Sandy (Kirstein) Wright

Steadfast Love of Sports,
Continuous and Dedicated Service

Sandy has been recognized for her outstanding athletic talent and strong leadership qualities. A graduate of Wetaskiwin Composite High School and the University of Alberta, her participation and achievements have been in several sports and on a variety of levels, as an athlete and coach as well as serving in several executive capacities. She made exceptional contributions to sport at the University of Alberta, in Edmonton, in the County of Wetaskiwin, the Province of Alberta and in Canada.

Basketball

Her skills on the basketball court helped the Wetaskiwin Composite High School Girls Team to win League Championships in 1958 - 1959, 1959 - 1960. She made the Pandas Basketball team in her freshman year. The Pandas won co-championships in WCIAA in 1961-62 and 1962-63. and the Edmonton City Ladies Basketball Championships in 1961-62. In her fourth year with the Pandas she was selected as co-captain. Upon graduation from the U of A Sandy joined the Jasperettes Senior Ladies Basketball team and helped them to win the Provincial Championship and a fourth place finish in Canadian competition in the 1964-65 season. Another Provincial Championship in 1967 earned them the right to represent Alberta at the first Canada Winter Games.

Golf

Sandy’s parents encouraged her participation in golf at an early age and she has excelled in this sport throughout her lifetime. She was the Wetaskiwin Ladies Golf Club champion 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, the Open Ladies champion at Wetaskiwin in 1963, then at Ponoka and Lacombe in 1964. At the U of A, Sandy was on the University’s Women/Men’s Golf team during 1960 - 1961, 1962 - 1963, and 1963 –1964 seasons. In 1964 she was a member of the Alberta Ladies Golf Team. In all, Sandy has won 20 golf championships.

She has been coaching junior golfers from Wetaskiwin and County at Black Bull Golf Resort since 1989 where she has also been volunteer Director of the Junior Golf Program, a statement about her commitment to and love of golf. Sandy taught over two thousand children how to golf and since some years the program had over 100 kids enrolled, Sandy took the initiative to create a leadership program to teach the older students how to instruct the younger ones.

Diving and Swimming

Her skills in the water started with programs in Wetaskiwin and during her first year at the U of A she made the U of A Panda Diving Team. Sandy was awarded the Royal Life Saving Society Diploma Award for Excellence in Swimming in 1964, and a Royal Life Saving Service Award in 1968.

Curling

Sandy excelled in curling as well. Her Royal Glenora Ladies team represented the Edmonton area in the Northern Alberta Championships and then in 1981, Sandy was club champion at the Balmoral Curling Club as well as Edmonton City Champion. She was a winner at the Northern Alberta Ladies Curling Association Ladies Bonspiel in 1982.

Coaching

After receiving her B.Ed. in Physical Education Sandy began teaching in Edmonton Public Schools. She became very involved in coaching at both High School and Community levels. Her teams won City of Edmonton Championships in volleyball, diving, and track and field athletics, and while coaching at M.E. LaZerte her Girls' Basketball teams won both the City and Provincial Championships in 1973-74 and they won the City Championships again in 1974 -1975.

Executive Positions in a Lifetime of Service

For her substantial involvement she won the University’s WAA Major Executive Award. A steadfast love of sports lead Sandy to make a significant contribution to sport at executive levels within several sports organizations and clubs.
To name just a few sports related commitments:
- President of the Women’s Athletic Association (WAA) while at the U of A
- U of A Athletic Board and the Student’s Union
- President of Alberta Gymnastics Federation

Highlights of Achievements

Besides her induction into the Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall of Fame in March of 2006 Sandy has also received the following awards:
1963 - Women’s Athletic Association Major Athletic award
1964 - U of A Bakewall Trophy - Most Outstanding Female Athlete
1964 - Royal Life Saving Society Diploma
1968 - Royal Life Saving Society - Service Award
1986 - Order of the Voyageurs for outstanding contributions to M.E. LaZerte High School.
2004 - Certification of Golf Teaching Professional from Canadian Teachers Federation
2006 - U of A - Sports Wall of Fame

Notes since induction year:

After graduating in 1964 from the U of A with a BEd degree, Sandy taught high school physical education, outdoor education, and science with the Edmonton Public School Board, North Vancouver and Bennett Environmental Education Centre in Edmonton. She married, raised a family, too.

All through her career and retirement years, Sandy's drive and commitment to sports and community has been evident.

Sandy has assumed some challenging responsibilities in both the City and County. Just to name two: since her Induction in 2006 she has been an instrumental force in the successes of the Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall of Fame as well as organizing two impressive Wetaskiwin Composite High School Reunions involving 15 graduation years. These reunions have been described as flawless and so awesome the attendees are clamouring for a third. Like everything else she has committed to, even in her eighth decade she will find the time and energy to do it.

Sandy is a remarkable human being. She has turned her talents and generosity into a force for inspiring young people, bringing people together, and influencing youth and seniors into leading healthy active lives.

Simply but one of the reasons that in 2023 she was honoured with induction into Alberta's Women of Aspenland Exhibit at the Wetaskiwin District Heritage Museum Centre. This is an annual event that celebrates Women's History in Central Alberta and Sandy Kirstein Wright who is humbled by such honors deserves it.

The Wetaskiwin and District Sports Hall of Fame congratulates her.