Page 8 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 84

8 Issue #84 November 2019 www.sportsenergynews.com

FILION AWARDS & SPECIALITY GIFTS

“Helping people honour people”
606 Montreal Road
Cornwall, ON
K6H 1C2
Tel: 613-938-0545
Fax: 613-938-0067

filiontrophies@sympatico.ca

What makes a Champion? Swimming with the Sea Lions:

To be a Champion NKB Fall Invitational

for the athlete. But it takes character By Victoria Klassen swimmers. This is also a challenge in
and mental strength and control. the first swim meet, as they aren’t yet
There is no shame in having fear. All he NKB Fall Invitational is the into the flow of racing and their bodies
boxers and fighters feel fear before Tfirst swim meet for the Sea Lions need to relearn how to compete.”
By Jorge Luis
competition. It’s how they handle it of this new swim season. It is a great Out of the 27 swimmers, there
that many times makes the difference way for the Sea Lions swimmers to were 80 top ten finishes by Sea
in an evenly matched bout. The boxer get their feet wet and kick off the Lions athletes: Byron Roche, Jacob
can have speed, power, reach, skill, but start of the season. Lapointe, Hailey McDonald, Kenley
if the will is weak it can often be to no Lindsay, Chloe Carter-Edwards,
hat does it take to be a boxing avail. Will is more important than skill. During this two-day meet, 27 Sea Emily Pitts, Bree Campbell,
Wchampion? Champions have An inferior fighter can defeat a better Lions swimmers from the ages of Lily MacKenzie, Avery Lauzon,
certain characteristics that other skilled fighter by imposing their will. 8-15 years old attended. Depending Maddylyn Sarault, Isabelle Dignard,
mortal human beings don’t. They They refuse to lose, and fight harder. on whether the swimmers participated Danika Lafrance, Sophia Christoff,
have a little more speed, co-ordination, It’s like two soldiers in battle. They’ve in one or two days, they swam three Abby Chadwick, Rori Campbell,
strength, power. They have last both been trained, they both feel the to six events. The events are divided Addisyn Ladouceur, Maddyson Kyer,
minute stamina. But most important same fear, but one soldier forces him/ between 50-meter races, 100-meter Isabelle Kyer, Alivia Kyer, Emma
they have character! In boxing it takes herself to go forward and do what they races and 200-meter races of the Eamon, Summer Lariviere, Makayla
a special person of character to climb have been trained to do. The other four strokes–butterfly, backstroke, Duval, Adele Van Loon.
through the ropes inside a ring. You soldier runs or hides and gives in to breaststroke and freestyle, as well Hailey McDonald came in first
can have all the physical attributes their feelings and the moment passes. as 200 meters of individual medley place in five events: 50m freestyle,
but if you lack in character, you will The hero and the coward feel the same, with each of the four strokes swam– 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 100m
never be a champion. These character the difference is that the hero forces butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke backstroke and 100m breaststroke.
traits can be coached and implanted him/herself to do what they have to do. and freestyle. Alivia Kyer also placed first in
to a certain degree, but it must be It’s the same in life. Some of us give “It was a very successful meet, five events she competed in: 100m
there inside the athlete already. Can in to fear…. fear to try something new, and a positive experience to set freestyle, 200m freestyle, 100m
the boxer react to adversity? Can the fear to risk a business, venture, fear our swimmers up for the rest of backstroke, 100m butterfly and 200m
boxer come back and snatch victory of what others will say. Champions the racing season,” said Sheilagh individual medley.
from the jaws of defeat? Can the boxer in the ring and out do not care what McNeil. “Swimmers made personal The NKB Fall Invitational was a
perform under pressure? Can they others think, or fear failure. They get best times, pretty much across the great way for these athletes to start
control their impulse and emotions? knocked down and get back up. We are board, which is the first goal for our off their swimming season.
Only when they are in the ring, under all prone to the storms of life. We lose
the hot lights in the frying pan do we our spouses, our parents, our money,
really find out. The athlete can look but if we don’t give up and get up and
great in the gym and look good on the keep trying we may end up succeeding
bag, and with his/her spar mates, but if only we try.
in front of a crowd, under the lights Champions are made of such. It’s
its very different. That’s when true more important to be a champion
character comes out and is tested in a outside the ring than in the ring. Who
way most people never face. You’re are you? Are you a champion? Do
alone in the squared circle. Crowd is you have what it takes to step in the
watching your every move. You’re ring? How about the ring of life?
nervous and under pressure. Pressure Boxing does this and develops these
can burst pipes or it can make coal into characteristics. Most young men and
diamonds. Extreme heat melts and woman will never be champions in the
forges steel. Cold hardens the steel. ring. By training and trying they get to
It’s the same with fear. Fear is your know themselves in a way they never
friend. It can make you run faster, would have, they find out who they
avoid a dangerous situation, fight are, and what they are made of.
harder. But it must be controlled; it Yours in youth and sport
must be harnessed like man harnesses Jorge Luis
fire, wind and water. Then it can work Champs Eastside Boxing. Photo credit: chaddycreates