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Hall of Famers

Hall of Famer

CASSIE CAMPBELL

Inducted in 2007

Member Details

Date of Birth: November 22, 1973
Place of Birth: Richmond Hill, Ontario
Sport: Ice Hockey
Member Category: Athlete

Career Highlights

1994

National Women's Ice Hockey Team

1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004

Women's World Ice Hockey Championship, Gold Medal

1996

Guelph Sportswoman of the Year

2002

Salt Lake City Olympic Games, Gold medal

2006

Turin Olympic Games, Gold medal

First female to do colour commentary for Hockey Night in Canada

Toronto Sun's Sportsperson of the Year

2007

Inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame

Hall of Famer CASSIE CAMPBELL
Sport

Story

Although Cassie Campbell was a star for Team Canada for some 12 years, it was her performance off ice as much as on that made her such an important part of women's hockey during its formative years. Campbell started with the national team in 1994, and by the time she retired after the 2006 Olympics in Turin she had won two Olympic gold medals, one Olympic silver, six World Championships golds, and one World Championship silver. In 1999, Campbell showed her commitment to the team as she transitioned from her regular position of defense, to her new position of forward. This switch was to help the team by having a forward with great defensive prowess, but Campbell also developed into a big offensive threat along the way. She is the only Canadian hockey player, male or female, to captain teams to two Olympic gold medals -Salt Lake 2002 and Turin 2006- a feat she accomplished after taking the "C" in 2001 and wearing it until she retired five years later. As much as her play on ice, however, it was her dedication to promoting the women's game that made her such an admired athlete. At a time when women's hockey needed leadership and a bit of public relations savvy, Campbell was there to do more than her fair share of the work. She was often the one reporters would go to first after games for a quote, or the one who would be asked to speak at a banquet or make a public appearance on behalf of the team. Campbell heartily accepted one and all requests, knowing that the game needed a presence in the public eye if it were to expand. Her ability to promote the game on ice was patently obvious through her team's many victories, but her equal ability to promote it one autograph at a time off the ice was, in the long run, a possibly greater glory. Campbell is the first female hockey player inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame or any national hall of fame. She represents a sport that has matured and developed, had a remarkable impact on Canadian society, and helped shape the minds and bodies of young girls who now have Campbell and her teammates to admire instead of only male hockey players. No more incredible fact need be pointed out than CBC drawing seven million viewers to the Canada-USA gold-medal game at the 2002 Olympics. Women's hockey has, indeed, grown up, and Campbell is among that small group who deserves the credit for popularizing of the game.