‘Amped up’
Send-off rally held for West Prince athletes heading to Winnipeg
Kylee Wallace says she’s learned some things from her last Canada Summer Games’ experience that she will be taking with her to Winnipeg later this month.
“Don’t worry so much about the other athletes. Just worry about yourself,” she says. “You want to do better than you’ve done before.”
The Cascumpec resident, who will compete in long jump and triple jump during the first week of the Games, attended a recent send-off celebration hosted by the Western Region Sports and Recreation Council. There are 20 athletes, two coaches and four mission staff from the western region attending the Games.
Wallace will be competing against athletes up to 23 years of age, the same as she did in 2013, when she was a 16-yearold at the Games in Sherbrooke, Que. She’s confident she has a better mental lock on the sport this time.
“You’ve just got to keep your head in the game, and do the best that you can,” she acknowledged.
Volleyball player Jacob Rayner is expecting the competition to be tough, but figures P.E.I. might benefit from other teams taking little P.E.I. for granted.
“We really try hard,” he said. Baseball player Colin Gaudette feels P.E.I. is well prepared, noting they have beaten their Maritime counterparts.
“I’m pretty amped up,” he admitted. “Can’t wait.”
Speaking during the sendoff, basketball player Gemma Shea acknowledged the role parents play in the young athletes’ progression.
“I know she does it all for me,” she said of her mother’s role in getting her to practices and games. “I know it takes up a lot of her time.”
As a returning member of Team P.E.I., Wallace is excited to be competing during the first week of the Games. Four years ago she got to compete during Week 2 and take in the closing ceremony. This time she will be there for the opening ceremony.
“So that’s going to be neat. I’m very excited, looking forward to it,” she added.