Countdown - 2 Years to 15CWG

Do you remember these Canada Winter Games?

2011 Canada Winter Games - Halifax

Today marks 2-years, 370 days, to the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George BC.  As we look forward please indulge me as I look back on the past two Games teams that I have been involved with.

In 2007 and 2011 I attended the Canada Winter Games with Team Ontario in Whitehorse YK and Team Manitoba in Halifax NS respectively.  Each was an exciting event because of the great group of athletes, coaches, and managers involved on each team.  

Team Ontario Speed Skating - 07CWG Whitehorse

Team Manitoba Speed Skating - 11CWG Halifax

The athletes in these videos may not be wearing uniforms from New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island, but I promise you that they were no different than you 2 years from the Games.  To achieve what they achieved simply takes doing the following steps:

1. Set goals.  Your goal should be challenging and realistic at the same time.
2. Create a plan.  Determine the steps you need to take to achieve the goals and set a timeline to achieve them by.  Lay the steps out as short-term goals, or stepping stones, you need to take to reach your ultimate long-term goal.
3. Post the goals.  Remind yourself and make decisions daily that contribute to achievement of your goals.
4. Learn.  Every practice, competition, camp, class, or coach's comment is an opportunity to learn.  Use these opportunities to develop and improve.
5. Challenge yourself.  Get out of your comfort level by doing something different.  Push yourself to go a little lower, harder, faster, and/or further.  Once you develop a new comfort level push yourself again to another level.
6. Be deliberate.  You should be conscious of every stride in practice, every moment of dryland, and every lap of a race.  Is what you are doing you now getting you closer to your goal?  If not, change what you are doing.  If it is, make sure you continue to develop and refine it.
7. Review.  Is your plan working?  Are you meeting the short term goals?  What changes can you make? 

I am looking forward to working with skaters and coaches over the next 2 years to prepare Atlantic teams for the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George BC.

2015 Canada Winter Games - Prince George