(Ottawa, Ont.) Wheelchair Basketball Canada is thrilled to congratulate legendary wheelchair basketball coach Tim Frick on his appointment to the Order of Canada. A native of Pender Island, B.C., Frick was among those named as a member to the Order of Canada on Friday in recognition of his coaching excellence and contributions to parasport.
“This is yet another outstanding accomplishment for one of the most decorated coaches and remarkable individuals in Canadian sport,” said Wheelchair Basketball Canada Executive Director Wendy Gittens. “Tim is a true innovator, builder and advocate who has shaped the game of wheelchair basketball for more than three decades.
“He is tirelessly committed to sharing his passion and knowledge for the game, and he has singlehandedly inspired a generation of athletes and coaches to pursue their potential on and off the court. Tim is most deserving of this honour and we join the Canadian sport community in saluting him on his appointment to the Order of Canada.”
The Order of Canada recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation by individuals from all sectors of Canadian society.
As a coach, Frick led the Canadian Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team to one of the most dominant runs in Canadian amateur sport. Under his guidance, Team Canada won an unparalleled three consecutive Paralympic gold medals and four straight world championship titles between 1992 and 2006. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest wheelchair basketball coaches of all-time.
Frick was the first Paralympic coach to be inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame, the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame, the Wheelchair Basketball Canada Hall of Fame and the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame, as well as a recipient of the Coaching Association of Canada’s Geoff Gowan Lifetime Achievement Award.
About Wheelchair Basketball Canada
Wheelchair Basketball Canada is the national sports governing body responsible for the organization of the sport in Canada. It is a non-profit, charitable organization that is committed to excellence in the development, support and promotion of wheelchair basketball programs and services for all Canadians from grassroots to high performance. Wheelchair basketball is a fast-paced, hard-hitting, competitive sport in which Canada is held in high esteem around the world for winning a combined six gold, one silver, and one bronze medal in the last seven Paralympic Games.