Page 39 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 83

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #83 October 2019 39

In The Ladies’ Day at

Stormont Yacht Club
ZONE By Christine Ouellet approximately 20 new sailors each

year to introduce them to the basics
of sailing. She encourages women
to take on more initiative and to
feel confident at the helm. She says

With Justin Roethlingshoefer t is a tradition in yacht clubs that they need to be more in control. I
later so don’t hold anything back!
Ia day is set aside to honour the remember that, when I participated
elcome to October !! It is crazy 3- Develop every aspect of yourself, ladies, and SYC makes no exception. in the sessions several years ago,
Wto believe that this column is especially while in the sports space. Roles are reversed, women take the Katherine asked me to do a delicate
a year old. The speed at which time There is no better time to helm and go sailing, while the men manoeuvre and to bring their boat
flies is scary. I had a picture come develop yourself into a better person set the tables up and prepare the into the slip at the end of the sailing
across one of my feeds today and and set yourself up for the future dinner. lesson. I was terrified, but I thought,
it was a picture wearing the Colts than when you are playing high level “if they trust me with their boat,
jersey from 2009. That is 10 years sport. In no other time in your life This year, three boats Chinook, I had better do this right and not
ago! It was the season leading us into will you be given a seat at ‘the table’ Amorce, and Robert Zwanenburg’s disappoint them”. It was a turning
the Royal Bank Cup. As I looked without having done anything to get with all woman crews were out there point for me and I began to think
at the picture I looked at the people there, than when you are an athlete. on Lake St. Lawrence heading for “Yes I can”! I gained a lot of self-
around myself in that picture. Some Athletics opens so many doors Sheek Island in spite of a very light confidence after that and all women
were in the NHL, some still playing to network and meet people that breeze and drizzle. Light westerly who go through the experience felt
at other levels, some coaching, and you can learn from. Absorb those winds meant lots of tacking on the the same at the end.
some I had no idea what they were opportunities and really relish in the return.
doing. It really put a few things into privilege. I joined Pam Maloney on
perspective for me. Chinook, a beautiful Catalina 32,
4- Don’t take it for granted
1- Life in general is short, but life with three other sailors and the
in sports is shorter. There are million and 1 people who discussion centred around what we
would want to be in your shoes. Use liked about sailing. For Gillian, it
When we are in the midst of it we
tend to think it will last forever, going it to your advantage and give back. was the challenge to avoid the pitfall
of being complacent. Katherine,
from one year to the next without any
real appreciation for the fact that one Until next month. who was the first and only woman Sharon Williams, Susanna Cluff-
day it may end. The grind of practice, Stay happy and healthy. commodore from 2005 to 2007 and Clyburn, Katherine Runnalls, Pam
the friendships, and comfort of the Justin Roethlingshoefer who has been sailing for over forty Maloney Photo Submitted
dressing room, and the day-to-day Email questions to: years says: “I like the solitude, the Pam said in the end, “you have
routine will one day be a memory. silence when the engine is turned to deal with what you are given and
justinr@thehockeysummit. off and the sails are raised. You hear
2- There will come a time where com there is no way back. Each time you
competitive sports come to an end so Follow and reach out via the water clapping against the hull, sail, it is a different experience. You
ENJOY every single minute. it is so peaceful. But you have to may have to motor across the wind
Instagram: constantly watch out for the wind.”
Simply building off point 1…it will @innerstrength1988 or you may have too much wind and
end…sooner for some rather than Pam, the SYC Adult Sailing have to take reefs and reduce the
@thehockeysummit Coordinator, brings together sail”.

Q&A Hi Justin, my son fell short on making the AAA and AA teams locally.
Many people told me he should have made AA and look really good in the AAA tryouts. What do coaches see that sets the kids apart from
making it or not?
ANSWER:
That is a great question and one, that if I had the correct answer, there would be a lot of money to be made! To be honest the travel and AAA culture is
very political and it could have been for a number of reasons. The biggest message you need to pass along to your son, and daughter in many cases, is
that you can only control the controllable.
If you look after those items, like being the first on the ice and last off the ice, first in line for drills, doing a hard warm up on your own, preparing like a
pro, training, and preparing seriously in the off-season, being a good teammate, then you minimize the options for a reason not to make a team and make
it that much harder for the political game to shine its ugly face.