Ina Forrest, who has won multiple gold medals and world championships in wheelchair curling for Canada, is presented with the Tim Hortons North Okanagan Athlete of the Year trophy by selection committee member Ann Holmes (left) and Tim Hortons owner Dan Currie (right). Ina's husband, Curtis Forrest, is helping hold the trophy. (Pete McIntyre / Vernon Matters photo)

By Pete McIntyre

Best in local sports

One of world’s best named Tim Hortons athlete of year

Jun 17, 2022 | 9:00 PM

One of Canada’s most decorated wheelchair curlers has been chosen as the Tim Hortons North Okanagan Athlete of the Year.

Ina Forrest was Canada’s co-flag bearer for the opening ceremony of the 2022 Paralympics in Beijing in March and later helped her team win the bronze medal in wheelchair curling.

Forrest, a Spallumcheen resident, was also a member of Canada’s gold medal winning teams at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Paralympics, and won bronze in 2018 in PyeongChang. She is also a three-time gold medal winner on Canadian teams at the World Wheelchair Curling Championships in 2009, 2011 and 2013.

The 60-year old was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 2016.

Forrest, a married mother of three children, was paralyzed after being hit by a drunk driver at age 21. She began curling in 2004 after being encouraged to give it a try by a local wheelchair curler, and she loved it.

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Forrest said the award made her reflect on all the support she has had over the years.

“From my family, from my long-term, 18-year coach, Sharon [Morrison] who has been with me the whole time; all the teammates I’ve had over the years and coaches and support staff,” Forrest told those on hand for the ceremony outside Vernon City Hall on Friday, June 17.

“We win and lose as a team, so it’s always team work that makes us get ahead,” she added.

Forrest pointed out she wasn’t feeling “terribly high performance” at the ceremony as she had just had carpal tunnel surgery.

The Seaton Sonics senior girls volleyball team was named Team of the Year after winning the silver medal at the provincial championships.

Several team members, and coach Troy Lorenson, were on hand to accept the award.

Members of the Seaton Sonics senior girls volleyball team who won the Team of the Year award with committee selection chair Jack Gilroy at left and Tim Hortons owner Dan Currie at right. (Pete McIntyre/Vernon Matters photo)

Sharon Morrison captured the Leadership in Sport award. She is Ina Forrest’s ‘home” coach, with a long history in the sport including as a player, coach and official.

Ann Holmes, selection committee member, talked about Morrison’s legacy.

“Anybody who has followed curling knows that Sharon has done a ton of stuff for curling. She’s travelled all over the world teaching curling; in little arenas and on curling ice. She’s made sure that people who do officiating in curling are trained very, very well. She’s an awesome person. She does it for everybody else,” Holmes remarked.

Holmes said Morrison cried when she was told she had won the award.

“She said to be ‘I have never won an award,’ and when we had our selection committee meeting, that was one of the things that Dan [Currie of Tim Hortons] said, is that people who are in the background need to be recognized,” Holmes said.

Athlete of the Year, Ina Forrest, with her 18-year curling coach, Sharon Morrison, who won the Tim Hortons Leadership in Sport award. (Pete McIntyre/Vernon Matters photo)

Morrison thanked Tim Hortons owner Dan Currie for the company’s products.

“Because anyone who knows anything about curling, knows we couldn’t exist without a Tim Hortons.”

Morrison said she has travelled to 15 countries for curling activities.

“I have been very lucky. This has been a great sport because it’s a team sport.”

Morrison called Forrest her all-time favourite curler.

“It’s a pretty difficult sport, but if you’re sitting in a wheelchair, it’s even harder,” said Morrison.

It was the 28th annual presentation of the awards.

A panel of media and sports community leaders, and Tim Hortons’ owner Dan Currie, chose the winners.

The panel, which had dozens of nominees to consider, also includes chairperson Jack Gilroy, John Topping, Ann Holmes, Roger Knox Kevin Mitchell and Pete McIntyre.