Flip a Coin

Alexandre Despatie posted the following on Twitter today:

"When in doubt.. Flip a coin! Once it's in the air you will know what side you're hoping for!! #lovethisquote"

How true!

Basically, follow your heart (or your gut)!

I have never heard this quote but will definitely try it next time I am grappling with a decision.

The Heartbeat

This week's edition of The Heartbeat includes events in Montreal (short-track speed-skating), Windsor (figure skating), Whistler (skeleton) and Calgary (long track speed skating).

Sports being televised include triathlon, short-track speed skating, figure skating and Olympic rebroadcasts (men's hockey and women's soccer).

I've added a feature which includes opportunities to meet past, current and future Olympians. Events are being held in Toronto, Ottawa and Winnipeg.

Keep reading for more detail.

If you are participating in or know of an event that could be featured in The Heartbeat, please contact me:  suzanne[at]sportcafe[dot]ca or via Twitter @olympichearts.

The Heartbeat

This week's edition of The Heartbeat includes events in Vancouver (rowing testing), Calgary and Montreal (short-track speed-skating), Niagara Falls (running) and Windsor (figure skating).

Sports being televised include triathlon, short-track speed skating, figure skating and Olympic rebroadcasts (men's hockey and women's soccer).

The Heartbeat

This is the first edition of The Heartbeat which will be a regular feature where I will list upcoming competitions being held in Canada where you have the chance to see our amateur and Olympic athletes in action.

I will keep an updated list on the right side of my blog while giving more details in the blog posts.

I will also include television and internet listings for amateur or Olympic sports events and programs.

Heading to Algonquin Park

It was a year ago that I read an article written by the late Randy Starkman about Adam van Koeverden's love of Algonquin Park.  You can read the article by clicking here.

Accompanying the article, was a video of the beautiful scenery and Adam talking about his days spent at his cabin in Algonquin Park.


Something he said in the video hit me at the time:

"If you've never been up here before in the fall, then you're missing out because it's pretty spectacular"

How have I not been to Algonquin Park before?  I am originally from Northern Ontario but when I drive on Highway 11 from Toronto to go home, it's normally to get from point A to point B not necessarily wanting to add to the 9 hour drive.  Those trips were normally in the summer though.

I am in awe of the fall colours in Toronto.  I love walking around in my neighbourhood looking at the trees or driving down Bayview Avenue or the Don Valley Parkway and seeing the changing colours. When Adam says, "it's not the Don Valley Parkway" it makes me want to see "what I've been missing" - although I don't think Adam was envisioning the fall colours along the Don Valley Parkway when he made that comment.

That's not to say that I have only seen the colours in Toronto.  I have gone on scenic drives to see the fall colours, going as far north as Collingwood, but these were day trips. The 400Eleven website is great for getting fall colour routes.

This year, my love for the Olympics (hence seeing the Randy Starkman article) combined with my love of Tom Thomson (and the Group of Seven) is resulting in a Thanksgiving weekend trip to Algonquin Park.

I may even ride a canoe or kayak if the weather cooperates, but more Tom Thomson-style...not Olympic style.

I can't imagine seeing picture perfect scenery like Randy Risling of the Toronto Star captured.

 I will be blown away if I do.

Call Me Maybe

In my last post, I mentioned that the Swim team sang a lot of the song Call Me Maybe while on the parade float for the Toronto Olympic Parade.  You can read that post here.

The result of this singing was a video posted on YouTube by the Canadian Olympic Team.

On a personal note, I have to add that I did make the final cut of this video by singing "But here's my number" at the 1:57 mark.  Pretty memorable for an Olympic enthusiast to be in a video with the Canadian Olympic team.

Toronto Olympic Parade

My day volunteering at the Toronto Olympic Parade started at a breakfast and briefing (you can read that post here). I was assigned the swim team for the Olympic parade.

Afterwards, we walked to our float where we had half an hour waiting for the parade to start, which meant posing and taking photos. With everyone's cameras out (and the athletes out in the public), I felt okay taking photos (unlike at the breakfasts which to me were private moments).

One of the best moments from the Olympic trials was the moment when Heather MacLean qualified after her sister Brittany had already qualified for London 2012.  The joy and tears that flowed were felt throughout the country. I was thrilled to get a photo of the two of them together.

Richard Weinberger (bronze in 10k swim) was a highlight during the parade ensuring he (and his bronze medal) were in every photo that fans were taking of the float. He also took every opportunity to encourage the fans to go out and "swim". He took a moment to pose before the parade.

Taking a walk along the other floats, I spotted one of my favourite Olympians Jean-Luc Brassard (1994 gold medal - moguls) who was gracious and posed for a photo.

The women's soccer team (with their bronze medals) posed with a young fan.

Five minutes before the parade, the Olympians are onboard and ready to go.

The crowd was overwhelming, it gave me goosebumps.  There were so many people cheering with flags and wearing red and white.  There were countless signs.  I especially loved that the swimmers called Richard from the other side of the float to make sure he saw this sign (I was a little late getting my camera out, but the moment was priceless).

The swim team was so much fun. I loved how the men would raise a woman who would swim in the air. 

They also sang a lot of the song Call Me Maybe which would end up on a video (more on that in a later post).  There were also countless times where the crowd came up to the float to high-five the athletes.

There were a few quiet moments when there was time for photo ops.

I thought this was a lovely spot for a photo with city hall in the background so I took a photo of the beach volleyball players who were in the truck behind us.

At one point, I realized I didn't have a photo with me in it, so I asked the other volunteer to take one (without asking the athletes to pose). There is a better one of me, but I love the energy in this one (thanks to Savannah King for making this photo memorable).

As we approach the end of the parade, my sister is in the crowd and took a couple of photos.  I especially love this one that shows pure joy in my face as I try to get back to the float.

One of my favourite Olympians Simon Whitfield was just a couple of trucks behind me.  I had seen him at both breakfasts (and lunch) but had kept my distance. As we approach the bottle neck at the end, I walked back to take a photo...just to prove that I had seen him (and Paula Findlay).

There was a large crowd waiting at Maple Leaf Square where some of the athletes would be interviewed onstage.

With my volunteer duties finished, I managed to catch the end of the parade where Mark Tewksbury and Sylvie Bernier were in a convertible just ahead of the Hall Of Fame float.

One more photo of Jean-Luc Brassard with Rory Bushfield (Sarah Burke's husband).

I stayed in the square to hear some interviews where I saw Adam van Koeverden on stage, another favourite Olympian of mine, and interestingly the first time I had seen him in my two days of volunteering.  When a friend had said to me that I might see him (before I volunteered), I had replied that since I had seen him race last year, and seen him with his 2012 silver medal at a store appearance a few weeks ago, he wasn't top priority. I was hoping to see Olympians I had never seen before. So I found it funny that I didn't end up seeing him up close.

I left with a huge smile on my face not believing that I had spent the last two days volunteering with the Canadian Olympic team.  I'm hoping that it won't be my last.

Olympic Volunteer Day #2

After an incredible day volunteering at the Olympic Heroes Tour (you can read that post here), I was back with Olympians for the Toronto Olympic Parade.

The day started at a breakfast and briefing where once again Olympian spotting was at its best.  I kept my distance and respected their space; but I was smiling on the inside (and perhaps on the outside too). There were a few instances where saying hello or congratulations to some of my favourites was possible and I did take advantage of those moments.

There was an awkward moment for me though, not involving an Olympian but in our volunteer duties.  The day before we were assigned Olympians for the school tours.  Today, the head of our group asked us who we wanted to be assigned to for the parade and wouldn't you know it, I was the first who was asked.

Just like at the Olympic Block Party in June when I was interviewed by a journalist (who would later write - I'm including the whole segment for context, but the important part is the highlighted lines):

With her signature freshly scrawled on the board, Suzanne Sewell walked away and smiled to herself. To say she is an enthusiastic supporter of Canada's athletes would be an understatement.
"The Olympics are every day for me," said the Toronto woman.
She was first bit by the Olympic bug in 1988 and since then has turned the Games from a pastime into a passion.
"I'm here to support the Canadian team and wish them luck. I'll be watching every minute," said Ms. Sewell, who attended the Vancouver Winter Games in 2010.
To prove her passion, Ms. Sewell was asked to name her favourite Canadian athlete.
"Just one," she asked, before listing five.
Ms. Sewell follows the highs and lows of Canada's amateurs day-in and day-out, keeping track of their personal bests and following them on Twitter. She's even got her own Olympic-themed handle: olympichearts.

I couldn't pick "just one".  Names rattled in my head and I couldn't name one knowing I was not saying another. Next thing I know, the other volunteers pick up the signs we had brought over that said which athletes were in which groups.  There it was, I hesitate and I don't have a group.

I still felt okay, because there were volunteers who really wanted a specific group, so I was happy that they were getting the ones they wanted. When they were looking for a second volunteer for athletics, I raised my hand along with another volunteer. When she was picked, she gave me her sign that said "swimming".

How serendipitous that I was "assigned" swimming. I watched every moment of the National Championships on television in the spring that were held at the Montreal Olympic Pool. I was so excited for the swimmers who made the Olympic team and at the same time so sad for those who didn't. I was almost more emotional about the Olympic trials than I was for the Olympics. Athletics would have been cool as well since I saw many of them compete in Toronto before the Olympics (you can read that post here), but back to swimming.

Knowing I was going to a small town 30 minutes from Montreal in the summer for a family reunion, I vowed to go to swim (and dive) in the Olympic pool.

I had previously visited the Olympic pool, but had never been in it. The week before the London 2012, I arrived at the Montreal Olympic Pool (on my birthday).

It was a quiet Friday afternoon, so there was no problem taking photos (they don't allow other people in your photos so if it was busy, we would not have been able to take photos).

I can't remember the last time I was on a diving board so I was pretty nervous at first. I jumped in from the end of the board (the water is so warm and the pool is painted this beautiful deep blue colour). So many times in my diving days and even years later, I would dream that I missed the board on my last hurdle. I was a little nervous taking those steps for the first time, but eventually, it came back to me.

We almost forgot to document me swimming in the pool, but luckily did for my last couple of laps (we could only swim the width of the pool, not the length).

A happy girl in the Montreal Olympic Pool.

Before the Olympics, I had planned to post about the athletes and when they were competing.  I posted about the swim team (you can read it here), naming every Olympian with their races (including predictions) but then got too busy watching the Olympics and reading about them to post any more.  So once again, it's funny that this is the team I ended up with for the parade.

Well, that was quite the tangent I went on, but I think it was just to explain that although I didn't end up with one of my five all-time favourite Canadian athletes, I was thrilled to spend the day with the Canadian swim team.  Silver medallist Ryan Cochrane wasn't there, but bronze medallists Brent Hayden and Richard Weinberger were.  I was also thrilled to be surrounded by so many Olympians, because for me, realizing the dream to attend an Olympic Games is as valuable as winning a medal.

This post is long enough, so I will continue the parade part in a separate post.