Marjory Shedd

Canada’s Marjory Shedd won her first Canadian Badminton Championship in 1953. She then dominated the sport for more than 20 years winning 44 provincial and 23 national titles (six singles, 12 doubles, five mixed doubles), including four national triple crowns and several Canadian Open Championships between 1953-72.

In the 1950s, the tall, southpaw playing Shedd from the Carleton Club in Toronto, was one of the few women to defeat American legend Margaret Varner in singles. Twice she reached the women’s singles semi-finals at the All England Championships (considered the unofficial world championships at the time). Shedd represented Canada in six Uber Cup competitions, including the first International Women’s Uber Cup in 1956-57, and played at the 1970 Commonwealth Games. An all-round athlete, Shedd was a member of two national championship basketball teams and several national volleyball teams playing for Team Canada in volleyball at the 1967 Pan American Games.

After her playing days were over, Shedd coached the University of Toronto volleyball team from 1964-74 and the badminton team from 1973-91. During her 28 year coaching career with the Varsity Blues, she captured seven league gold medals in volleyball and 13 Ontario medals in badminton (five gold, seven silver). Shedd was also a racquets instructor in the School of Physical and Health Education and the Lifestrides instruction program.

Shedd was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1970, Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1976, and the University of Toronto Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.