Kamloops curler Cotter, official Barker named to BC Curling Hall of Fame

Two Kamloops-raised curlers have been named to the 2026 inductee class of the BC Curling Hall of Fame.

Kamloops curler Cotter, official Barker named to BC Curling Hall of Fame Headed to hall of fame Two Tournament Capital curlers have been named to the 2026 class of the BC Curling Hall of Fame. Dianne Barker and Jim Cotter were unveiled this week as two of this year's inductees. Barker developed a passion for officiating curling in the 1970s and “rose through the ranks to become one of Canada’s most respected provincial, national and international umpires,” according to Curl BC.

She officiated her first national championship at the 1986 Canadian Mixed Championships in Kamloops and has remained a “trusted presence” at major championships around the world for almost four decades. Barker’s competitive playing career spanned nearly two decades. She represented B.C. at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in 1985 and 1987.

She has served on the boards of the Kamloops Curling Club, Curl BC and Curling Canada, and has helped organize numerous events, including the 1996 Brier in Kamloops. She was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her service to curling and the community. Cotter was raised in Kamloops and has since made Vernon home.

His career has included three BC High School Curling Championship wins and two BC Junior Championships 1990s. He’s also won championships in junior, men’s, senior and mixed doubles competition, netting ten BC Men’s Championship titles and ten Montana Brier appearances. He captured the Brier silver medal in 2014, won the Elite 10 Grand Slam of Curling championship in 2017 and earned a gold medal as an alternate with Team Canada at the Pan Continental Curling Championships.

He’s also coached numerous junior and elite women’s teams to success and captured another provincial title in 2026 while leading the Vernon Curling Club to the BC Senior Men’s Championships. Barker and Cotter are joined in the 2026 inductee class by accomplished Trail curler and coach Melissa Soligo. She won the 1991 Canadian Women’s Curling Championship, earned silver at the 1991 World Women’s Curling Championship, captured bronze at the 1992 Winter Olympic Games, coached South Korea’s national curling program and has made major contributions to wheelchair curling programs.

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