The Elfrida Berzins Award is presented to a woman who has participated in Western Athletics as an athlete, coach or administrator, and is named for the coach and director of Women’s Athletics from 1956 through 1970.
Mary Chisholm Kraus, BA’75, BEd’76
(Volleyball)
Mary Chisholm Kraus says being a part of the Mustang Women’s Volleyball team made her a better person.
“I had always been very driven and focused and while I was at Western, I learned more about relationships and realized how very important they are,” says Kraus.
Kraus completed her education and became a teacher in Markham for 33 years. She met her husband, George, while they were both teaching and they have two children. Both sons are in Manitoba, one of them coaching basketball at Brandon Manitoba University and the other on a basketball scholarship at University of Manitoba.
In the 1980’s, Kraus realized she couldn’t play volleyball as she once had and decided to get back into golf, a game she played with her father as a child. She quickly picked up the game and competed for a number of years at a high level of play. Kraus says Western also helped her learn to push herself and when she decided she wanted to be involved in the LPGA, she rose to the challenge.
Today, Kraus is retired from teaching high school, and is a LPGA member and teaching professional living in Crystal Beach, near Niagara Falls.
Sandy Cooper-Ryder, BA’78
(Track & Field)
Having grown up in London, Sandy Cooper-Ryder knew Western had the best combination of academic and athletic excellence and was her first choice.
“I was very proud to be a Mustang,” say Cooper-Ryder, who was also a Canadian national team member and is still on the all-time Athletics Canada rankings in pentathlon, high jump and hurdles.
“Western supported me incredibly. Competing for the university was always a thrill and all of my teammates remain cherished friends.”
Today, Cooper-Ryder is the head of Physical and Health Education at Banting High School and has coached their track and field team for the past 20 years. She has been instrumental in winning eight overall OFSAA team titles and 12 Championship titles. Cooper-Ryder also launched the London Legion Track and Field Alliance.
Her hope is to continue to coach track and field and introduce a great sport to new young athletes. She will also be preparing high performance athletes for the World Junior Championships held in Canada next year.
Cooper-Ryder says her greatest accomplishment has been raising her two sons Jamie and Sean, with her husband, Joe.
“A family that runs together, has fun together,” says Cooper-Ryder.
Nancy O’Shea, BA’84, BEd’85 (Basketball)
Nancy O’Shea says it was a dream come true to be a part of the Western Women’s Basketball team, where she was named team captain and OWIAA All-Star four of the five years she played.
“I have cherished memories of my teammates, coaches and of the competition on the basketball court,” says O’Shea, who was also an assistant coach of the Mustang team in 1986 and 1987. “I made many friends and continue to have lifelong friendships with them.”
O’Shea continues to be involved in the sport today. She has been a teacher with the Thames Valley District School Board for 24 years and is currently the Health & Physical Education department head at Strathroy District Collegiate Institute, where she also coaches basketball.
She has also been a competitor in the Master’s Women’s Basketball league for almost 20 years and will be joining this team for the World Master’s Games in Sydney, Australia this month.
Even with all these accomplishments, O’Shea says she is most proud of her family – her husband of 24 years, Michael, and their three children – Carly, Tyler and Damon.
O’Shea notes the most important thing to do is “find your passions in life and do them.”
Nancy E. Wilson, BA’77
(Hockey)
One of Nancy Wilson’s fondest memories from her time on Western Women’s Varsity Hockey team was when they moved to the new Thompson Arena where they had their very own dressing room.
“We really thought that we’d hit the big times,” says Wilson.
“I had some wonderful role models when I was at Western,” adds Wilson. “The most influential was head coach Dr. Bill L’Heureaux. He not only taught me the game of hockey but the finer points of being a leader and being a responsible team player.”
Wilson took her skills as a team player and served with the RCMP for 25 years until her retirement in 2005. Today, she is the head coach for the University of British Columbia’s Women’s Hockey team, while also acting as provincial coach for BC Hockey and President and owner of a company called CNJ Lighting Solutions.
She notes she is very proud of her contribution to growing the women’s game in Canada at every level. A strong example of this is 19 years ago she launched the Centre Ice Female Hockey School. The school concentrates on teaching the skills of hockey with a heavy emphasis on life skills and healthy living.