Fernie Swastikas

The Fernie Swastikas were a women's hockey team formed in 1922 in Fernie, British Columbia. The team adopted the swastika symbol, which prior to World War II was a common religious and sun sign. In 1923, they won the Alpine Cup at the Banff Winter Carnival by defeating the Calgary Regents and the Vancouver Amazons. The team's success led to a celebratory return home, including a RCMP escort and city-wide festivities.

The Swastikas' history began in Fernie with early games organized by Mary Dragon and Edith Biggs in 1918 and 1919. From these initial efforts, the best players formed the Fernie Ladies Hockey Team, which was renamed the Fernie Swastikas in 1922. The team's first recorded game against the Calgary Regents in 1920 ended in a loss, but they went on to win at the 1922 Calgary Winter Carnival.

In 1923, the Swastikas secured their most significant victory by defeating the Vancouver Amazons for the Alpine Cup. The team's prominence continued into the mid-1920s, but internal factors such as player departures and external changes in competition dynamics contributed to their decline. Their last appearance was in 1926 when they lost to the Edmonton Monarchs.

The Swastikas' legacy reflects early women's hockey in Canada and the symbolic use of the swastika in the early 20th century, though the team disbanded after their final competition.