Memorable moments
Silver medal, extra innings, podium hunts stand out during Canada Games
Small and mighty. Wednesday night, after a day at the Canada Games pool, wrestling venue and softball diamond, I found myself reflecting on a Mark Twain quote that Alberton’s Peter Bolo used on July 10 at the Team P.E.I. athletes rally.
“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog,” the well-known volleyball coach and Team P.E.I. mission staff member told the crowd.
The athletes must have been listening. There have been a number of great examples of athletes and teams punching above their weight during the past two weeks in Winnipeg.
The women’s softball team gave gold medallist British Columbia everything they could handle on Wednesday. They lost 10-8 in extra innings in a game with an electric atmosphere.
The game was tied 4-4 after seven innings before B.C. struck for six in the top of the eighth. Most teams would have folded and turned their attention to the next game, but not this group of Islanders.
The little province from the East Coast went toe-to-toe with the powerhouse from the west. They scored four times and had the tying run at second when the game ended.
Errors hurt the Island squad, but the memory that will stay with me will be the team’s refusal to pack it in. Many teams would have. Not this one.
The night before at the pool, a young woman with a smile that lights up a room, energized Team P.E.I., earning the province’s first and only medal of the two-week competition.
Alexa McQuaid won silver in the 50-metre breaststroke with a personal best time.
A swim team official knew McQuaid was off to a good start, paramount in a short race. The buzz continued as Alexa raced to the finish line.
She looked up at the board and waited seconds — which seemed like an eternity to me — for her time to show up.
When 33.48 flashed on the board with her placing, McQuaid smiled and looked at her teammates poolside.
Minutes later she stepped up on the podium and you could almost hear the applause from homes across P.E.I.
The night ended with the whole swim team joining McQuaid and her family at the Team P.E.I. mission staff office where chef de mission Brian McFeely congratulated Alexa for her accomplishments.
The media and society put a lot of emphasis on medals in sports — and for good reason. Strong performances don’t always lead to a medal, but they should still be celebrated.
Islanders set personal best times and equalled or tied the province’s previous best finish in team’s sports. They should be proud of their accomplishments. The list includes wrestlers Ben Tanton, Christian MacDonald and Jesse Heartz, who finished fourth on Friday night.
The athletes have put in a lot of time to reach the Games, but they didn’t make it to Winnipeg alone.
The Week 2 contingent touched down in Charlottetown at 1 a.m. Monday to a crowd of proud family members.
Before leaving the airport, I was pleased to see many athletes walk over and shake hands or exchange a hug with their coaches and managers. The athletes had recognized the time they had invested in them.
For many athletes, the Games will be the pinnacle of their sporting careers. Some will soon head off to university and start the next chapters of their lives, but the memories of their time in Winnipeg will last forever.
I recall seeing the 1993 bronze medal-winning softball team on the stage at the athletes rally a month ago. Afterwards, they were sharing barbs like they must have back in Kamloops, B.C. Those memories were as fresh as if it had happened yesterday.
I hope the same holds true for this year’s contingent.
While the Games are over, there’s not too much time to rest.
The next summer Games are four years away and it is up to the provincial sports organizations to start preparing their athletes now in order to have them ready for the Ontario’s Niagara Region in 2019. Four years seems like a long time, but it flies by.