2009 Canada Games - Lots of Sports and Inspirational Athletes!

Mercredi, Août 19, 2009 - 21:44

The last few days of the Canada Games have flown by. With all of the events taking place it can feel overwhelming to try to see everything. So far I’ve managed to catch some of the beach volleyball, rowing, triathlon and basketball however that is just the tip of the iceberg. Each event has been fantastic to watch as all the provinces are showing their strength.

Today was a treat. I was able to sit in and listen to the AthletesCan Ambassadors speak to athletes about their experience in sport from grassroots to the podium. David Calder highlighted the importance of setting goals. He had aspired to win an Olympic Gold Medal in rowing at age thirteen while rowing in Victoria with Silken Laumann on Christmas Day. (He passed his Olympic Silver Medal around and we all got to hold it - yeah!) Erin Carter enthusiastically highlighted what sport can mean to the athlete and how the skills that they are learning can transfer to all aspects of their lives. Kevin Stittle and Heather Moyse spoke about how now more than ever being an athlete is an attainable dream to have as a career. All encouraged the athletes to make the most of their experience at the Canada Games.

At the end of the AthletesCAN Forum the floor was open for questions. One of the athletes asked the Ambassadors how they knew that sport was what they wanted to focus on because he was at a crossroads between choosing a normal life of that of an athlete. After some humorous jabs at athletes being normal each, athlete took a stab at answering his question and overall their answer had a common thread. They all had an overwhelming passion to competing in their sport, it was their passion in life. They evening ended with, Michael Smith, convener of the evening commenting that each athlete in the room was an ordinary person but they were doing extraordinary things.

Check out the daily Athlete Ambassador on the SIRC Press Release!