By Michael Bennett
Local Journalism Initiative
The Ridgetown Independent News
Dr. Margery Holman has earned a number of accolades and awards over her 50-plus-year career as a coach, professor, and administrator. These honour her advocacy for equity and eliminating harassment and abuse in sports.
Holman, who was born and raised in Ridgetown, received her most prestigious honour recently when she was named to the Order of Ontario.
“It was a total shock and very humbling because there are so many people who have done so many good things,” she said.
Holman, who lives in LaSalle, is one of 29 recipients of the province’s highest civilian honour for outstanding achievements.
The Order of Ontario is reserved for exceptional individuals who have made a lasting impact on the province, country, and world.
“I would call this the culmination of pulling everything together I’ve done that is meaningful to me throughout my career,” Holman said of the Order of Ontario honour.
In her Order of Ontario bio, Holman “spent over 50 years improving the Canadian sport landscape by challenging unethical and inequitable conditions, initiating change, and creatively mentoring others to co-create the wide-ranging opportunities for girls and women in sport today.
“Through relentless efforts, she addressed systemic inequities in sport, including sexual harassment, abuse, and hazing, while creating ethical, equitable alternative practices.
“Dr. Holman has impacted thousands of students, athletes, coaches, and colleagues, who look to her as their mentor on ‘safe sport’ practices locally and internationally,” the statement read.
Holman attended elementary and secondary school in Ridgetown, graduating from Ridgetown District High School in 1965. She then attended the University of Windsor from 1965-69, where she had the distinction of being in the first graduating Physical & Health Education class while also obtaining her Bachelor of Arts degree.
After graduating, she taught at Kennedy Collegiate in Windsor for one year before returning to the University of Windsor to teach in the kinesiology department, where she taught for 42 years while also coaching the Lancers’ women’s volleyball team for 21 years and serving 18 years as the university’s first director of women’s sports.
While she was teaching and coaching at Windsor, Holman earned a Master of Education degree from Wayne State University and her doctorate from Michigan State University in 1993.
Holman created a landmark course on Gender in Sport and Physical Activity, developed the first employment equity office, and created the university’s first sexual harassment policy.
Her emphasis on harassment and abuse in sport, along with hazing education and prevention, led to an International Olympic Committee appointment.
Last spring, Holman was one of six honourees by the May Court Club of Chatham for the 2024 Women of Excellence Awards.
Holman and the 28 other Order of Ontario recipients will be honoured at a ceremony in Toronto later this year.
