London, ON - On the world's biggest athletic stage - the Olympics - the nation's best athletes face their competitors with the same fire, nerves and fierce desire to earn a place on the podium for their country. Mark Ideson, BSc'99, knows this as well as anyone. The Western Mustangs graduate and his teammates are in Milano-Cortina to prove it again, representing Canada in Paralympic wheelchair curling at the 2026 Winter Games. 

London resident and Western grad Mark Ideson has served as the skip for the Canadian wheelchair curling team since the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. (Submitted)

Ideson's fourth Paralympics marks yet another milestone in a journey that saw him progress from novice to national team member in just three years before going on to claim three Paralympic medals and multiple podium finishes at world championships. The veteran skip plays an important role in securing Canada's place among the top three nations in wheelchair curling. Yet his path to international sport once seemed impossible. 

In a 2007 helicopter crash near Cambridge, Ont., he suffered over two dozen fractures throughout his body, including two broken bones in his neck. 

"When I first woke up in the hospital from an induced coma, I literally couldn't move anything on my body, except for my head," Ideson recalled. 

Ideson was diagnosed with quadriplegia, though he recovered some mobility in his upper body through inpatient rehabilitation at Parkwood Hospital in London, Ont. There, he met Dave Willsie, a five-time Paralympian who introduced him to wheelchair rugby, a high-intensity, full-contact sport.  

"That sparked the hope that sport might be possible again," Ideson said. "With Dave's inspiration, I learned to play wheelchair rugby, but it was more than just a sport – it was a community of like-minded people living in similar situations. They really helped me grow." 

Strength through community after spinal cord injury

Though Ideson found the fast pace of wheelchair rugby wasn't the best fit for him, he's grateful for the players who taught him to navigate both sport and life in a wheelchair. 

"Finding a community of people helps raise the bar and shows you what's possible. I found a group of super supportive people who didn't feel sorry for me. They just wanted to push me to get better." – Mark Ideson, four-time Paralympian in wheelchair curling 

Prior to his injury, Ideson was active in hockey and golf. As a student-athlete, he was part of the Mustangs cheerleading team that captured Western's 12th consecutive national title in 1998. One of his cheerleading teammates eventually became his wife, Lara. They now have two children and a circle of family and friends Ideson credits with maintaining his resilience amid the challenges of staying game-ready. 

Western Mustangs Cheerleading Team, 1997. Mark Ideson on the far left, with a circle around him. Photo courtesy of Western Mustangs.

"Living with a spinal cord injury is work in itself. I have to spend a lot of time doing physiotherapy and managing pain, and I'm in the gym weekly. The support of my family and friends makes this possible."  

In 2010, Ideson's friends urged him to try curling from his wheelchair. The Vancouver Olympics the same year brought inspiration in Jon Montgomery, the gold-winning skeleton athlete-turned-TV-show host known for encouraging others to chase 'Olympic-sized dreams.' 

"While watching Jon, I thought, 'maybe there's a sport I can play well with my new abilities. Maybe I could even represent Canada some day,'" Ideson said. 

Father-daughter bond sparks wheelchair curling career 

He began learning curling at the Ilderton Curling Club around the same time his daughter Brooklyn took up the sport. The discovery that he could power the rock down the full length of the ice was a confidence booster, made more meaningful with Brooklyn along for the journey. Soon, they were watching curling together and talking strategy.

Mark Ideson is making his fourth Paralympic appearance as part of Canada's wheelchair curling team at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games. (Canadian Paralympic Committee)

"It was a fun way for us to bond," Ideson said. "Brooklyn's way better than I am now. She's curling at the provincials with her competitive team and will be playing in mixed doubles nationals in March. I really hope she represents Canada one day." 

Ideson made his Paralympic debut at the 2014 Games, where Team Canada won gold. Despite their skills, he came to the competition feeling an unsettling weight of what set them apart. 

"Even as a wheelchair user, I could only see the differences: the chairs and prosthetics and walking aids," he said.  

But that Paralympic experience gave Ideson something even more valuable than the gold – a deep appreciation for his fellow athletes' drive to compete with everything they have and honour the people and places that made them.  

"Before those Games ended, I saw the competitors only as athletes proudly wearing their country's colours, doing their best to land on the podium. I hope when people watch the Paralympics, that's what they see." 

Ideson went on to pick up two bronze medals with Team Canada in 2018 and 2022. Now he's gearing up for yet another medal attempt. 

Training for Paralympic wheelchair curling

In recent weeks, Ideson's training regimen included an impromptu coaching change. His coach, Londoner Mick Lizmore, was in Italy cheering on his wife, Sarah Wilkes, as she competed on the women's curling team that won bronze. Brooklyn, a third-year Western student, took on an additional role as stand-in coach to her dad. 

"Brooklyn's been at the rink with me every day. She gives me feedback on how I'm throwing, and then we'll play an end against each other. It works out really well for both of us." 

As Ideson and his teammates prepare for their first 2026 Paralympic game March 7, they anticipate their toughest competitor will be Team China, the reigning gold medal winner from the last two Paralympics. 

 "The Chinese team plays smart and throws hard. They're very tough to beat but we like playing them because they also bring out the best in us." 

Canada's wheelchair curling team, coached by (back, L to R) Mick Lizmore and Dana Ferguson, has a roster of veteran athletes: (front, L to R) Gilbert Dash, Collinda Joseph, Ina Forrest, Jon Thurston and Mark Ideson. (Curling Canada/Anil Mungal)

Ideson assumed the role of skip in 2018. His strategic thinking and calm demeanor under pressure earned him the leadership role. "I've learned over the years to use my pre-game nerves to my advantage. They help me dial in my focus and pay even more attention to the feel of the ice and the weight of the rock to stay grounded." 

Competition aside, Ideson said the camaraderie with his teammates and their care for one another keeps the sport fun. He's already thinking about his future in curling after the Games. "I'm still keen and competitive and love every part of it. My body will tell me if I still want to do another Paralympics. If not, I'll find way to stay in the game, and maybe even coach." 

The Western Mustangs are all cheering for Ideson, with the current Mustangs Cheerleading team even putting out a special message to him and all Paralympians on their social media, wishing the Mustangs Alum luck and expressing their purple pride!



Article courtesy of the Western News. Edited by Western Mustangs. Paralympic wheelchair curling champ set for 2026 Games - Western News