Lisa Franks
Biography
Sports have always been a part of Lisa Franks’ life. A very rare condition, arteriovenous malformation that caused paralysis from her waist down, did not change her ambition of wanting to become a great athlete.
Before competing in wheelchair basketball, she was a Paralympic wheelchair racer. In racing, she won two gold medals at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games, and four gold medals and one silver medal at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games.
She has always had a passion for basketball; one of her earliest sporting memories is spending countless hours as a child throwing baskets on her driveway.
She began playing wheelchair basketball competitively in 1999. In 2005, she joined the Canadian women’s national wheelchair basketball team as an alternate, and in 2006 she became the first woman from Saskatchewan to be named to the team. That season she won a gold medal at the 2006 world championship with Team Canada. She also represented Canada in wheelchair basketball at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.
She retired from the national team after the 2008 season. She has since focused her attention on coaching in Saskatchewan.
Her personal motto is: “Turn your obstacles into opportunities and keep a positive attitude.”
Interesting Facts
- She won a combined six gold medals and one silver medal in wheelchair racing at the Paralympic Games in 2000 and 2004
- She became the first woman from Saskatchewan to make the Senior Women’s National Wheelchair Basketball Team in 2006
Awards / Highlights
- Inducted into Moose Jaw Sports Hall of Fame (2015)
- Seven-time Paralympic medalist in wheelchair racing and world champion in wheelchair basketball
- Coached Team Saskatchewan to its first podium finish (bronze) at the 2015 CWBL Women’s National Championship
- Named Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association (CWSA) Female Athlete of the Year for athletics (2000)
- Named Saskatchewan Youth Athlete of the Year (1998)
Major International Competition
Tournament | Other | |||
Paralympic Games: 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5th (’08) |
World Championships: 1 | 1 (’06) | 0 | 0 | – |
Statistics
Paralympic Games
Year | GP | Min | M/G | Field Goals | 3Pts | Free Throws | Rebounds | AS | TO | ST | BS | PF | FO | PTS | P/G | |||||
M/A | % | M/A | % | M/A | % | OR | DR | TOT | ||||||||||||
2008 | 7 | 82 | 11:44 | 2/6 | 33 | 0/0 | – | 1/2 | 50 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 0.7 |
TOTAL | 7 | 82 | 11:44 | 2/6 | 33 | 0/0 | – | 1/2 | 50 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 0.7 |
World Championships
Year | GP | Min | M/G | Field Goals | 3 Pts | Free Throws | Rebounds | AS | TO | ST | BS | PF | FO | PTS | P/G | |||||
M/A | % | M/A | % | M/A | % | OR | DR | TOT | ||||||||||||
2006 | 6 | 30 | 4:59 | 1/1 | 100 | 0/0 | – | 0/0 | – | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | – | 2 | 0.3 |
TOTAL | 6 | 30 | 4:59 | 1/1 | 100 | 0/0 | – | 0/0 | – | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | – | 2 | 0.3 |
Legend: GP = Games Played; Min = Minutes; M/G = Minutes per Game; M/A = Made / Attempted; OR = Offensive Rebounds; DR = Defensive Rebounds; TOT = Total; AS = Assists; TO = Turn Overs; ST = Steals; BS = Blocked Shots;PF = Personal Foul; FO = Foul On; PTS = Points; P/G = Points per Game
Competitive Experience
Level | Team | Location | Year(s) |
International | Canada (SWNT) | Canada | 2006-2008 |
Club (domestic) | Club ’99 | Saskatchewan | – |
Club (domestic) | Edmonton Aurora Lights | Alberta | – |
Career Notes
2008: 5th place at Paralympic Games in Beijing, China (Team Canada)… 3rd place at North American Cup in Birmingham, Alabama (Team Canada)… 1st place at Good Luck Beijing Invitational Tournament in Beijing, China (Team Canada)… 6th place at CWBL National Championship with Club ’99 in Regina, Sask. (domestic)… 4th place at the National Championship with Team Saskatchewan and named All-Star in Vancouver, B.C. (domestic)…
2007: 2nd place at Parapan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Team Canada)… 3rd place at 4 Nations Tournament in Sydney, Australia (Team Canada)… 1st place at Osaka Cup in Osaka, Japan (Team Canada)…
2006: 1st place at World Championships in Amsterdam, Netherlands (Team Canada)… 3rd place at Roosevelt Cup Tournament in Warm Springs, Georgia (Team Canada)…
2003: 7th place at Canada Games with Team Saskatchewan in Bathurst-Campbelltown, N.B. (domestic)…
1999: 7th place at Canada Games with Team Saskatchewan in Corner Brook, N.L. (domestic)… Competed at CWBL Women’s National Championship for Team Saskatchewan in Calgary, Alta. (domestic)…