Fewer than 110 days until the start of the Paralympics in Milan-Cortina, wheelchair curler Collinda Joseph feels more confident and free shooting rocks, which are delivered using a stick rather than gliding along the ice.
Four years ago, she was more limited in her role as an alternate at the Beijing Games. The then-56-year-old appeared in one game, but helped Canada’s mixed team to a second consecutive bronze medal by offering feedback on how rocks were behaving on the ice to boosting her teammates’ spirits when they faced adversity.
Joseph had previously captured her first provincial championship in 2009 and secured her first Ontario title as a skip in 2016. She first represented Canada in 2019, the first of Joseph’s four world championship appearances.
In China, she quickly discovered the tough role of being an alternate.
“It’s tough because if you’re at that [Paralympic] level, you’re already a competitive person,” Joseph said Monday at CBC Sports headquarters in Toronto, where the Ottawa native was among five athletes named to Canada’s wheelchair curling squad for the March 6-15 Games in Italy.
“You want to be part of the team and be doing something you feel is a benefit to the team and part of a winning environment. Finding a way to do that as an alternate is incredibly difficult.”
This time, Joseph will be a starter as Canada’s lead, joining skip Mark Ideson, second Ina Forrest, third Jon Thurston and alternate Gilbert Dash, a multiple national champion making his Paralympic debut.
“Knowing that I’m named as the starting lead [for Milan-Cortina] leaves me in a position to be OK with some of the mistakes I make and any missed shots knowing I have another opportunity to make up for it. It’s a much more comforting feeling,” she said.
As an alternate, Joseph told CBC Sports, it’s easy to lose confidence when you’re not sure of your status for the next game.
Canada head coach Mick Lizmore noted in many ways these Games will feel like the first for Joseph and Thurston, also appearing at his second Paralympics, since they will experience it with family and friends. The Covid pandemic prevented Canadians from attending the 2022 Paralympics.
“As you get more exposure to a multi-sport Games, it becomes that much more comfortable to compete on the [world-class] stage,” Lizmore said. “I do see an individual in Collinda who’s feeling more comfortable having a second go-around.”
In the 2022 bronze-medal match, Thurston snuck the last stone past a guard for the takeout to score four in an 8-3 victory over Slovakia.
“He certainly seems like a player that’s been around for a while,” Lizmore said of the 41-year-old Thurston, from Dunsford, Ont. “Four years later, he’s in a place to be at a high level.”
Italy will be the fourth Paralympics and third in a row as skip for Ideson, who will celebrate his 50th birthday two months after the medals are awarded.
The 63-year-old Forrest is headed to her fifth Paralympics. She won gold in 2010 (Vancouver) and 2014 (Sochi, Russia) before adding bronze four years later in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Ideson described the Spallumcheen, B.C. native as “the leader on our team” who raises the game of her teammates. Forrest is also a co-captain of Canada’s 2026 Paralympic squad.
“I’ve learned so much from her. She’s the most professional person,” he said. “She puts in the hours, and when she says something, it’s worth listening to because it makes a lot of sense and it’s coming from a place of deep thought.
“Ina definitely leads by example and is a great person to be around. She loves to have fun and stay loose.”
There’s a good reason why the personable Forrest has returned for another Games.
“Beijing didn’t feel like the [Paralympics] to end on,” she said. “Family wasn’t there, and it wasn’t the experience you thought it would be for your last.”
Dash, who hails from Kipling, Sask., helped Canada to a silver medal in his 2023 worlds debut and has since added bronze and silver. He played second the first two tournaments and was skip this year.
The new-look Canadian squad has played 15 international matches together and might add 15 more before arriving in Milan-Cortina. On Tuesday, the athletes travel to Prague for another tournament.
“Get time together,” Ideson of London, Ont., said. “Time watching releases [of shots], time working on communication. We have good communication.”
Lizmore pointed out the team is a good mix of veteran talent and a close-knit group that cares a lot about each other.
“One of the fantastic things about the overall group is this relentless pursuit of the highest levels of performance,” the coach said. “They’re always looking to find a new way to get better.”
Canada, which has medalled in wheelchair curling at each Paralympics since 2006, opens the Milan-Cortina tourney March 7 against Italy.
