About Dr. Arlene

Arlene was a teacher, coach and administrator at Bishop Carroll, Bishop Grandin and St. Mary’s High Schools during the late 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. A strong advocate of womens’ rights and equal opportunity for girls in athletics (particularly in basketball), Arlene worked hard and with a passion to bring this about. She ultimately was very successful in this cause. Arlene was one of two girls coaches (the other one being Lawrence King) making a motion at the Board of Governors meeting in 1973 that allowed the girls to finally join the boys in the North/South Selects Game as part of the format in January of 1974. The boys had played the previous two years, with the Calgary Stampeders and Calgary Police teams being featured in a preliminary game. Arlene was a diligent coach who worked hard on fundamentals and believed in the concept that the individual was important, but the team came first. Her hard work brought her several City Championships in junior and senior girls basketball. She ended her career in Calgary as an Assistant Principal and senior girls basketball coach at St. Mary’s High School, and has retired to White Rock, BC, so she can be closer to her children and grandchildren.