Paralympian humbled by selection to Sask. shrine
Lisa franks marvels at how far she has progressed since april 19, 1996.
It was on that day that franks was diagnosed with an arteriovenous malformation, a condition that caused clusters of blood vessels to prevent blood from properly passing by her spinal cord. by the end of the day, franks — then 14 — was a paraplegic.
The moose jaw-born franks rebounded to become one of canada’s top wheelchair athletes, excelling in athletics and basketball.
On thursday, franks was introduced as one of five athletes who are to be inducted into the saskatchewan sports hall of fame. the class of 2018, which also includes a builder and team, will be officially inducted at the conexus arts centre on sept. 29.
“It’s heartwarming to think that 22 years ago i was wondering where i was going to end up,’’ franks said after thursday’s announcement. “now i am going into the hall of fame.’’
franks eventually regained use of her arms through therapy. during her rehabilitation, she was introduced to the wheelchair sports community.
“I had paralympians and provincial rugby players coming to visit me,’’ franks said. “i was in a rugby chair within two months of my injury.’’
pilot butte’s clayton gerein, who was inducted into the hall of fame in 2011 after he died in 2010, contributed to franks’ recovery.
gerein’s wife, ruth, was franks’ physiotherapist. that relationship led to clayton becoming her mentor, coach and friend. wife knew i was athletic and into sports,’’ franks said. “he came to my hospital room within a month and taught me how to get around curbs, how to get into cars, and things like that. it was about sports, but there were a lot of life lessons as well.’’
With gerein as her coach, franks would go on to shine in wheelchair athletics in the t52 division. she qualified for the 2000 summer paralympics in sydney, australia, where she won gold medals in the 200, 400, 800 and 1,500 metres and a silver medal in the 100m.
In athens in 2004, franks defended her gold medals in the 200m and 400m.
“Sydney was just an eye-opening experience because i was 18 and i had only been in a wheelchair for four years,’’ franks said. “that was a milestone to say, ‘i can still do this’ and i could still be an athlete and i could transition from a major upset in my life to achieve that.
“In athens, i wanted to defend my gold medal and to set world records. to do that was a testament to all of the hard work that clayton and i did that quadrennial.’’
Franks then focused on wheelchair basketball, a sport she had played since 1999. in 2006, she became the first saskatchewanian to make the national women’s team. in 2008, she was a member of canada’s fifth-place team at the summer paralympics in beijing.
Franks, 36, still plays wheelchair basketball with the provincial team and works as a mechanical engineer with stantec in saskatoon.
Despite all she has accomplished, franks is humbled by her induction into the hall of fame.
“this is an honour that i didn’t see coming so it made it even more special,’’ she said.
“it has given me a chance to reflect on my sporting career and to thank all of the people and organizations and family that have supported me to do what i loved to do for so long.’’
The other athletes being inducted are kim bergey kaip ( judo and wrestling), johnny gottselig (hockey), dick nash (rodeo) and dave pagan ( baseball). robert haver (rowing) is being inducted as builder.
Randy Woytowich’s mixed curling squad, which also consists of third kathy thiele, second brian mccusker and lead jan betker, is to be inducted as a team. woytowich and co. won the 1984 canadian mixed championship.