Curling Canada has announced the recipients of its inaugural Wheelchair Curling Sport Leadership Award, created to honour individuals whose dedication and contributions have shaped the growth of wheelchair curling across the country. Among the first honourees is Dixie’s Shauna Petrie, recognized posthumously for her decades of leadership, advocacy, and mentorship. Shauna began her curling journey in 2008 at the encouragement of fellow curler Carl Bax, and joined the Dixie Curling Centre in 2015. Despite disliking the cold, she embraced the sport wholeheartedly organizing “Give It a Go” workshops across southern Ontario, hosting international wheelchair curling bonspiels, and championing opportunities for athletes with disabilities. Her impact was so significant that she was also awarded the OCA Builders Award posthumously for her work in expanding participation.
This new national award reflects the spirit of people like Shauna whose generosity, determination, and vision have opened doors for countless athletes and helped wheelchair curling flourish across Canada. Her legacy is felt not only in the athletes she supported, but in the community she helped build, one defined by inclusion, encouragement, and possibility. We invite you to read the full tribute and learn more about Shauna’s remarkable contributions, as well as those of fellow 2026 recipients Tom Ward and Devin Heroux.
Curling Canada announces recipients of inaugural Wheelchair Curling Sport Leadership Award
