new era in Canadian basketball began in 1994 when the National Basketball Association awarded new franchises to two Canadian cities. The Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies took to the courts in 1995, bringing professional basketball to Canada for the first time.