Fran Rider was one of the founders of the Ontario Women's Hockey Association. She began playing hockey in 1967 with the Brampton Canadettes, predecessor to the Brampton Thunder

Brampton Thunder

The Brampton Canadettes-Thunder is an ice hockey team in the Canadian Women's Hockey League. The Canadettes-Thunder play its home games at the Powerade Centre in Brampton, Ontario.-Team history:...

.

When the Ontario Women's Hockey Association was formed in 1975, Rider became the executive
director. The Association was formed to generate interest in women's hockey. She helped to organize the unofficial Women's world hockey championship in 1987. When Angela James

Angela James

Angela James is a Canadian former ice hockey forward, who played in the Central Ontario Women's Hockey League , and represented Team Canada internationally...

 was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame

Hockey Hall of Fame

The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...

on November 8, 2010, James said that without Rider, she would never have made it to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Accolades

• An award is named after her and is given to the silver medal-winning team at the Canadian Senior Women's National Championships. The award is known as the Fran Rider Cup.
• Of note, Rider was the first female recipient of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association's Award of Merit.
• The Ontario Hockey Association's Minor Hockey Service Award was given to Fran, and she was the first woman to claim that honour.
• OHA's Gold Stick Award
• Ontario Ministry of Culture and Citizenship's Contribution to Sport Award
• Mississauga Sports Hall of Fame (2001)