CBC Digital Archives

1998 Nagano Olympics: Team Schmirler

On skates and skis and snowboards, Canadians are nothing short of spectacular. From cocky snowboarder Ross Rebagliati to shy speed skater Gaétan Boucher to prairie girl Sandra Schmirler, Canada has groomed some of the finest winter athletes to take the world stage. CBC Archives presents a selection of Canada's golden winter Olympians.

"It's just such a rainbow of emotions," explains curling champion Joan McCusker of her trip up the podium at the 1998 Nagano Olympics. McCusker and her teammates -- skip Sandra Schmirler, Jan Betker, Marcia Gudereit and Atina Ford -- skillfully swept the competition away to win Olympic gold. Canadians readily identify with Team Schmirler -- a happy group of friends and mothers from the prairie heartland. In this CBC Television documentary, the golden girls discuss their win and their warm homecoming.
. The Schmirler rink won three Canadian championships and three world titles in 1993, 1994 and 1997. In 1997, Team Schmirler won a place on Team Canada at the Canadian Olympic trials. Just a few weeks earlier, Schmirler had given birth to her daughter Sara, and several rounds had to be postponed to allow Schmirler to breastfeed her newborn.
. In 1998, the Schmirler rink was named the team of the year by the Canadian Press.

. Sandra Schmirler was born on June 11, 1963, in Biggar, Sask., to Art and Shirley Schmirler. With her second husband Shannon England, Schmirler had two daughters Sara and Jenna.
. In August 1999, just two months after the birth of her second daughter Jenna, Schmirler was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus.

. In April 2000, a determined but ailing Schmirler attended the Canadian junior championship in Moncton. At a news conference, Schmirler showed her steely resolve and renewed perspective. "I now know losing a curling game isn't the end of the world," she said.
. Schmirler sent a message to the players at the Scott Tournament of Hearts indicating that she'd meet them again in competition in the following year. Four days later, Canadians were saddened to hear that Schmirler had passed away at the age of 36.

. The first day of every national championship has been designated Sandra Schmirler day.
. In 2000, Jan Betker, Joan McCusker and Marcia Gudereit returned to the curling rink and played under Calgary skip Shannon Kleibrink. In February 2003, the team replaced Kleibrink with Betker as skip. Sherry Linton was recruited as the third. "I had the feeling it was time," Betker told the Winnipeg Free Press. "Time to start a new team, something fresh and new team dynamics."
Medium: Television
Stock-shot
Program: Life & Times
Broadcast Date: Jan. 22, 2002
Guest(s): Jan Betker, Joan McCusker, Sandra Schmirler
Narrator: Albert Schultz
Duration: 1:12

Last updated: February 13, 2012

Page consulted on April 2, 2013

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