Dr. Sandra Marie Schmirler, (Sandra Peterson) was born June 11, 1963 in Biggar, Saskatchewan and attended school there. Her team acquired six Provincial curling championships and three Canadian championships followed by three World Curling medals. Notable as a curling skip, her team achieved the gold medal during the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. Prior to these games, during a CBC-TV Sports interview she said, "I believe I've got it all...I've got everything I could possibly want in life right now. I have a daughter that I cherish. A husband that I love dearly and the sport of curling that has given me so much. I've got it all. I couldn't ask for anything more." She died March 3, 2000 from cancer at the age of 36. As a sign of respect, all provincial flags flew at half mast at each of the 1,000 government office locations.

Schmirler was raised with her two older sisters, Carol and Beverly, by Shirley and Art Schmirler. Following high school and a 1981 Saskatchewan high-school curling championship, Schmirler attended the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon earning her physical education degree there in 1985. Although remembered for her contributions in the sport of curling, Schmirler was an all-round athlete and played volleyball, badminton, softball and speed swimming in her school years. In 1987 she married Del Peterson whom she remained with for five years. In 1996, she married Shannon England with whom she had two daughters, Sara Marion, September 15, 1997, and Jenna Shirley, June 30, 1999.

Following the birth of her second child doctors determined a malignant chest tumour, and surgeons removed blood clots in the fall of 1999, She underwent further chemotherapy and radiation treatments for a cancerous tumour on her esphagus .

One of her first honourary achievements was to be inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1995.

Beginning in 1997, the Sandra Schmirler Most Valuable Player Award was bestowed upon other curlers.

It was in the spring of 1998, that The Schmirler Curling Team - Sandra Schmirler, Jan Betker, Anita Ford, Atina Ford, Marcia Gudereit, Joan McCusker- received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree bestowed by the University of Regina.

The Candian Press named the curling rink Team of the Year in 1998, followed by induction into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 1999. The paperback, "Gold on Ice: The Story of the Sandra Schmirler Curling Team" was published 1999.

Gate to Sandra Schmirler Olymic Gold Park

Within Biggar, the Olympic Gold Park was named in honour of Sandra Schmirler's gold medal accomplishments. The Schmirler curling team had received support from SaskPower, who $75,000 to the Sandra Schmirler Olympic Gold Park and sponsors the "Share the Gold" school tour program. In the provincial capital city of Regina the South East Leisure Club was renamed the Sandra Schmirler Leisure Centre. Sandra Schmirler Way has been designated as the roadway which approaches the Callie Curling Club where Schmirler's team practised curling.

The Saskatchewan Order of Merit was bestowed upon Schmirler in 2000. "The Queen of Curling: The Sandra Schmirler Story" is a biographical book published in 2000 by Perry Lefko and Schmirler's husband, England.

In 2001, the Sandra Schmirler Foundation was established to "care for babies in crisis" in her name. The CTV Sandra Schmirler Charity Golf Classic provides funding for the Dr. Sandra Schmirler Scholarship for students in Kinesiology and Health Studies. This golf tournament along with several others raise funds for the Sandra Schmirler Foundation.

The Anita Beckstead book published in 2002, Sharing The Memories: Schmirler Family Schmirler Family, Team & Park celebrates the accomplishments of Team Schmirler, honour "Sandra the Athlete", "Sandra the Curler" and The Sandra Schmirler Olympic Gold Park which became a "Living Breathing Legacy".

"Sandra Schmirler (Canadians)", a children's book of this curling hero was published in 2005. The CBC compiled a tribute to Schmirler in a video documentary entitled "Life & Times of Sandra Schmirler" which presents an interview with Schmirler, curling team mates, her friends and family.

In February of 2009, the World Curling Federation (WCF) announced that Schmirler was posthumously awarded the 2009 World Curling Freytag Award.

Shannon England, her late husband, has been chosen as a torchbearer for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay.

Team mates	Year	Competition	Achievement
Jan Betker, Joan McCusker (nee Inglis), Marcia Gudereit	1990-1991	Scott Tournament of Hearts	Fourth Place
Jan Betker, Joan McCusker (nee Inglis), Marcia Gudereit	1980	Scott Tournament of Hearts	National championship and World Championship
	1987	Saskatchewan Women's Provincial Curling	Championship
Team Peterson	1991	Saskatchewan Women's Provincial Curling	Championship
	1992	Saskatchewan Mixed Provincial Curling	Championship
	1993	Saskatchewan Women's Provincial Curling	Championship
Sandra Peterson, Jan Betker, Joan McCusker, Marcia Gudereit	1993	Geneva World Curling Championship	Gold and named Team of the Year by SaskSport
Sandra Peterson, Jan Betker, Joan McCusker, Marcia Gudereit, Anita Ford	1994	Oberstdorf World Curling Championship	Gold and Team of the Year by SaskSport.
Caledonian CC team Sandra Schmirler, Jan Betker, Joan McCusker, Marcia Gudereit	1997	Scott Tournament of Hearts	Winning team and Shot of the Week award for Schmirler
	1997	Saskatchewan Women's Provincial Championships
Sandra Schmirler, Jan Betker, Joan McCusker, Marcia Gudereit, Atina Ford	1997	Berne, Ford World Curling Championships	Gold
Jan Betker, Atina Ford, Marcia Gudereit, Joan McCusker, and Sandra Schmirler	1998	1998 XVIII Nagano, Japan Olympic Winter Games	Gold

Bibliography

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Young, Diana (June 2005). Sandra Schmirler (Canadians). Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited. ISBN 10: 1550415026, 13: 978-1550415025.