Inducted in 2018<\/h3>\n\n
Hometown: Hull, Qu\u00e9bec<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
Category: Athlete<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/s3.us-east-1.wasabisys.com\/racquetball-canada\/2022\/06\/jYiSUyb1-IMG_8306.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div><\/div>Accomplishments<\/h2>
Jos\u00e9e Grand’Ma\u00eetre has an unparalleled history in the sport of racquetball in Canada.<\/p>
Over the span of her twenty-seven year career, Grand\u2019Ma\u00eetre competed thirty-nine times internationally for Canada, giving her the record for the national team member with the most international appearances. She retired as the longest standing member of Racquetball Canada\u2019s National Team.<\/p>
As a member the national team, Grand\u2019Ma\u00eetre amassed forty-five podium finishes at the international level, many of which were won at the World Championship level. She first represented Canada internationally at the 1988 World Championships where she won silver in Women\u2019s Doubles and the Women\u2019s Team Event, as well as the silver medal won by the Overall Team. She is the only Canadian female athlete to have competed in four Pan Am Games where she contributed to Canada’s success with medals at three of those Games, including a bronze in Women\u2019s Doubles in 2003.<\/p>
Grand\u2019Ma\u00eetre is a three-time Canadian Women\u2019s Open singles champion, but she was a true force in doubles, having won the Canadian Women\u2019s Open doubles title a record fifteen times. In total she had forty-one podium finishes in Open singles and doubles events at the Canadian Championships over a span of twenty-eight years, winning 18 gold, 13 silver and 10 bronze medals.<\/p>
As a veteran player, Grand\u2019Ma\u00eetre\u2019s greatest strength was her exceptional game strategy. She was particularly skilled at using the angles of the court and had great control, changing up shots from power to finesse to throw off her opponents. Strategic play was a key factor in Grand\u2019Ma\u00eetre being ranked 3rd in Canada for several years.<\/p>
Grand\u2019Ma\u00eetre developed a very diverse approach to competition, which could be offensive or defensive based on the opponent she faced. She was excellent at adapting to the playing style of her different doubles partners, which was evidenced by the fact that she won her Women\u2019s Open Doubles titles at the Canadian Championships with six different partners and had international podium results with nine different partners.<\/p>
Among the national team ranks, Grand\u2019Ma\u00eetre was respected as a great champion and a true team player. She was a positive role model, showing other athletes how to succeed through leadership and dedication to the sport. Her consistency and professionalism paved the way for Team Canada\u2019s success.<\/p>
In addition to Grand’Ma\u00eetre’s athletic achievements, she has supported the growth of the sport as a coach, athlete mentor and representative. As a NCCP Level III coach, she was the Team Canada Coach at eight Junior World Championships and also coached Team Qu\u00e9bec at the 1991 Canada Games. She also contributed to the development of the sport as the athlete representative on Racquetball Canada’s High Performance Committee for several years. Grand\u2019Maitre was recognized by Racquetball Canada for her contributions as the recipient of the Women\u2019s Award (now the Susan Livingston Award) in 2005.<\/p>
Grand\u2019Ma\u00eetre has strong ties to sport beyond her athletic career. She works with the Canadian Olympic Committee where she supports Canada\u2019s athletes. Prior to that she worked with Institut national du sport du Qu\u00e9bec for 17 years.<\/p>
Grand\u2019Ma\u00eetre last competed internationally in 2014 where she won a bronze medal at the Pan Am Championships in women\u2019s doubles. She officially announced her retirement in 2015. Thanks to her professional attitude and her commitment to training and competition, Grand\u2019Ma\u00eetre remains a model for Canadian athletes and coaches who follow in her footsteps.<\/p>