Sherry Ball

{{Infobox figure skater | name = Sherry Ball | image = | caption = | fullname = | altname = | country = {{CAN}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|2|15|mf=yes}} | birth_place = St. Thomas, Ontario | hometown = | height = 5'3" | beganskating = | retired = }}

'''Sherry Ball''' (born February 15, 1974) is a Canadian former pair skater who also competed in women's singles. With partner Kris Wirtz, she won the bronze medal at the 1992 Canadian Figure Skating Championships and competed in the Winter Olympics that year.

== Career == Ball began skating as a toddler. She competed in both pairs skating and women's singles.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Jollimore |first=Mary |date=1990-02-12 |title=All in the family Skating figures prominently in lives of young Ball sisters |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/all-family-skating-figures-prominently-lives/docview/385705316/se-2?accountid=196403 |access-date=2026-05-27 |work=The Globe and Mail |location=Toronto, Ont. |issn=03190714}}</ref>

In 1988, she and her sister moved to Montreal to train, followed by their mother the next year.<ref name=":0" /> That season, she competed at the Blue Swords Cup with Chris Bourne; the pair had not yet competed in Canada but won the silver medal.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cleary |first=Martin |date=1988-11-15 |title=Financial strain, skating politics melt ice dancer's amateur plans |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/financial-strain-skating-politics-melt-ice/docview/239293190/se-2 |access-date=2026-05-27 |work=The Ottawa Citizen}}</ref>

Ball competed at the 1990 World Junior Championships, held in late 1989, as a pair skater with Sean Rice, where they placed 5th. After a fall on a throw jump, she tore ligaments in her knee. A few months later, she won the 1990 Canadian National Championships novice title. She said she had given up pairs because she had been frequently injured.<ref name=":0" />

In 1991, however, she competed in pairs with Paul Wirtz at the Canadian Championships. The pair placed 7th in the senior competition.<ref name="CNC1991SR">{{cite magazine |last=Robertson |first=Peter K. |date=June 1991 |title=Canadian Figure Skating Championships Report |url=https://magazinearchive.blob.core.windows.net/resources/issue/199106.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250427114827/https://magazinearchive.blob.core.windows.net/resources/issue/199106.pdf |archive-date=27 April 2025 |access-date=25 April 2025 |magazine=Skating |pages=44–51; 81 |volume=68 |issue=6 |issn=0037-6132}}</ref> In singles, she won the bronze medal in the junior division.<ref name="CNC1991SR2">{{cite magazine |last=Robertson |first=Peter K. |date=June 1991 |title=Canadian Figure Skating Championships Report |url=https://magazinearchive.blob.core.windows.net/resources/issue/199106.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250427114827/https://magazinearchive.blob.core.windows.net/resources/issue/199106.pdf |archive-date=27 April 2025 |access-date=25 April 2025 |magazine=Skating |pages=44–51; 81 |volume=68 |issue=6 |issn=0037-6132}}</ref>

That August, Ball won the bronze medal in singles at the Grand Prix International St. Gervais; she and Wirtz placed 4th together. The week after, she and Wirtz won the Nebelhorn Trophy.<ref name="NT1991">{{cite magazine |date=November 1991 |title=Ice Abroad |url=https://magazinearchive.blob.core.windows.net/resources/issue/199111.pdf |access-date=18 May 2025 |magazine=Skating |pages=15; 62 |volume=68 |issue=9}}</ref>

At the 1992 Canadian Championships, Ball won the women's junior bronze medal. She then went on to unexpectedly win a bronze medal in the pairs competition with Wirtz.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Beverly |date=1992-01-18 |title=Brasseur, Eisler win pairs title Olympic berths remain unsettled |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/brasseur-eisler-win-pairs-title-olympic-berths/docview/385424237/se-2?accountid=196403 |access-date=2026-05-27 |work=The Globe and Mail |location=Toronto, Ont. |issn=03190714}}</ref> They were sent to the 1992 Winter Olympics, where they placed 12th. Ball noted that "We weren't even expecting to be here," as the pair had been hoping to compete at a later Olympics.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Phillips |first=Andrew |date=1992-02-17 |title=Golden Moments |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/218438627/414A9B71ED5E46E9PQ/ |journal=Maclean's |volume=105 |issue=7 |pages=50–51 |access-date=2026-05-27}}</ref> They went on to compete at the 1992 World Championships, where they finished in 10th place.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-08-30 |title=For Sherry Ball, it’s all about exposing young skaters to high-level coaching in their home community |url=https://www.stthomastoday.ca/2023/08/30/for-sherry-ball-its-all-about-exposing-young-skaters-to-high-level-coaching-in-their-home-community/ |access-date=2026-05-28 |website=StThomasToday.ca |language=en}}</ref>

In the fall of 1992, Ball and Wirtz were assigned to Skate Canada International. However, they withdrew after Wirtz injured his ankle.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Little |first=Lyndon |date=1992-11-06 |title=Elvis is ready to skate out of bridesmaid role |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/elvis-is-ready-skate-out-bridesmaid-role/docview/243328653/se-2 |access-date=2026-05-27 |work=The Vancouver Sun |pages=}}</ref> Just two weeks later, it was announced that the pair had split and that Wirtz would train with Kristy Sargeant; one explanation given was that at {{Height|ft=5|in=3}}, and possibly still growing at 17, Ball might have become too tall for Wirtz.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Knack |first=Marty |date=1992-11-20 |title=Kristy skates, Grandma sits; Sargeant back with new partner |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/kristy-skates-grandma-sits-sargeant-back-with-new/docview/251879686/se-2 |access-date=2026-05-27 |work=Edmonton Journal}}</ref> Ball said, "It was more a coaching problem than between Kris and I," as their coach, Paul Wirtz (the brother of Kris) wanted to make changes that Ball disagreed with. She said the split was "not a friendly goodbye".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Delean |first=Paul |date=1993-10-30 |title=Skater Ball rebounds on the singles scene; Hoping to crack Olympic team |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/skater-ball-rebounds-on-singles-scene-hoping/docview/432501091/se-2 |access-date=2026-05-27 |work=The Gazette}}</ref>

Ball competed in singles skating at the 1993 World Junior Championships, held in December 1992, and she finished in 13th place.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Junior Figure Skating Championships 1993. Seoul, Korea |url=http://skating.bplaced.net/Results/Junior/1993.htm |access-date=2026-05-28 |website=skating.bplaced.net}}</ref> In February 1993, she placed 6th at the Canadian Championships.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stevens |first=Neil |date=1993-02-08 |title=FIGURE SKATING: Chouinard lands Canadian title; Sails back to top after completing triple Lutz jump |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/figure-skating-chouinard-lands-canadian-title/docview/239701693/se-2 |access-date=2026-05-27 |work=The Ottawa Citizen}}</ref>

In October 1993, Ball competed at Skate America and placed 9th.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1993-10-25 |title=Sports in brief |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/sports-brief/docview/243227737/se-2 |access-date=2026-05-27 |work=The Vancouver Sun |pages=}}</ref>

Ball now works as a coach. She has said she wants to provide high-level coaching for smaller communities like her hometown so that skaters do not feel the need to move away from home at a young age. In addition, she is involved in charities that provide physical education to children with disabilities.<ref name=":1" />

== Personal life == Ball's parents were synchronized skaters who competed on the same team. Her sister, Stacey Ball, was also a competitive skater.<ref name=":0" />

==Results==

=== Pairs with Wirtz === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- ! style="background-color: #ffdead; " colspan=2 align=center | '''International''' |- ! Event ! 1991–92 |- | align=left | Winter Olympics || 12th |- | align=left | World Championships || 10th |- | align=left | Nebelhorn Trophy || bgcolor=gold | 1st |- ! style="background-color: #ffdead; " colspan=2 align=center | '''National''' |- | align=left | Canadian Championships || bgcolor=cc9966 | 3rd |}

=== Women's singles === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- ! style="background-color: #ffdead; " colspan=4 align=center | '''International: Junior''' |- ! Event ! 1990–91 ! 1991–92 ! 1992–93 |- | align=left | World Junior Championships || || || 13th |- ! style="background-color: #ffdead; " colspan=4 align=center | '''National''' |- | align=left | Canadian Championships || bgcolor=cc9966 | 3rd J || 5th || 6th |- | colspan="4" style="text-align:center;" | <small> J = Junior </small> |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ball, Sherry}} Category:1974 births Category:Canadian female pair skaters Category:Figure skaters at the 1992 Winter Olympics Category:Olympic figure skaters for Canada Category:Sportspeople from St. Thomas, Ontario Category:Living people Category:20th-century Canadian sportswomen

== External links ==

*{{Sports links}}