Schuurman was the third daughter in a family of educators – her father was the principal of an elementary school. In her early years she trained in athletics in summers and in gymnastics in winters. In 1929 she won her first athletics competition and in 1930 set her first national and world records in the 100 m at 12.0 s. The same year she won two silver medals in the sprint at the 1930 Women's World Games.