Canada's athletes pass along 'the magic'
It’s a gift so big they couldn’t keep it to themselves.
So they started sharing it – and really, they’ve never stopped.
The “gift” is a love of sport so deep that it continues to inspire those who come afterward.
As International Women’s Day dawns today, the sharing goes on – in different ways – for this group of women representing several generations of Canadian athletes: Nancy Greene. Silken Laumann. Clara Hughes. Chandra Crawford.
As Greene and Laumann demonstrate, the ability to inspire doesn’t end with retirement. A keen observer of the Canadian ski scene, Greene still dashes off notes of support to young skiers and, 40 years after her Olympic triumph, is as active as ever on the slopes. Laumann, a riveting public speaker, addressed a group of 150 school kids in B.C. this week for the launch of an Olympic educational program.
“I think the inspiration is really important,” said Laumann, a three-time Olympic rowing medallist. “We need lots of inspiration as a culture, as human beings we need to be inspired and we need to share our stories of excellence, the real stories, how we got through the tough times, how we had doubt, how we had fear, not to package it in `athletes always have confidence, athletes always do everything perfectly.’”
That commitment spreads beyond borders for Laumann and Hughes, who are heavily involved with Right To Play, a Toronto-based foundation bringing sports programs to the most destitute parts of the world. Hughes, who has been to Africa once with Right To Play, is going back this spring and also visiting their program in Jerusalem.
“Sometimes it’s kind of depressing, but at the same time it’s totally empowering because it makes me realize that I have these amazing opportunities and I can’t let them slide, I can’t let them slip through my fingers, I have to no matter what continue to move forward and continue to try to make a difference,” said Hughes. “I’m not saying I could ever change the world; I would never try to do that. But I do believe that I can contribute. ... When you can reach out beyond what your sport allows you to do, that’s probably the biggest gift, to transcend what your sport offers.”
The list of athletes trying to do exactly that is growing longer. Speed skater Kristina Groves won her first world title in Japan yesterday, but that alone doesn’t define her. She’s also a big supporter of the charity Right to Play and went to Africa with the charitable group last year.
The dreams ignited by previous generations can lead anywhere. Kerrin Lee-Gartner, winner of an Olympic downhill gold medal in 1992, still speaks of the flame lit when she got to touch Greene’s medals as a kid growing up in their shared hometown of Rossland, B.C.
“It makes you feel great,” said Greene, who turns 65 this year. “And I know Kerrin’s doing the same thing for kids with her medal. I don’t know many Olympic champions who pack their medal way in a vault. We love to pass them around at school.
“That’s part of it. It’s very satisfying to interact with little kids. That’s the magic. You love to pass that magic along.”
Magic, indeed.
