some important people...

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Hello all! Here's an update from beautiful Whistler, BC, where I'm coaching and breathing volleyball with this year's edition of the Women's Youth National Volleyball team. With 40 athletes, 8 coaches, amazing accommodations (Whistler Athlete Centre - come and stay here!), and a whole lot of expertise, everyone has their hands full... but it's amazing. Between the ages of 15 and 17, these girls are our future senior national team athletes, and they have amazing careers in sport ahead of them - and it sure does bring me right back to my time as an athlete. And from from beginning to end, there are only a handful of people who really made me who I am, and I don't think I'd have had the experiences and opportunities I did or become the person I am without them. Here are some introductions and photos  (I've seen most of them - or will see most of them! - on this trip) - this trip is taking me on a walk down memory lane!

My Parents
Is this not the most obvious number one influence in my life? It is. My parents have always so supportive of everything I did, and gave me so many opportunities to be active. As a kid I did karate, synchronized swimming, swimming lessons, skating lessons, and tennis lessons; I was a brownie and a girl guide, and learned about teamwork and friendship. I played volleyball and basketball and club volleyball and on regional and provincial teams, and summers were full of sports camps and amazing vacations away from the gym. In the winter we went skiing and in the summer we camped and hiked and I joined the book club at the library, and somewhere somehow in there I grew a competitive edge that is still (really) as sharp as it's ever been. They've talked me through tough decisions and have always been there, rock solid. They are my #1.

Coaches  (Above: Shaun McGuinness and John McGowan)
There are two or three coaches who are and have been the next biggest influence in my life and career. Would I be where I am today without coaches? No. Would I have met Steve and have this amazing little posse of people with me in my life? No. These people taught me (and I learned!) the value of hard work, commitment and perseverance; they taught me to really believe in myself, to go after my dreams, and to put more time in in the gym. And they spent hours and hours and hours of their free time with me and my teammates helping us and/or helping me get better and stronger and more adept at my sport. If it weren't for these people, I wouldn't be where I am today.

every one of these ladies i met through sport - love them all!

teammmmmmates!

teammates!

Teammates
I have the best group of friends in the world, and I've met most of them (all of them?) through sport. I met my very best friend ever ever ever in grade 9 on a club volleyball team, and I've met people from all over the world through sport; my strongest, most supportive network of friends are former teammates. Having been through the ups and downs of learning and team dynamics, of successful and unsuccessful tryouts, of positive and negative experiences with coaches, systems, and teammates, and through maximum effort of the heart body mind spirit in the gym and on the court, we speak the same language. We supported each other then and we support each other now, and these connections and lifelines will last forever.

Yay for sport and for all of those that support young (and old!) dreamers along the way - and a huge thank you to those that continue to support and inspire!