Western Athletics in Time

Founded in 1878, Western has transformed from a small university of liberal arts and medical students to one of the most accomplished institutions in Canada. From the grounds of Huron College, to the field of J.W. Little Stadium, back to the courts of Alumni Hall, Western athletics has experienced exponential growth.

Students were already playing unorganized and recreational tennis and soccer and by 1908, both Huron College and the Medical College began organizing teams to represent each college in intra- and extramural competitions. Huron and the Medical College each established their own athletic associations to ensure the structure and competitiveness of student sports.

In 1914, Western created a unified Athletic Association to support students from both Huron and the Medical College. The united teams went on to play in intercollegiate, city and intramural competitions.

Student-athletes began referring to themselves as Mustangs in 1926. By 1937, 210 men and 36 women represented Western in league play, representing 30 per cent of Western’s student body.

The interwar period was a time of great growth for university sports. By 1940, women were competing in basketball, track, tennis, badminton, soccer, swimming, archery and hockey, and the men played competitive football, hockey, track and field, basketball, soccer, swimming, tennis, fencing, wrestling, boxing, and badminton.

Thanks to the generous donation from the Little family, the J.W. Little Stadium opened in October 1929 to support the continued growth and success of Western athletics. Home to the football, track and field, soccer, boxing and wrestling team, this stadium provided Mustangs with proper training and playing space.

Little Stadium held its final season in 1999, was replaced by TD Waterhouse Stadium, and recently been renamed the Western Alumni Stadium.

Western first entered intercollegiate athletics in 1920 with the football team in the intermediate league, followed by the men’s intermediate basketball team. By the 1930s most teams were part of the Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union or the Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Union.

The 1950s began with the construction of Thames Hall. The building provided much needed athletic facilities and classroom space, additional athletic faculty and staff, the Spencer Memorial Pool and a gymnasium named for Colonel George Eric Reid.

The expanded facilities allowed more opportunities for women’s athletics at Western. In 1948 Miss Jean Ramsay became the first female faculty member of the new Honours Physical Education and Western’s first women’s volleyball coach.

Western Athletics has grown and changed throughout history. New facilities, ever evolving sports teams and programs, and incredible past and current coaches all help build the program to be its best.

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