Carmen Forest was a versatile athlete who played basketball, softball, volleyball, hockey (field), and tennis at the University of Missouri at St. Louis, graduating in 1977. While in school she was invited to tryouts for the US Handball team in 1974 and made the team but they did not qualify for the 1976 Olympics. After the 1980 US-led boycott, Forest stuck it out with the US team until 1984 to play at the Los Angeles Olympics. During that time she coached and taught at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas. She later began teaching and coaching at Pratt Community College, where she has served as a health and wellness instructor for over 25 years. Forest has stayed active including running more than 15 consecutive Pike’s Peak Runs.