Fran Rider

Who is Fran Rider?

Fran Rider was one of the founders of the Ontario Women's Hockey Association. She began playing hockey in 1967 with the Brampton Canadettes, predecessor to the Brampton Thunder.

When the Ontario Women's Hockey Association was formed in 1975, Rider became the executive director. The Association was formed to generate interest in women's hockey. She helped to organize the unofficial Women's world hockey championship in 1987. She also helped to organize the 1990 Women’s World Championships with no financial support from the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. When Angela James was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 8, 2010, James said that without Rider, she would never have made it to the Hockey Hall of Fame.