Acknowledged as UBC's best female badminton player during the sport's era on campus, led UBC to championships and would later coach the team. Also an outstanding 'Bird basketball player. As a student she helped revitalize women's intramural sports at UBC.
Jean Eckhardt entered UBC's faculty of Arts in 1938 as an accomplished badminton, tennis and basketball player. She was the winner of the Canadian Junior singles tennis championship this year and was the singles semi-finalist at the Canadian badminton championships.
In 1939/40 Eckhardt turned out for and made the UBC women's basketball team coached by Bob Osborne. Teaming with Ruth Wilson as a guard on this team, Eckhardt helped the Blue and Gold register a successful season, advancing to the city playoffs. This same year, as a member of the UBC badminton team, she was crowned UBC women's badminton champion, winning the campus singles title. This 1939/40 edition of UBC's badminton team achieved a UBC first by winning the Vancouver and District team championship with Eckhardt leading the way taking both the women's singles and doubles titles.
In 1940/41, the "vivacious Jean Eckhardt, queen of the badminton court", as described by the Ubyssey, again participated on the Varsity badminton team in various tournaments held throughout the province. Among her accomplishments as UBC's "shining light" that year was winning the women's singles championship and finishing second in the doubles and mixed doubles at the Vancouver Island tournament. She also reached the singles finals at the BC Open championships and again was UBC's singles champion winning the campus title for the second time.
Although badminton claimed most of her attention this 1940/41 year she did play several games for the Varsity basketball team, joining Ruth Wilson and Jean Thomson as the team's top scorers during the playoffs. She also found time to compete in several archery tournaments both at the Varsity and Intramural levels.
In 1941/42 Eckhardt concentrated on badminton but also put a great deal of time into the organization and administration of women's sports on campus. As president of the Women's Athletic Association, she worked with Women's Athletic Director Gertrude Moore to design, manage and revitalize women's intramural sports. Due to war activities there was at this time a "big time sports" recession on campus, so intramurals played a major role. "Jeanie", as she was known to her friends, not only helped direct women's athletics but also served with UBC student government as Women's Athletic Advisor on council in 1941/42.
Eckhardt graduated from UBC in Arts in 1942, having received five Big Block awards for her success in badminton and basketball. For four years she was acknowledged as the campus' outstanding badminton player, contributor on two of the best UBC women's basketball teams of the era and a major catalyst in the increased athletic participation of women during the war years.
Through the 1940s and 1950's, Eckhardt, who married former UBC basketball star Jim Bardsley, saw her excellence in badminton and tennis reach new heights. In badminton alone she was three times the Vancouver City champion, three times the BC champion, twice the Canadian Masters singles champion and was the US Senior singles champion. In the early 1960s, UBC was fortunate to have this nationally acclaimed player return to campus to coach the school's badminton teams.
One of UBC's most successful athletes, Jean complimented her athletic ability with her contributions behind the scenes at the university, provincial and national levels.
According to Charlotte Warren, also a former outstanding UBC badminton player, Eckhardt Bardsley was "a superb racket person", "charming" and a "fine sport" and even at the peak of her career was always willing to spend time to help younger players."
Researched and written by Fred Hume, UBC Athletics Historian
