Recently, it occurred to me, this blog heaped a great
deal of attention on athletics in Elk River.
Unfortunately, the attention focused on men’s sports, specifically
football and basketball. It is time to
shift the focus and give attention to women in sports in Sherburne County.
Elk River Women's team, 1921 |
As early as 1921, several schools in and around Elk
River offered Women’s Basketball to the female students. Based upon the writing in the Elk River
yearbook the women of Elk River presented a relatively new sport to the student
body. The description of the Elk River team noted “inexperienced” players for the
team. In addition, the yearbooks writers
reported “a lack of a suitable place in which to practice.” In spite of these shortcomings, the Elk River
team posted a 2 and 3 record, facing Anoka, Princeton, Buffalo, and Monticello.
The women of Elk River continued to build on their
experience. Women’s Basketball became a
regular part of the offering at the High School. By 1926, the team scheduled a 13-game season,
adding games against Big Lake, Osseo, and St. Francis, posting a 9 and 4
record.
Elk River Women, 1926 |
With the coming economic depression in the 1930s, some
schools dropped women’s sports. Elk
River offered a replacement to this with intramural sports. The school promoted play in soccer,
basketball, volleyball, and kittenball.
Organized, league play, returned to Elk River in the 1950s.
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