What a Feeling!! Just like Flash Dance!!!!
Emotional! Riveting! Life Altering! A profound sense of community and the desire to share!!!
I stood posing with the torch and random people for over 5 hours over the entire course of the day.
At first they were thrilled of having their picture with the torch, then when someone made a comment that I was really good at this/ able to keep smiling one person after the other - they said, who are you anyway? ....I laughed and told them - ummmm...an Olympian from bobsleigh....well, that was that....I was stuck for hours!

Everyone left as I did with a sense of immense joy in the heart and the feeling that I had touched hundreds of lives that day. Truly a gift I may have given them, but they had given me as well!

How sport can be so cruel and yet so rewarding. The week in Calgary started with severe cold spells which closed the track for two days as the conditions were too cold for volunteers based on union standards (-25 C and under) and the ice was too cold....never thought you'd hear that eh? Yes, when it's too cold, the ice becomes brittle and has a hard time to stay on the surface of the cemented track in high pressure areas which in turn makes for possible equipment damage when the runners (the skate blades which are not sharp) run over exposed areas of cement. This can be very costly and can potentially cause hours of sweat labour to repair or can be permanently damaging (irreparable).

The Monaco team is now down to one pilot (Fabien Barel) our World Champion Downhill Mountain Biker gone Mad! He has crossed over to the other side – Downhill Winter Adrenaline! The Sport of Bobsleigh! I walked the track with both drivers in case Anthony Rinaldi ever came back (soon to crew for World Cup 4man team piloted by Patrice Servel), at least he would have had a heads up of what to expect. Whereas Fabien was dialled into learning the ins and outs of the 14 corners built for the 1988 Olympic Winter Games where the famous Cool Runnings movie was filmed and Jamaica made it's debut in the sport. My team showed one weakness, the inability to NOT complain about the cold weather- LOL. I can understand the Jamaican's, but Europeans I would think they would have thicker skin, but my Monegasque boys were from the mild coast so they immediately went shopping for face masks and driving gloves vs going glove-less like most drivers...otherwise, they were tough as nails and Fabien had the most scars I had ever seen on a living body from all his accidents and injuries from his biking career. He did things like you would see in Warne Miller Movies but not on snow or with skis, but on a bike.

Fabien's retention of detail was amazing. I was coaching a superior and professional athlete who took nothing for granted, took every detail to memory and executed every movement needed to the best of his abilities. His lack of immediate knowledge or expertise in execution frustrated him to no end. I was dealing with a man who took his task of driving serious, who made his preparation meticulous and who was hardest on himself. A dream athlete for a coach, however, this ended up being hardest on me because when he was struggling, I would have to reach deep in my methods of expression and alter my approach of communication to achieve the results we were aiming for. I grew immensely through these experiences as a coach due to these challenges and realized that I had to be certain of my message so as to gain confidence from my athletes. I loved the growth process. I was not too proud or ego driven to venture outside of myself to seek knowledge of others. I believe the goal of a coach is to be the best they can be for their athletes, for themselves and to constantly be open to learning. My mentors who were once my coaches or respected achievers in various roles in the sport (from manager/coach/Olympian/national athlete), became my sources of my expansion of education. The years of experience they had on me were at least a decade or more. These individuals were gentlemen and ladies like Joey Kilborn, Malcolm Lloyd, Ivo Ferriani, Wolfgang Hoppe, Raimond Bethge, Sigi Feuser and the list goes on.

This week Fabien had his first crash of his career on his second run down the track. His unbreakable record of 96 runs was crushed out of corner 8 when he ended up on his head due to over steering at the first pressure of the corner. A very common spot on Calgary's track. We chalked it up as translation error since I coached in both french and English with Fabien to best deliver the information. His fearless brakeman Mathias Mirande was celebrating with excitement while sliding on his side from within the shell of the bobsleigh. A rare event as most athletes do not enjoy the experience of a crash. Once they slid through the finish line after completing the final 6 corners upside down and the sled had come to a stop, the two emerged from the sled with great enthusiasm after experiencing the great adrenaline rush. I ran down to greet them. Their enthusiasm merited taking a picture which appeared of victory, then helped them push their sled up the breaking stretch. Fabien now could say that he was no longer a virgin bobsleigher. He had been christened and lived to tell about it with a smile.

My previous student Hannukkah, pilot from Jamaica's 2& 4man was also returning to Calgary's track but not under my coaching due to my contract with Monaco. The sliding sessions were at different times so I was unable to be present due to my responsibilities. One night we stayed over to take in the second groups sliding session. While walking outside of the track with Fabien, we witnessed a 4man crash. Unaware of who the victims were, Fabien was not accustomed to watching from track side so chose to turn his head (which I followed suit) to not have to bear the horrid picture we were all too familiar with. The announcer spoke the words “Hold at Start – 81” a code meaning a crash which followed with an announcement saying “Undetermined time hold on track”. I assumed it was due to ice having fallen off the course and exposing cement...little did I know I was mistaken. We continued up the breaking stretch and discovered that the hold was due to injury incurred by one of the 4man crew, other than the Jamaican team itself! I was instantly distressed. Torn between leaving with my team and staying behind to help...I made a compromise. The team would go up to get the truck at the top of the hill while I helped to do what I could in the meantime.

I saw that the paramedics were looking after the situation with Marvin Morgan being put on a stretcher. The next thing was to get the guys back up on the horse again. I went in the weigh scale room and confirmed everyone was OK. The mood was as if there was a death in the family. The smell of fear was in the air. Hannukkah was discouraged, but knew what he had done wrong in corner 8 (over steered at the entrance) to cause the crash. I instantly said – “you know what you did, you know how to fix it, you are a great driver, it happens to everyone, you can do it, you've learnt from it, now you can go back up there and do it right, no problem, you know how it's done, you've done it right many times before, visualize your successful run and do it!” I confirmed that everyone was okay to go again. Richardo (crew man) said that if Hannukkah wants to go, we'll all go. Even though I saw fear, there was courage and support for their driver. This I was so impressed by. This team was unwavering!

Once I left the little room, one of the crewmen (Marvin Dixon) said to me, “If Hannukkah doesn't feel right to go, no pressure from us, we don't have to go.” (That was when it got more complicated....I felt obligated to let Hannukkah know that there was no pressure from anyone to keep going so I shared it with him entering the room once again). It was probably a gesture I shouldn't have done, but knew that if Hannukkah went up with the unsureness of getting down on all four runners the right side up, it would also not be responsible on his part as a pilot if he was lacking confidence or certainty in his head or abilities. He has 3 others he is responsible for, and this is not a sport to be taken lightly. Many have been injured or died over the years through unforeseen accidents or through learning.

I then left the room to see where the manager (Wayne Thomas) was to see how Marvin Morgan was. Wayne said that he was doing OK (only saying that to not alarm the team as Marvin wasn't doing very well), but Wayne said that Hannukkah had to do another run...if he didn't he wouldn't qualify for the America's Cup race and most importantly he wouldn't qualify for the Olympics. Shocked... I said “you have to tell him!” He then said he would rather if I did. I took on the emotional challenge and bit the bullet entering the weigh scale room for the third time. I went straight to sit with Hannukkah placing my arm around his shoulders and said (barely able to without tears) “you have to do this run or you won't qualify....you have to do this run or you won't qualify for the Olympics!”

At that moment Hannukkah immediately stood up and marched out of the room with a heart full of emotion and heavy with responsibility.....At that same moment, I heard from a far my Monaco team beeping the truck horn. They were waiting for me in the truck on the road to get back to the hotel as we had work to be done before tomorrow's race. I had to immediately part from the Jamaicans, not knowing but fearing the ultimate outcome - No Olympics!

My heart was so heavy and Fabien noticed. He asked the dreaded question ..”Are you alright?” I shed instant tears explaining what I had done. He said - “I thought someone had died or was hurt “ He said never to cry over sport, it's just a game and that is how it goes sometimes. Save my tears for things that merits it he said.......A wise soul Fabien was and a person who share with me great thoughts and discussions.

Later that night, I met the team leaving the hotel on their way to the Foothills hospital to visit their injured teammate. That is when I heard that they had gone back up to the top for their qualifying run which they successfully did having their teammate Khan Marr step in to fill the void.

All my tears shed for no reason I said. How proud I was of them! This young team had such spirit, such conviction, such determination and will to succeed. I believe that in time they will be a force to reckon with one day on the World Cup scene aside from my up an coming pilot Fabien Barel. Whether he pilots for Monaco (passport dependant) or France, he will soar to the top!