| Canada | Holland | Japan | Spain | Switzerland |
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| Schedule |
| Athletes | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hari KANT | 2. Mike MAHOOD | |
| 3. Ian BIRD | 4. Alan BRAHMST | |
| 5. Robin D'ABREO | 6. Chris GIFFORD | |
| 7. Paul WETTLAUFER | 8. Andrew GRIFFITHS | |
| 9. Ken PEREIRA | 10. Scott MOSHER | |
| 11. Peter MILKOVICH | 12. Bindi KULLAR | |
| 13. Rob SHORT | 14. Ronnie JAGDAY | |
| 15. Sean CAMPBELL | 16. Tom GREEN | |
| Staff | |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Shiaz VIRJEE |
| Team Manager | Mike CARUTH |
| Physiotherapist | Alberto GREGORI |
| Sport Psychologist | Dr. Saul MILLER |
| Game Reports |
| Date | Location | Schedule | Score | Goal Scorers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20 | Barcelona | F.C. Barcelona | Canada | Andrew Griffiths (2 fg),
Peter Milkovich (pc),
Bindi Kullar (pc), Chris Gifford (fg) | |
| May 22 | Terrassa | Holland | Canada | Andrew Griffiths (2 fg), Peter Milkovich (pc) | |
| May 24 | Terrassa | Holland | Canada | Peter Milkovich (pc), Ken Pereira (2 fg) | |
| May 26 | Terrassa | Japan | Canada | Peter Milkovich (pc), Andrew Griffiths (fg) | |
| May 27 | Terrassa | Spain | Canada | Andrew Griffiths (pc) | |
| May 29 | Terrassa | Switzerland | Canada | Andrew Griffiths (2 fg),
Peter Milkovich (ps),
David Yule (fg), Chris Gifford (fg), Paul Wettlaufer (fg) | |
| May 30 | Terrassa | Spain | Canada | Chris Gifford (pc), David Yule (fg) | |
Canada lost to Spain but it was a much better game that the 1-1 draw earlier in the week. Spain scored in the first minute of the game and then went ahead 2-0. Canada's Chris Gifford scored on a penalty corner to end the first half 2-1 in Spain's favour.
Spain scored first in the second half to go ahead by two goals. Canada was able to score one more by David Yule before time ran out on the game.
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Canada defeated Switzerland 6-1 this evening at the Polo Club in Barcelona.
Switzerland opened scoring in the first minute from a quick turnover and capitalized on a 2 on 1 opportunity that left no chance to Mike Mahood in net.
Canada dominated the end of the half and Andrew Griffiths scored a field goal at the 20th minute. Soon after, Robert Short was fouled in the circle and Canada was awarded a penalty stroke converted by Peter Milkovich. Canada led 2-1 at the half.
Canada created excellent scoring opportunities with quick passes and scored 4 goals in the second half by Andrew Griffiths, David Yule, Chris Gifford and Paul Wettlaufer. All four goals were good shots on which the Swiss goalkeeper had no chance.
The Canadian Team plays the last game of the tour tomorrow against Spain.
Canada and Spain played to a 1-1 draw this evening in Terrassa, Spain. It was a good match played at a good pace and both teams having some good attacking combinations.
Canada opened scoring midway through the first half when Andrew Griffiths scored from a penalty corner. Spain also scored from a penalty corner in the second half.
Canada tied Japan 2-2 and won the penalty stroke competition 5-2.
Both teams had good scoring opportunities but defence played well.
Japan opened scoring early in the second half from a well executed penalty corner. A few minutes later Japan scored again from a field goal that was deflected by a defender. The Canadian team lifted its game up and made more determined efforts and good passes but the Japan defence kept the ball out.
With 4 minutes to go Peter Milkovich scored a penalty corner goal that beat the goalkeeper completely. The tying goal was scored with 30 seconds left by Andrew Griffiths from a cross by Ronnie Jagday.
| Canada defeated Netherlands 3 - 2 in game 2 in Terrassa today! |
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It was a close game and much more even with both teams having good possession.
Holland opened scoring early in the game (3rd minute) from a field goal setup with some good passing. Canada immediately came back and earned a penalty corner a minute later and Peter Milkovich scored from the set play.
The next 15 minutes saw both teams attack but good defence prevented any further scoring. Mike Mahood stopped a penalty corner from Bram Lomans and also made another good save. The forwards worked well to create a turnover in the attacking end and Ken Pereira beat the goalie to put Canada ahead 2-1 at 26th minute in the first half. There was no further scoring in the half.
The second half saw more determined attack from the Dutch Team but play continued to be even with Canada attacking more as well. Holland earned a penalty corner about mid way through the second half and Bram Lomans cleanly beat the defence to tie the game.
From one of the coordinated attacks Ken Pereira again scored from a cross into the circle to put Canada ahead with 5 minutes to go. There was no further scoring and Canada won 3-2!
Due to injuries from the first game, Bindi Kullar did not play and we had to adjust positioning. The team played well and a number of players stepped up their game.
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Canada tied Holland in the first match 3-3!
It was a good match with Holland dominating in the early stages but Canada settled down and played well for most of the match. Holland opened scoring in the 5th minute from a field goal after they had worked the ball from a series of passes. Canada had a couple of good opportunities and Andrew Griffiths scored a field goal from a great reverse stick shot that cleanly beat the goalie.
The score at the half time was 1-1
The second half was very even and Holland was a recipient of a poor call by the umpire and got a penalty corner. Bram Lomans flicked the ball past Hari Kant to give Holland a lead of 2-1. However the score was tied 2-2 when Peter Milkovich scored a penalty corner after Ken Pereira was taken down by the goalie in a tackle.
Canada then went ahead 3-2 when Andrew Griffiths scored a field goal after receiving a great pass from Chris Gifford at right wing. Canada kept pressing and during one of the attacks, Bindi Kullar got hit on the right thumb...
At the other end , Holland was again very fortunate to get a call for a penalty corner when a Canadian defender stopped the ball with his stick but the umpire thought it was his foot. Bram Lomans scored another goal from a flick.The last five minutes saw opportunities by both teams but no further scoring.
Good game by a number of players and an excellent team effort.
Canada defeated F.C. Barcelona (Club Team) 5 - 1. It was the first game of the tour and everyone played in the game. It was not a particularly exciting game and got sloppy at times, however, it was a benefit to play as a team and practice some plays in a match situation.
Mike Mahood played the first half in goal and Hari Kant in the second half.
First half goal scorers were Andrew Griffiths (2 field goals) and PeterMilkovich with one penalty corner goal.
Second half goal scorers were Bindi Kullar with a penalty corner goal and Chris Gifford with a field goal.
The team has a practice day on Friday 21st May and then play the Netherlands on
Saturday 22nd May.
| May 19: Peter Milkovich | May 20: Bindi Kullar | May 21: Scott Mosher | May 22: Rob Short | |||
| May 24: Ronnie Jagday | May 24: Sean Campbell | May 26: Tom Green | May 27: Chris Gifford |
Good morning to the millions of fans back home and around the world. We started off the usual day with a pre-game walk/run down by the river, followed by a quick stretch and our first meal of the day. The usual compliment of juice, coffee, cereal, buns, ham and cheese omelets were laid out for the boys.
A five p.m. game meant we went straight into the lab for prep on dissecting the Spanish armada. Having played them on numerous occasions in the past few years we had plenty of juicy tid bits of info to regurgitate and digest again. Anticipation is high after knocking off the world number one and is ready to strike at world number two. Off to the match.
Pre-game routine and warm-up were hampered by no notification of uniform colors, and the fact that Japan had a practice scheduled on the main pitch up until our game time. The game proved to be a saw off with one team dominating a half. Griff scored for us on a brilliantly executed short corner, pure deception. Spain drew even in the second half, ending the game at 1-1. After the match a penalty stroke competition proved little as each team scored all five strokes. Canada reluctantly settled for the draw.
It is now interesting to sense the impressions of the team or the attitude of the team against the world elite. We now expect to win every game, ties feel like losses and losses are unacceptable.
A quick shower and back in the iron lung, the return trip of an hour and a half long journey. Lamb chomps, potatoes, veggies, and pizza were served at the Pere III, with ice cream for desert. Following dinner, the team broke into its usual sub groups, physio, coaches meeting, and others for an evening stroll on the "ramblas". However this night would prove to be different. After a short time apart the team regrouped for an unannounced team meeting at the L'Havanna. One of the important qualities of a great team is to have the ability to all be on the same page at the same time.
L'Havanna is a quaint little loco coffeehouse supporting the habits of some of the local manresian types. Some escaping their hard day of work, others out looking for new friends, and others planning the next underground movement for Spanish separation. Standing out amongst the revolving movement of youth was a retired Spanish Olympic gymnast, so he claimed, "Emmanuel". Escaping the smoke filled confines of the interior to the comfort of the outdoor patio, Emmanuel shared with us his exploits on the world stage and his unique philosophy of women and relationships. Once again we were reminded of the situation of amateur athletes around the world that have to juggle their sporting career with personal demands. Emmanuel aptly demonstrated this as he began performing the splits in exchange for some of life's simpler pleasures such as alcohol and cigarettes. His first attempt failed miserably as he introduced his head to the bumper of an Opel parked in front of the coffeehouse. True to the form of world class athletes, perseverance paid off and the second attempt was a success. A perfect ten was declared as he staggered back to his feet.
All good days must come to an end, and as the evening ran into the night, the team headed for their beds in anticipation of hard work and fun ahead.
And so the sun sets over Manresa one more time. The day began at a very civil 8:30am with the game day walk/jog/stretch. Having adjusted nicely to the noise of the Manresa motor scooter grand prix which runs nightly outside the hotel, the lads appeared quite chipper in the morning. This mornings outing also gave our newest addition (Dave Yule) an opportunity to start work on his tan.
Following the walk, and a pleasant breakfast we had our game day meeting to try and figure out Japan. We are a team that works hard to scout our opponents and are effective at countering their styles but the lack of any meaningful history or scouting for Japan left us in unfamiliar territory. Could the Canadians come up with a game plan to control the game on their own, would the lack of scouting leave them unable to handle a speedy Japanese team??? Stay tuned!
This tour has been all about figuring out an opposition and overcoming it. Lunch is no exception. Having been soundly defeated by a multi-course lunch of salad, paella, roast chicken and fries with fruit and crème brule the previous day, we finally got it across to the kitchen that just one course would be lovely for lunch. One cannot adopt a Spanish eating style without adopting a Spanish life style (long siesta in the afternoon!). Our confidence grew as we saw the Japanese panic at the sight of their second course of lunch being presented. Following some time off to gather our thoughts it was onto the bus (shared with the Japanese) for the one hour scenic route to Terrassa for the match.
With so much build up and pre-match intensity it was bound to be exciting. Unfortunately we went down early in the first half and found it almost impossible to crack the defensive wall of our opponents. Never known to give up however we put in that extra bit of effort and were rewarded when both Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunner Solksjar scored in injury time to win the game for Manchester United (much to Alan and Pete's displeasure).
In all seriousness our game with Japan followed an almost identical plot. They scored early off a corner and then again in play and then proved to be a hard working and resilient team with a defence, difficult to penetrate. To be fair our basics were not up to par and we certainly did not play with the same intensity that we faced the Dutch with. As time ran down we became desparate and began to run at them, eventually cracking through when Pete converted a corner with 2min left. That was enough of a sniff to get us excited and a minute later Andrew deflected the ball to draw even. Again we came at them and were unlucky not to score when Kenny got the ball deep with 10sec left. At least we beat them in strokes!
Tomorrow we will need to turn it up again against Spain.
I'm feeling like da bomb today!!! After our 3-3 tie two days ago followed by today's 3-2 win against Holland, the number one ranked hockey team in the world, my confidence is at an all time high. Man, we owned those guys! I remember, three years ago as an eighteen year old, I was watching Holland defeat Spain for the Olympic Games Gold Medal in Atlanta. Then last year, witnessing Holland hosting the World Cup in Utrecht. Thinking back, I remember how good I thought Holland was and how far we were from Holland's skill level.
Well, now not even a year later, I definitely don't think that way anymore! We owned those guys in these last couple matches. I was playing right half and I remember lots of occasions where I dribbled by those guys like they weren't even there! I was pretty much marking Tyco (one of their big guns) the last couple of games, and he had nothing on me, as a matter of fact, I owned him! He got so frustrated today, he knocked me over with a body check late in the second half when he couldn't get the ball from me. I got up and just laughed… I was in the zone, baby, and I wasn't going to let that knock me off my game! Our skills were right on par with the number one team in the world, and in some departments were even better. We were all mentally sharp and we came to play! Can't help but to think about the Olympics next year in Sydney and dream of winning a Gold Medal… dream of making a Gold Medal become reality. It's not just wishful thinking… it's within our reach.
Three games into the Spain tour, I've pretty much well adjusted to my new role as a right half and as the stick-stopper on corners. Still have lots to learn on stopping corners though, but will continue to work at it. As for playing right half, I am having lots of fun playing over on the right side with Pete, Kenny and Giff. They're skillful players, which make for lots of fun getting out of tight situations on the right side. Am looking forward to the coming games against Japan, Spain, etc... so we could continue our progress and reaffirm to the world that the Canadian Hockey Team isn't a team you want to mess with! Yeah baby!!!
A DAY OF RECKONING
The seventh day of the tour broke, a heavy haze blanketing the lush Manresan countryside. The wail of scooters greeted the Canadian squad as they broke from the dim confines of the Hotel Pere III coffee shop for the morning run. Not a word was spoken. An ignorant observer might have suggested, erroneously, that the plucky Canadians were silent in response to the ungodly hour of the wake up call or were stricken speechless from fear as they prepared to meet, for the second time in three days, the mighty world champions. Two days previous, the maple-leaf-clad warriors from the Northern Hemisphere were unlucky to tie Holland 3-3 (see previous entries for details). Now the countdown to the rematch, a darby scheduled, in the spirit of the old west, for high noon had begun.
There was no urgency in the cadence of the Canadian squad, just the synchronous, deliberate rhythm of running shoes on the cobblestones of the Manresan alleyways. As the team returned toward the hotel, the almost somber mood that preceded the jog had evaporated, being replaced by a comfortable banter, initiated by the comedy stylings of 12-year veteran Chris Gifford. In hindsight this must have been a deliberate attempt to lighten the mood as Gifford's experience alerted him to the perils of a team that is too serious. The lightened mood carried into breakfast with the sun burning through the morning haze bathing the rolling green hills with a fiery glow. Mahood, the starting goalie for the day's fixture, had expressed concern about the early start time the night before the match (keepers Kant and Mahood split keeping duties). He was worried the early start would not allow adequate mental preparation to face the dreaded Dutch corner unit; the mighty Bram Lomans drag flick. As the team entered the final meeting there was no hint of trepidation in the goalie's demeanor…strictly business. The pregame meeting was uncommonly short, just a review of the game plan… a defensive juggernaut interspersed with guerrilla-like counters into the opponents zone. Upon loading the bus one could sense there was magic in the air.
Heeding the team psychologist's warnings players devoted the pregame bus trip to mental preparation, probably one of the first trips on which no player fell asleep. The mood on the bus was one of confidence, something that would bode well for the squad an hour later. The pitch was hot, a dry heat unlike the heat of Malaysia, something that would test the resolve of the Canadian midfield after losing star Bindi Kullar with a broken hand. The Canadians remained composed while the Dutch scrambled to copy the Canadian warm-up, perhaps in a sense of panic in having to deal with the intense physical play of the Canadian squad. The whistle went, signaling the start of a magical day for the Canadians.
Things did not start well for the home side. Within five minutes Canada was 1-0 down after brief breakdown in communication in the backfield. This setback seemed to spur Canada on. Within 1 minute the redheaded firecracker Wettlaufer drew a corner for his team. Ten seconds later the Canadian skipper Milkovich ripped a larcenous corner past the helpless Dutch keeper. The game was certainly living up to its billing. The Canadian defense ruthlessly pounded the Dutch attackers, breaking every play possible and tackling with ferocity not witnessed since the allies charged the beaches of Normandy. Ten minutes before half, the lightning quick Centurion (Ken was receiving his hundredth cap this game) Pereira, in a scintillating run, put the Canadians ahead by a margin of 2-1.
The whistle blew for the half. The Canadian bench was calm, realizing that they were only 35minutes away from a victory over the world champions. The Dutch were in disbelief. How could they be losing to Canada? Well they had better get used to the idea!
The start of the second half saw the Dutch press hard for the equalizer. Brilliant tackling and Backfield communication from Jagday, Bird, Bramst, and D'Abreo and an inordinant amount of running from Griffiths, Wetts, Mosher, and Gifford (Griffiths ran the equivalent of 14 marathons according to the pedometer) as well as the black hole in middle created by Milko, Short, Campbell, and Green left the Dutch without an opportunity. Then it happened. Holland won a corner. Lomans, unable to beat the rugged (and single for all the ladies…his words not mine) Mahood in the first half lived up to his billing, rocketing a flick into the roof of the net. There was no panic on the part of the Canadians. They stuck to their game plan and continued to force their brand of hockey on the Dutch. Late in the game, Canada struck for the third time. We'll pick up the call from Caruth now… "Jagday to Milkovich…Milkovich to Wettlauffer…Wettlaufer to Griffiths…Griffiths to Milkovich. There could be some danger here…Milkovich crosses to Pereira…surely… GOOOAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!! The centurion again leaves his mark with his second tally of the game leaving the Dutch faithful shaking their heads in disbelief and the Canadian bench in jubilation. A fetching result over the world's best.
Hey there Team Canada Fans, this is Shorty checking in to let you know what's up for May 22nd here in Manresa, Spain.
After my recent season of playing abroad in Holland, this is a day I have been waiting for. Not really a day for revenge after our 3-1 loss at the World Cup in Utrecht, but a day to achieve the DESERVED respect from the top team in the world. We felt ready!
We woke up for the morning jog listening to complaints of unfortunate findings of where the nearest night club is. Those wearing earplugs due to their roommates noisy sleeping patterns did not share those complaints. This did not let us stray from our focus of the upcoming game as we broke into groups for a change of pace during the morning jog. Due to poor communication in recent matches, it was necessary for the forwards, midfielders, and defenders to separately discuss possible solutions to this problem.
Breakfast again was very successful as we have been treated here in Manresa with a variety of foods including croissants, fruits, sugar crisp, corn flakes, breads and cheeses, and coffee and tea. (That's for all the mums reading this because if you're anything like my mum what we eat is also of interest).
The game preparation meeting went well, unfortunately too well as it lasted two and a quarter hours. Some extensive video review, Shiaz's game plan, and a talk from Dr. Saul Miller and it was finally lunchtime.
Four o'clock and it was Holland in baby blue and Canada in all red. The game started well with some early tough defense throughout the ranks of the Canadian Team. With some hard hits and heavy tackles the world #1 knew they weren't in for an easy ride. Holland struck first with a field goal at around the 20 minute mark. Andrew Griffiths tied it up before the half with a typical "master blaster" type of goal off the reverse stick.
The second half began as did the first with some more of our "robust" style of play. Scotty Mosher took this a step further with his attempt to take 6 ft 7 Bram Lomans to the turf with a kick from behind. The World Wrestling Federation would have been proud! The Dutch struck first this half with a penalty corner conversion from Lomans – 2-1 Holland – We were the next team to tally with Peter Milkovich scoring off a corner with a "howitzer" bouncing into the bottom right corner. We then took the lead 3-2 with another goal by Griffiths after a perfect cross from veteran Chris Gifford. Lomans replied again with another corner goal which we feel should really have been stopped.
We were all singing "Shorty's got the cash" late in the game when we thought we had the winner off a set play at the top of the circle. The incompetent umpire waited till the ball was in the net to decide on calling not 5 yards from the free hit. Another win has slipped through our hands but we hope to make improvements for the next game when we have the lead.
Both Shiaz and captain Milkovich summarized the game as a hard fought battle with some improvements but we need to learn how to win these types of games.
Back in Manresa it was dinner time. Some of the smarter individuals (Pereira and Short) skipped the main course and moved on to "McChicken Combos" at the local MacDonalds and "cookies and cream" at the Haagen Daaz bar.
In closing this was a successful day with another step taking in the right direction towards our goal of the Gold Medal at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg.
Oh yeah, by the way, for you soccer/football fans, Manchester United won the F.A. Cup on this day with a 2-0 win over Newcastle!
Day 4 comes to a close with new light being shed upon the team. We were given the opportunity to sleep in late to 8:30 in order to recuperate from the late night travels. That means Chachi may have gotten 4 hours sleep after completing treatment for the players. With only one practice at 4:00 we had a relatively slow day allowing most of the players to catch up on internet activities, sleep and other tour essentials. If you didn't get an email back home and you were expecting one, I'll let you know now that he was indeed busy and couldn't make it into the wild and crazy streets of downtown Manresa!
Our day eventually wandered into the world of hockey, through such means as who won the Colorado vs. Detroit series, Buffalo vs. Boston and eventually the real thing.
As per usual the team establishes itself as a unit and intensity is increasing. Each day passes and the guys are getting more and more focused on success at the Pan Am Games. The presence we are known for is emerging with all members pushing one another harder, through discussions of drill reps and player positioning. Training is taking on a new meaning, as players want to work harder than the previous day. The veterans of the team are passing on wisdom in every aspect of the game. Ronnie is taking it upon himself to help educate the veterans off the field in the areas of public relations, whatever they may be.
Everyone expects to build on a positive result tomorrow against the Netherlands in our first match against them in exactly one year to the day from the opening of the World Cup in Utrecht. The goal is to strive one step further. With that, I should call it a night as Gifford would probably enjoy some sleep in prep for tomorrow.
I hope everyone else out there is enjoying themselves as much as I am, doing what they want to do and building on their dreams of the future. Just think gold!
An unfortunate but familiar start to the day began with an early 7am breakfast. No complaints about breakfast yet, as it was a deluxe selection compared to the one croissant and juice box that started the day on our recent Egypt tour.
A 9am practice was next on the agenda in the beautiful sunshine up in the hills in Terassa. A perfect setting, reminding the Eastern players of Livingstone Park and the West coast. Practice as usual until defensive corners started. I was standing on the post when Griffiths hammered the ball straight at me and before I even saw it, it went off my handle, saving the family jewels by the width of a Grays stick.
Our bus ride to/from practice is about 45 minutes so we decided to have a meeting to pass time. We learned that we've been invited to India in the fall for a six-nations tournament. Needless to say, Brahmst and Short were just as excited as me to accept the invitation.
The 8:30 game against FC Barcelona went pretty much as planned, a comfortable 5-1 win. The toughest part was probably the 2-hour bus ride. A better effort will be needed against Holland but the guys will be ready to kick some Dutch ass! A midnight dinner back at the hotel Pere III ended a long day…
I now know why my girlfriend asked me to upgrade her to business class on a recent meeting in New York. More comfortable seats, superior food and amenities simply leaves you agonizing over the possibility of one day having to return to "Noah's Arc". The "Arc" – or economy class- is where bathroom line-ups, screaming kids and ignorant travelers with multiple carry on luggage ensure that you will begin another tour as stiff and sleep deprived as when you returned home from the last one. Also, have you ever noticed that the airline staff is that much nicer in business class? Why is that?
That last tour, for all you first time readers, was Malaysia where an invitation sent by the Sultan gave us an opportunity to share with you some of the experiences we encounter on this journey to the Olympics in Sydney 2000. If you didn't hear, we lost that final third place match (2-3) to Germany who seemed rather elated to finally beat us in a well contested, physical battle. Since then those of us playing in Europe have finished our seasons, training domestically has graduated to the next level and changes have been made both on and off the field with the eye on capturing the right chemistry down the final path to the Pan American Games.
Today (Thursday) is a beautiful spring day in Manresa, a hill town located 40 minutes inland from one of my favorite cities in the world – Barcelona. Manresa is typical Spanish in its form and architecture with its narrow streets and outdoor cafés, for all intents and purposes, I couldn't give you the faintest idea why we are staying here. I have heard stories ranging from "cost efficient" to "no vacancies close to the training grounds", all of which could be valid excuses except when you see sixteen contorted athletes and staff grimacing at another 45 minute bus ride back to the hotel. The "Party Line" is that we are preparing for the Pan American Games where we will engage in daily 30 minute rides to our training site in Winnipeg. Hmmmm! Sounds like a bit of stretch to me but it will have to do, as it is the best excuse so far!
I believe the reality of the Pan American Games is now consciously within each of us as there is a certain clarity and purpose to everyone's approach. Unlike our tour of Egypt and most recently the Sultan's tournament in Malaysia, you can feel the atmosphere has changed ever so slightly to reflect our understanding of what it is going to take to achieve our goal for this year. This is not to say that we wasted time in going to Egypt and Malaysia, to the contrary those trips prepared us for this trip which will set us up for the Pan Ams. The commonly used analogy is that of a team ascending Everest where each stage is plotted in order to provide you the ability to have a clear, confident opportunity to reach the summit. So with each bus ride, warm–up, training and cool down it is interesting to experience from my perspective the collective understanding of where we are in this preparation. KNOWING that we are all here together in this moment sacrificing for the possibility of achieving something we know will only be accomplished if we do in fact submit ourselves to the team and its goal. The team is a manifestation of our own doing and our manipulation of it is a direct result of the energy and time we put in to its creation. Having been around for so many years and experiencing so many undulations with the National Team, I can only express that our most powerful weapon has become our ability to build to this feeling of KNOWING we are together, focused on our task and confident that we are meticulously preparing for success.
How else could any group of energetic people convince themselves that 3 hours on a bus everyday was worthwhile?
On the road to Winnipeg!
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