Joyce Slipp (Douthwright)

Biography

Joyce Slipp (nee Douthwright) was captain and starting point guard of Canada’s first-ever women’s Olympic basketball team at Montréal 1976. One of her greatest sporting memories was entering Olympic Stadium last as the host nation in the Parade of Nations and seeing and hearing thousands of people greeting the Canadian team for her entire walk around the stadium.

Raised in Gunningsville, New Brunswick, 80km south of Moncton, Slipp was a member of the Canadian national team from 1969-76. She competed at the 1970 World Championships, 1971 Pan American Games and 1971 World Student Games, where she was the top scorer. A talented multi-sport athlete, at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) Slipp was a member of the varsity women’s basketball and field hockey teams (receiving Maritime all-star status). In 1974, she was awarded the Colin B. Mackay Shield as the UNB Female Athlete of the Year. Slipp graduated with a Bachelor of Physical Education and a Bachelor of Arts degree from UNB in 1972 and 1974, respectively.

After her playing days were over, Slipp became a lecturer in the department of Physical Education at UNB, coach of both the basketball (1976-80, 1995-2006) and field hockey teams, and eventually went on to serve as UNB’s assistant athletic director. She was twice named Atlantic Union Athletic Associations Coach of the Year (1976, 1999) and twice CIAU Coach of the Year in field hockey (1986, 1989). In 1992, the women’s field hockey rookie of the year award was renamed in her honour. She married Dick Slipp and together their family began a rich tradition in basketball. He also played for UNB and served as an assistant coach under his wife. Their son Tyler was a long-time coach at the provincial, national and university level.

Slipp was inducted into the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame in 1992, the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.