A lifelong competitor and coach of speed skating, Henrietta Goplen was born in Saskatoon on July 14, 1932. At age 10, she joined the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club and over the years participated in numerous city, provincial, and national championships. A freelance Home Economist by profession, Goplen devoted much of her time to coaching and developing some of Canada’s best competitive speed skaters. She served as president of the Canadian Amateur Speed Skating Association and was a founding member and director of the Saskatoon Hall of Fame. In recognition of her contributions to amateur sport, Goplen was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 2003.
Canadian Plains Research Center