Who would have guessed that the youngest child of Art and Shirley Schmirler would be the first Canadian women's skip to win Canada's first Olympic Gold medal in 1998? Who would have also guessed that she would soon be fighting the fight of her life after this Olympic Gold medal? With poise, determination and courage she is someone that anyone could look up to.
             She was born June 11th 1963 with a club foot and had to wear a cast for two months. Her sisters Beverly and Carol often made fun of her while they grew up in Biggar, Saskatchewan. Known as 'Schmirler the Curler' but many prefer to call her Sandra Schmirler.
             Sandra's curling career began in grade seven. She continued curling through high school and was rewarded with winning the high school provincial title in grade twelve. Once she graduated she enrolled in computer science at the University of Saskatchewan in 1981. During this year she found it that she didn't enjoy her program so the next year she changed her program to Physical Education. During her time in University, she struggled to balance curling and school work. Although the balance was difficult, she still managed to play in many bonspiels against many world known curlers. It is often that you will see a curler trying to balance school work and curling, it takes a lot of organization and skill to pull them both off.
             Once she graduated from University in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education she moved to Regina to begin work and to extend her curling career. Sandra was asked to join a team immediately. This team was composed of the skip Kathy Fahlam, Jan Betker and Shelia Schneider. They won the 1987 provincials and went on to the Scott Tournament of Hearts (Scotts). The Scotts are the Canadian Championships for curling. As quick as Sandra found a curling team, she found employment as a lifeguard and swimming lesson instructor at the North West Leisure Center. This ...