Friday, December 16, 2011

Mentor

I've been hanging around the Calgary Gymnastics Centre quite a bit these past few days acting as team mentor for the Canadian Men's Gymnastics team. They have 25 days left until their final shot at Olympic qualification. The pressure's on.


Check out this article from the Calgary Herald about the team and the final push towards their Olympic dream...




Canadian gymnasts prepare for Olympic qualification

 

Shewfelt mentoring squad as they sequester in Calgary to train for next month’s competition in London

 
 
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Former Canadian gymnast Kyle Shewfelt is lending his expertise as a mentor to the national team.
 

Former Canadian gymnast Kyle Shewfelt is lending his expertise as a mentor to the national team.

Photograph by: Stuart Gradon

Kyle Shewfelt knows what a difference it can make to have teammates at the Summer Olympics.
“I was by myself in 2000 and it was like, blah, and in 2004, when I won (floor routine), I had all the support of the team. You’re so much more into it ... it just makes such a huge difference.”
Shewfelt has long packed up his golden gymnastics career, but he’ll be close by when the Canadian men’s team travels to London, England next month to try to land one of the last four-team berths to the 2012 Summer Olympics in that country.
If they qualify, they can send a team of six (five compete). If not, only one can carry the flag.
Seven members of the team have gathered for a weeklong training camp at the Calgary Gymnastics Centre to fine tune their routines. They’ll get their chance to land a spot Jan. 10 in London against France, Great Britain, Spain, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Italy and Belarus.
Those countries, along with 12th-place Canada, finished between ninth and 16th in the recent world championships, where the top eight automatically qualified for the Olympics.
“Based on their past results, the front-runners are Great Britain and France,” suggested Shewfelt, who serves as a mentor to the Canadian team. “They have a lot of veterans and have really high difficulty scores, but Canada factors into that group.
“They just need to be consistent and really hit because this is cutthroat. It’s your last shot, it’s urgent ... do or die mentality.”
Two-time Canadian Olympic team member Nathan Gafuik of Calgary knows of what Shewfelt speaks.
“We went into worlds hoping that was the place we were going to make it ... went into that one thinking that was our last chance and then, whoops, we got this chance,” said the 26-year-old member of the University of Calgary Gymnastics Club. “The last two times we qualified, we did if from the worlds, but the rules have changed so now we have to do a secondary qualifier, which is a bit of new thing, but we should be OK.”
Gafuik has been to the past two Olympics, in 2004 as a standby reserve on the six-man team, and as a competitor in 2008. His high-bar and vault routines are world class. Perhaps even good enough to find an Olympic podium finish at London.
“(High bars) is such a hard event to do perfectly every time with all the different manoeuvres that we have to do,” said Gafuik, who has 20 years of gymnastic experience. “If I can ever figure out how to be on every single time, it’ll become one of my good ones.
“As you mature and you get all the skills you need to challenge for that (medal) position, then it’s all about perfecting them, being confident in competition situations, consistent in competition situations, so a lot of the last couple years has been aimed towards doing that.”
Gafuik is joined on the team by 2005 world championship medallist Brandon O’Neill of Edmonton, up-and-comer Jackson Payne of Edmonton, Ken Ikeda of Abbotsford, B.C., former NCAA champion Casey Sandy of Brampton, Ont., Jayd Lukenchuk of Saskatoon and Kevin Lytwun of Stoney, Creek, Ont.
Although there’s still that big test event to get through, Shewfelt believes Canada has a big shot at landing a couple of Olympic medals next summer.
“Brandon O’Neill on floor,” he said of the 27-year-old. “Very talented, world champion medallist in 2005 who has struggled with injuries the past few years, but he’s back and looks really, really good.
“Then Nathan Gafuik ... he’s always been so great on the high bar. I know right now he’s focused on team qualifications, so he’s taken out some of his difficulty, but once the team qualifies he’s going to add in a lot of new skills, give himself the best shot to get to the finals.
“Once you get to the finals, it’s anybody’s game. That was proven in 2004 when I won. You just have to get past that first phase and be perfect on the day.”
jdown@calgaryherald.com



Read more:http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/Canadian+gymnasts+prepare+Olympic+qualification/5868655/story.html#ixzz1gjuzsIYC

Marathon!

A few days ago I signed up to run my first MARATHON!

I am going to run the BMO Vancouver Marathon on May 6th - conveniently on my 30th Birthday. My brother, Scott, and I are going to train together and it should be a gruelling yet super enriching experience.

I've started back on the running train and it's been a different experience compared to when I trained for my half marathon in October. First and foremost, I now have to watch for black ice! This invention below has been very helpful though…


They are called YakTrax and they are a life saver when running on ice and snow. I highly recommend that every winter runner gets a pair!

It's also been different because I've been doing a lot of my runs solo. Can you say boring?? CBC Radio and I are becoming very close friends ;) My bro and I are going to start making it a priority to meet for at least one run a week, but as he put it, "he hasn't been in shape for 20 years", so he has some pre-training to do in order to create a foundation. He's in his own personal boot camp at the moment and he should be ready to train with his little bro by mid-January. They say that slow and steady wins the marathon training race so slow and steady we shall be...

My body is feeling awesome and I have made sure to stretch well and keep up with my yoga. I am following a self-prescribed combination of a couple of different programs (Hal Higdon's, Bruce Deacon's and John Stanton's). I wanted to have some flexibility in the program because I am going to be away a fair amount in the new year. I also didn't want to be running 6 days a week because I am hoping to simultaneously train for a June 9th Triathlon in Wasa Lake (we'll see if I can manage both ;) ). I am going to do most of my long runs on Saturdays, even though the race is on a Sunday, because I like starting my weekend off on a really positive note. Another factor in choosing my training program was that I wanted to be able to take Cooper (and Patch when he's here) on runs with me, but I won't take them for more than 10K (I won't take Coops for more than 5K right now, but he'll be a year in February and then we can up his distances). I wanted a program that offered some shorter runs in the week so I could be with my doggies because that's a really enjoyable experience for me.  

REAL training starts on January 2nd and then it's 18 weeks of suffering to reach the goal. I'm excited about pushing myself far beyond my comfort zone and about taking on a challenge that seemed literally impossible to me 6 months ago. It will be a good way to set myself up for a productive and fulfilling 30th year.

I will be keeping a training journal here so please stay tuned for updates.

Here's to creating new limits!

Kyle


Thursday, December 08, 2011

The beginning of the road - CTV Olympics

Preparation. Preparation. Preparation.


Today, the journey began for my role as analyst for the 2012 London Olympic Games with CTV Olympics.


Rod Black and I had our first "rehearsal" today and it went pretty well. I wanted to nail it out of the park, but I left with a lot of really constructive things to work on. I am so excited about the next 8 months of prep and I realized today that I have a lot of work to do in order to get to where I want to be.


courtesy of @carolynwaldoCTV





This process is eerily comparable to the prep that I went through as an athlete. I found myself visualizing being in the O2 arena with the 10,000 people in the audience. I could feel the tension and the storyline's unfolding. I also felt thankful that we still have 8 months to go before the big show…


I don't want to just be a commentator. I want to bring excellence to the role. I want to have the viewers at home feel like they are out there on the floor with the athletes. I want them to have the butterflies and I want them to completely understand the sacrifice and dedication it took to get there. My role as an analyst is to explain the WHY's and the HOW's. Simple, right? Well, not so much…


But this is where my focus needs to be. And it's great to have a focal point.


Over the course of the next 8 months, I am going to be vigilantly watching hours and hours of gymnastics on VHS, DVD and youtube. I'll be playing with language. I am going to listen to the best of the best (any recommendations?) and see what they say. I am going to be constantly recording myself while explaining WHY an iron cross is difficult. I am going to make lists and lists of flavourful adjectives that describe certain characteristics of skills and routines. I have a goal of never being tongue tied…I want to be so 'ready' that I don't have to try.


In Athens and Beijing, I remember stepping on to the floor feeling like I couldn't have anything more to be more prepared. I want to feel this same way in London - I'll just be on the other side of the camera.


Today, this incredible role I have with CTV Olympics started to feel a little more real. I have a lot of work to do. But with that being said, I am so psyched about doing it!


Next stop: London. I'll be there in January for the final Olympic qualifier (Go Canada Go!). I apologize in advance to the person who has to sit next to me in the stands. They'll be getting a running commentary of the event whether they like it or not!



Sunday, November 27, 2011

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

To be a gymnast...


I got a note from a young gymnast who quit a year and a half ago, but is considering a comeback. He asked for my advice. Below is what I wrote to him. 


This is what it takes to be a gymnast:

Here's the deal - it requires a lot of effort, passion and love of the sport to be a gymnast. You have to be physically tough, mentally tough and be great with time management. There is no shortcut to the top. You have to show up everyday and pull the most out of yourself. You have to do it when you are tired, sore, injured and bleeding. You have to do the hard things even when you don't want to. That's the hardest part. 

I would say it's the sport that takes the most time and dedication. You don't get days off - even when you have a day off, you need to live the lifestyle of a gymnast.

So, I'll ask you this: Why do you want to return to gym? Is it because you miss it or is it because you know you have unfinished business and you are ready to commit to being great. You have to really want it to make it worthwhile. I've seen a lot of guys quit and then want to come back after a year and a half because they realize that something feels missing without being in the gym. What you are feeling is normal - I urge you to search really deep for the reason WHY. That will tell you a lot.



I hope that this resonates with him. I hope he is able to find the WHY and to make a decision that is the right one for him.


Good luck.




Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Hall of Fame Induction - 2011

One year has passed since I had the incredible honour of being inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Since that induction ceremony, I have been to the Hall on numerous occasions for various events and it's an amazing venue to explore the wonders of sport. Each time I go, I discover something new and I am always humbled to know that my gymnastics legacy will be preserved and celebrated. 


When you are inducted into the Hall, you get a snazzy suit jacket encrusted with the Hall of Fame logo. It makes you feel like you are joining some exclusive club and that you are being weaved into the fabric of Canadian Sport history. Unfortunately, the jacket doesn't get worn too often (quite frankly, it doesn't match any of my outfits), but last night was an exception…


November 8th, 2011 marked the 2011 edition of the induction ceremony. Kristin and I attended the dinner and it was inspiring. 


The newest honoured members into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame are:


Ray Bourque - Hockey
Andrea Neil - Soccer
Lui Passaglia - Football
Lauren Woolstencroft - Para-Alpine Skiing
Peter Reid - Ironman
Dick Pound - Builder


2 quick stories:


1. I went to elementary school with Lauren at Queen Elizabeth and we were in the same class. I remember one day when she showed up to school and she was about 5 inches taller. She had been to her doctor and they had outfitted her for new legs! She walked a little taller that day…


2. I thought that Peter Reid's speech last night was the best of the bunch. He spoke about how he was never a super talented athlete, but he had incredible work ethic. He got into triathlon because his buddy was too scared to do one alone. He did a few, but wasn't super passionate about the sport and decided to stop. Then he was at home for a family get-together and he was talking to his mom about how he felt like he had left something on the table - he hadn't given his triathlon career 100%. She told him that she never wanted any of her kids to feel regret in their lives and she encouraged him to give it one last shot. He moved to Victoria, started working with a coach and committed 100% to the plan. Next thing he knew, he was winning triathlons and then half Ironmans. And then he became a 3 time World Ironman Champ. Not too shabby ;) 


The moral of the story was: When you have a plan and fully commit to it, goals become achievable. Work ethic is more valuable than talent any day.


This resonated with me and made me feel a spark inside. Who knows, maybe an Ironman is in my future? Anything is possible. Thanks Peter! One quick question though: how and when do you eat while doing an Ironman? I've never fully understood…









Congratulations to the class of 2011. Welcome to the Hall!




Kyle



Friday, November 04, 2011

Gold Medal Plates

Photo © @JesseLumsden28

Last night I was in Edmonton for Gold Medal Plates - an annual gala fundraiser for the Canadian Olympic Foundation.

I, of course, did my customary handstand on stage. Always a good party trick that helps sell auction packages! Last week I attended the event in Calgary and I didn't have as much success holding it - in fact, I think I was about 2 glasses of wine over "handstand" holding capacity ;)

I am super excited that I will be traveling to Napa Valley in California in April, along with Alex Bilodeau and Colin James, to host a group of guests from these GMP events. It is going to be an amazing trip where we will drink lots of wine, go on some amazing runs and relax in the California sunshine!

Thanks to everyone for coming out last night and congratulations to the all of the chefs on some incredible food!

Thursday, November 03, 2011

www.kyleshewfelt.com

Finally, after months of tedious work, I have a new website!

Please check out www.kyleshewfelt.com and let me know what you think ;)




Monday, October 31, 2011

Rewind: A problem with ARTISTIC Gymnastics





With the current code of points demanding crazy amounts of difficulty, the gymnasts on floor exercise are now packing in 6 tumbling passes in 1:10 and they have no time (or energy for that matter) to show any sort of artistry or style. 

Thomas Gonzales from Chile is an exception. At the recent 2011 Pan Am Games, his floor routine really caught my eye (the moustache should probably go though…):


I loved this routine because he pays attention to the little details. He holds his chin up, his arms moves purposefully, there are little subtleties in his routine that make you want to press rewind. In fact, I did rewind this video multiple times after every pass because I felt compelled to analyze it more closely. This routine is awesome and I strongly believe that there needs to be some sort of way to reward a gymnast for their style other than just with youtube hits ;) 

Now, for a comparison, take a look at this routine from the 2008 Olympic Champion, Zou Kai:


Sure, he can tumble like the wind, but a cardboard box has more style. His head is down, his arms are lazy and he looks like he's going for a walk in the park on a Sunday afternoon in between passes. There is no ownership of innovation and no attempt to be eye catching - it's a stock routine that gets great results because he has a higher difficulty score than everyone else (of note, Zou was 2nd at Worlds and Thomas was 6th). And, to me, it's boring and I have no desire to watch it again after it's done. Don't get me wrong, I think Zou is an amazing athlete, but I'm also a purest who believes that style should be equally, if not more important, than the big tricks. His gymnastics is not the gymnastics that I fell in love with. I wouldn't want to go back into the gym after watching Worlds on TV and pretend that I was Zou Kai - I would want to learn the cool corner part that Thomas Gonzales did and add it into MY routine.

I am becoming very frustrated with the lack of artistry in gymnastics these days! It's not called Extreme Gymnastics…it's called ARTISTIC gymnastics and the art of the sport is being lost.

A while back, I made a proposal to one of the FIG men's technical committee members to restrict the number of passes on men's floor exercise to 5 and to add 10 extra seconds to the length of a routine in order to encourage time for a little bit of artistry. I believe that this could make a huge difference in preserving the "artistic" part of the sport. Unfortunately, I'm still waiting to hear back…

All I know is that something needs to change and it needs to change fast. Routines like the one from Thomas Gonzales should become the norm and not the other way around. Artistic Gymnastics needs to start encouraging artistry again. It's a core value in the sport (it's in the NAME for goodness sake!) and having fans wanting to press rewind is how we keep the sport alive and vibrant. We have to think of the next generation who are watching at home and we have the responsibility to show them that attention to detail, artistry, innovation and uniqueness are as important as learning the big skills. A jump full turn with elegance and control is much more impressive than a full-twisting 1 3/4 roll out (and the former is something you can try to do in your living room - a place where many gymnastic dreams are initially discovered!)

So, what's your thoughts? Do you have any suggestions on how to bring back the "artistic" in artistic gymnastics? Which routine do you feel more compelled to watch and which one would you rewind and watch again? 


Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Busted Toe

I was helping Kristin move some furniture into one of her renovation projects when I dropped a very heavy drawer on my big toe. OUCH!!! It took every ounce of my self-control not to yell out a giant F word and scare the entire neighbourhood. I would honestly put the pain on the same scale as what I felt when I broke my legs. Toes are sensitive little nuggets and they are not meant to have heavy things slam down on them. Yuck. 

A couple of days after the incident, I spoke at an event in Kelowna and I took the stage in my sock feet because my toe was so swollen I couldn't even get my shoe on. Good thing I wear fun socks!

This has put a bit of a damper on my running rampage - I haven't been able to hit the pavement in a week now and I am starting to go crazy. Like, really really crazy! I lie in bed at night and my legs are shaking because they haven't been exercised. My mind races. I am super disorganized and I am losing all sense of my own focus zone. Hopefully this sucker heals fast so I can gain back my sanity soon…

You don't notice how much of an impact that running and exercise have on your ability to focus until you can't do them. I've got to figure out an alternative plan because I can't stand being inside my head for another second!!!!!




Monday, October 17, 2011

5K for Gymnastics Canada

Yesterday, I ran the 5K at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront run in 21:31. My goal was to come in under 23 minutes so it was definitely mission accomplished!


I ran today in support of the next generation of Canadian Gymnastic stars. I believe in their potential, and I know that it is going to take funding to get them there.


Thanks to everyone who played a role in helping me raise close to $3000! And to those of you who would still like to donate, you're in luck! Donations are being accepted until mid-November. If you feel so inclined, my fundraising page is here. *Note: All donations over $25 receive a tax receipt which is always nice;)


I've got to admit, running a 5K is much different than running a Half Marathon. You have to access a different part of your body and mind. The longer the run, the more strategic you have to be in the your approach. You can't go out too fast or you are in for big trouble at the end. But when it comes to a 5K, you just have to give 'er. From start to finish, you have to grind the gears and push yourself to the max. Today's 5K made me feel physically strong and powerful and it felt great to cross the finish line in support of Canadian Gymnastics!

Annie and I ready to run!

Annie, myself and Helen 






Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Focus Zone

I don't know if you heard this or not, but multi-tasking died in 2009. In order to make a real impact in this world, it's essential to create a focus zone. Shift happens when we have the space to be single minded. 


Major gains in any project are made when we find our perfect formula for focus and go there often. 


It's natural for the inner villain to pipe up when you create this space. It often says, "You can't just focus on one thing. You have so many things to do"!


What the villain doesn't know is that more things get done when we create the space to start and finish them. And, the more we complete, the more productive we become because we gain momentum when we feel a sense of accomplishment.


My Focus Zone looks like this:


- Phone off
- A specific task to complete has been outlined and sits in front of me (ex. complete blog on focus zone)
- Desk cleared
- Email closed
- Internet off (a biggie! google searches can be addictive when you start to struggle)
- A small pad of paper at a far corner of my desk for "backburner" items that come up in my mind and try to take me off task. I write them down and deal with them later.
- A timer set beside me for a designated amount of time (usually for 45 minutes, but can be up to 2 hours)
- silence in the background - or occasionally music, but something ambient without words.
- A glass of water or a coffee. 
- And I've usually done some sort of physical activity within an hour and a half beforehand.


Without my focus zone, my mind races with my list of things to do. I can be so easily distracted. I find my villain comes in to attack me often when I haven't created boundaries. Sometimes I can start writing an email, then go to a website to reference something, then hit up facebook "just to see", then remember something else I forgot to do, then start walking to the kitchen to write myself a note, then unload the dishwasher, then fold some clothes, then play with Cooper, then check my twitter on my blackberry and then come back to my computer half an hour later having completely forgot that I was even writing that original email.


I have found that creating a focus zone in my life has literally doubled my productivity. I have become so much more effective because I have the space to get things done. I'll admit, some days it's hard to go there - especially when my list of tasks is overwhelmingly long. But the thing I've found is that I get things done faster and of higher quality when I simply focus on one thing at a time.


So, now it's your turn. What does your focus zone look like? I'd love to hear your comments! 




Monday, October 03, 2011

Half Marathon

At the beginning of the summer, I felt desperate for a fitness goal. I was craving commitment and I needed a challenge. I was feeling very unfulfilled because I was trying to do too many things at once. I needed a fitness focal point and so I decided to run a half marathon - a big part of me didn't think I could do it. Remember, I used to run a mere 25 meters at full speed towards a stationary object and flip over it. 21.1km seemed slightly impossible...


I spent the entire summer committed to the goal. I sweated my face off as I ran up massive flights of stairs (multiple times, may I add). I ran around the entire town of Westlock 3 times in order to get in my required km's. I ran in the pouring rain. I ran on vacation and while camping (of course, I had a beer right after :) ). I almost got heat stroke a couple of times. I fought off the lazy demons and even organized an informal 10K race in preparation for the big event. I was up EVERY Saturday morning at 7am hitting the trails with my amazing running crew (Breezer, Kimbo, Kung-Fu and De-Rock; I love you guys!). I remember one Saturday morning, though, when my running buddies were all out of town - I ran for nearly 2 hours by myself while listening to TED talks on my ipod. I hated it, but I loved it. Oh, how the life of being committed to a goal makes my wheels turn! I loved that morning because I felt like I was gaining momentum with each cement footed step I took. I could have easily said NO, and I wanted to, but I didn't. Giving up was available to me, no one else was there to hold me accountable, but I chose to push through and it made me stronger. 


After a summer full of training, I am extremely proud to say that on Saturday October 1st, I successfully ran my first half marathon. It felt amazing! My goal was to run it in under 2 hours and I came in at 1 hour 47 minutes. Booyah! 


I started off nice and slow just to make sure I would have some energy left for the end. It was a beautiful course and on a couple of occasions I completely forgot that I was running...I think they call that runners high ;) Then, when I saw the 18km mark, I started to pick up speed. I moved to a 4 minute km and started to blaze past people - I was in my element. Zoom. Zoom. Zoom. My inner superhero was screaming inside, "Move it people. I'm coming through!" When there was only 250 meters left, I found a totally new gear and sprinted to the finish line.


When it all ended, I was tired and satisfied. I felt like I had just experienced a really big moment in my life.


I also thought to myself, "I think a marathon IS possible"…


Uh Oh.


Arrrrg! Crossing the Finish Line

Team Awesome - L-R: Shewfly, Kimbo, Breezer, De-Rock, Kung-Fu

Nice medals!

We did it!!!

Sunday, October 02, 2011

I'm running 5K for Canadian Gymnastics! Please support me :)


Friends, Family and Colleagues:

I have decided to run the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront 5K on October 16th to raise funds for the next generation of Canadian Gymnastic Superstars!  

My goal is to raise $10,000 (all of which will go towards the Canadian National Teams) and I need your help over the next 2 weeks to achieve it. 



To donate, please click on the link below:

Good news: I give you permission to share the link with any gymnastic fans in your network :)

Extra good news: Online donations of $25 and over will automatically receive an official electronic tax receipt.

I LOVE gymnastics and I know you do too. To find out why your contribution matters, please check out this link: KYLE SHEWFELT.


Thanks so much for your support! 

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

My advice to Olympians with 10 months to go!


As the calendar turns to 10 months before the 2012 Olympics, here is my Top 10 advice to athletes preparing for the London Games:


1. Don't change too much - what you've been doing is obviously working. One mistake I see often is that athletes start to panic. Stay calm and trust yourself. You've still got 10 months.


2. Put yourself in pressure situations beforehand. Try to recreate what Olympic sized pressure feels like. It's impossible to completely recreate, but the more you hold yourself accountable to the "one shot" mentality, the more comfortable it will become.


3. Pick a time in this next 10 months where you can relax and take a mental break from your intense training. Put it in the plan. Our minds need rest and recovery as much as our bodies do.


4. Start an Olympic blog and engage your network in your journey. The pursuit of excellence is most inspiring when the journey is shared. You'll feel the momentum with each comment you receive!


5. Don't be afraid to say NO. Make your Olympic dream your biggest priority. Beer drinking and camping can wait until you're retired ;)


6. Turn negatives into positives. Feel like the pressure is building? Guess what? You've earned it, sucka!


7. Focus on the details - Olympic titles are won by milliseconds, centimeters and pointed toes. Little details make all the difference.


8. Be consistent - show up everyday and execute your plan to the best of your ability. Simple, but a tried and true technique to reach your potential.

9. Visualize the perfect performance every night before you go to bed.  

10. Focus on your preparation, not the outcome. You have no control over who stands on the podium. You do, however, have total control over how prepared you feel when you stand there with a chance.


Good luck!


Sunday, September 25, 2011

The Canadian Sport Centre Calgary had a really fun golf tournament called "Golf with an Olympian".


My team rocked! My golf skills, however, are very very bad...


It's a good thing I like to drink beer.


Interestingly enough, my friend Robyn's (who's wedding I attended in Kelowna this summer) Dad, Don (far left), was in my foursome. What are the chances?!








I benefited greatly from the incredible services that the CSCC offers to athletes. In fact, I think I used every possible service atleast once (nutritionist, fat testing, life services, athlete resource centre, YES program, sport psych, chiro, massage, doctors, surgeons, physio, MRI, sonorex, etc, etc, etc, etc…) Without their support, I would not have been able to have such a successful career in sport. 



Monday, September 19, 2011

Netball Quest 61

Congratulations to my friend, Martin Parnell, and his team for breaking a World record this weekend!


They played 61 simultaneous hours of netball. Holy smokes. That's crazy.


Check out more info here

photo courtesy of www.pushstart.org

I showed up for a mere hour on Sunday morning to lend my support. The game was in it's 40th hour and it had turned from "netball" to "zombieball". What an amazing feat…it really goes to show you that anything is possible when you set your mind to it and have an amazing team.


To contribute to Martin's goal of raising $25,000 for Right To Play, please donate here.