Story from Dave Wilson
Time truly does enhance memories. I am a grandfather now, but I still vividly remember getting up at 4:30 on a Saturday morning in the dead of winter to bring my five year old to hockey practice. It seemed like the younger the player, the earlier the practice - why did the "old timers" get to play at 10 at night when my son and I had to get up in the wee hours on a weekend? I remember that the only heated place in the rink was in the dressing room, and they locked that during the "on ice" time.
So I shivered and drank many many cups of coffee for quite a few years.
But, as I started out to say, memories today are not all of those cold mornings, but of the unhesitating way my son was out of bed and ready to go each Saturday morning. He loved to put on his skates and hockey equipment and he reveled in the practices. And when he got to play in scrimmages and games he was truly in his element.
And that is what I really remember ... the games, the wins, and some losses for sure, but the ultimate spirit and passion these kids had for hockey at such a young age and the joy on their faces when they made a goal (or stopped a goal). And this kept on for the rest of their youth.
So I think to myself, if I am as proud and have such great memories of my sons when they played recreational sports, how proud can a parent of an Olympic athlete be after the many many more hours and early mornings they have spent with their kids. I would imagine the thrill of victory as they say and the sharing of the agony of defeat is magnified 1000 times. I can not join in their joys, but I can imagine and support the immense commitment that every parent of every athlete has made to the success of not only their kids but of the Olympic Sport Family as well.
Kudos to them all.
Dave is a Suncor employee.
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