Hall of Fame
If you asked Ellen Hawver why she became interested in sports at a time when women were not encouraged to participated, she’d probably have answered, “Because I was an athlete and I loved sports.” That love of sports did not diminish through the decades as an athlete, official and as a Health, Physical Education & Athletic Administrator. Her life was devoted to giving opportunities to those who might have been deterred from taking part in sport. Ms. Hawver was a true ambassador and advocate for sports, spreading the word to those with limited opportunities or enlightenment.
While today we think little about honoring female athletes it was not always this way. It is because of the tireless and selfless efforts of forward thinking pioneers like Ellen Hawver.
Ellen graduated from Fairport High School and Ithaca College (1941). As an athlete, she was a standout in field hockey (Mideast Team for 12 years and an Honorable Mention on the 1955 US Team) as well as great credentials in fast pitch softball, basketball and tennis.
Ellen was inducted into the Ithaca College (1980) and Monroe County (1990) Sports Halls of Fame.
As the Assistant Director of the Rochester City Schools Health, Physical Education and Athletics Department from 1959 to 1976, she was a major force in bringing about girls’ interscholastic sports and organizing sectional competition. In 1972 a well-meaning colleague quipped to Ellen that he could see girls in sectional competition in at least 10 years. Ellen responded respectfully, “we’re going to have them THIS year.” In fact, there was field hockey sectionals that year followed closely by basketball and volleyball. The rest is history…
Ms. Hawver became the first woman Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics in 1976 and continued in that position until her retirement in 1981.
Ellen Hawver is a true pioneer in promoting girls’ athletics not only in Section V but across this state and nation wide.
Ellen passed away April 21, 2007.