Chasing that elusive gold medal gives Olympic athletes a distinct perspective on life’s myriad of challenges.

Normal people work at the daily grind, some just as hard as athletes. But it’s the potential of a gold medal dangling around your neck that allows Olympic bobsledders like Kaillie Humphries a different glimpse into overcoming obstacles.

“It’s hard to overcome stuff when you are not 100 per cent into it or you can’t see an end, a positive outcome,” said Humphries who spoke to students at Big Rock Elementary School in Okotoks on May 25.

It’s never too soon for children to learn about life’s challenges according to Humphries.

Olympic gold medallist Kaillie Humphries delivers a speech on overcoming obstacles to students at Big Rock Elementary School May 25. Rick Northrop/OWW

“As an athlete we always have the chasing of the Olympic gold medal,” she said.

Along with her teammate, Heather Moyse, Humphries won a gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games in women’s two-man bobsled. She spoke to the children about the challenges and hardships she has had to endure along the way such as a bad ankle injury just before a major competition.

“It’s just general life stuff, stuff that athletes deal with in a lot in sports,” said Humphries.

Daily work life is similar to the training she undertakes to be at the top of the women’s bobsled world. Most of the children at Big Rock School won’t grow up to be Olympic athletes, but that doesn’t mean they won’t have to overcome daily challenges, she said.

“The top business people will always be successful and the top people in sports will always be successful because you figure out what works for you and how to transfer it into anything,” said Humphries.

Born and raised in Calgary, Humphries attended Glamorgan Elementary School and graduated from the National Sports School.

“These are my goals and my dreams and I’m working hard at them,” said Humphries.

She didn’t grow up wishing to be a bobsledder. In fact, Humphries started out skiing, but switched when she discovered her talent on the bobsled track.

Speaking engagements are a way of supplementing her income so she can train, but meeting with school-aged children is also her way of giving back. She said she hopes to influence even just one child to work hard and overcome a challenge and maybe achieve their goals.

“Not every kid is fortunate enough to have a family like I had,” said Humphries. “Not every kid is fortunate enough to know inspirational people.”

For the remaining summer months Humphries will be training in Calgary in anticipation of the upcoming 2010-11 World Cup bobsled season beginning in late November. Humphries said she would like to be part of the first women’s bobsled team to defend their gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

“Set the bar real high, as high as I can do it for the next couple of years.”

rnorthrop@okotoks.greatwest.ca

http://www.dawgsbaseball.ca/

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