There is a Japanese concept called Kintsugi, which is the art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with gold. When we think of the human body and the beautiful processes that take place inside our bodies to heal us, we can’t help but reflect on emotional pain; and whether perhaps it is a similar process. Maybe the healing process involves tears and grief and connecting with others and maybe we become more valuable and our lives richer through it all. We gain new emotional depth as we live and we become wise.
Well, there is no shortage of wisdom and life experience in our list of incredible Season 2 guests! Bombers Coach Mike O’Shea and Andrew Harris help us kick it off and along the way we’ll get to know broadcasting legend, Ron Maclean, heart surgeon Curt Tribble, ER Dr. Chau Pham, who got here on a boat, that she was placed on, by her parents, all alone, at 5 years old in Vietnam, Jets Chaplain Lorne Korol, Tim Frick — the winningest team coach ever in Canada – oh and he coached Terry Fox and Rick Hanson as well, and the list just goes on from there.
In our podcast, ‘Heroes In Our Midst’, we aim to bring people together. We know we are stronger together and we cannot live life alone. Thank you to each of our season two guests who remind us that we are ALL unapologetically human. And that is perhaps when we are at our best. Let’s be honest and real with each other. Let’s create brave spaces where people can bring their whole selves. Let’s continue to make this world a better place.
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And be inspired to bring exactly who you are to the table – every – single – day.
Michelle and Adrienne
“It is a privilege to capture the journeys of the heroes that walk among us by listening with care and compassion. We know their words will empower others to have the courage to authentically be themselves, to lead and to make a difference. We are humbled by the trust our guests place in us so that we can creatively share the authentic stories that they tell”.
]]>Thank you for being a listener to ‘Heroes In Our Midst’, We started this podcast because the Olympics and Paralympics were postponed in 2020 and we were hit by a global pandemic. We have always known the unbelievable power of sport and we have been profoundly changed and impacted by the people we have had the privilege of meeting and interacting with throughout our lives in sport.
We have also personally known the role sport has played in our lives.
Sport plays a role in helping us become. My mom used to read the story of the Velveteen Rabbit to me every night. As the rabbit learned becoming ” … doesn’t happen all at once … You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept”. We had the privilege of sharing stories of resilience and “becoming” throughout Season 1. Stories of people who had the strength and courage to keep going and we are so thankful that they did.
We know that many of these athletes and coaches are in your communities and we know, that you do not know them how we knew them, and as such, we wanted to share them with you.
There are a few things we want everyone to take-away from these conversations. First, everyone is human. That is what makes us great, makes life beautiful and what also makes us vulnerable. There is no one who is immune from being a human being.Two swimming greats and one whose greatness we have yet to witness, talked about this with Michelle. If you haven’t already, take the time to listen to Olympians Chantal Van Landeghem, Rhiannon Leier-Blacher and up-and-comer, Kelsey Wog discuss their humanness and what this means for how they found a way to survive and thrive then, AND now, in their current lives.
The humanness of coaches is often acknowledged even less than those of athletes. Master Jae Park has spent a lifetime in Taekwondo and now, is pouring all that he has learned into his daughter Skylar as her coach – the only coach she has ever had. Skylar had already qualified for the 2020 Games but was told she had to wait. Master Park is walking that path with not only one of the best athletes in the world – but his daughter. **LINK** Then, Olympic swimming coach, Vlastic Cerny, shares his humanness in HIS willingness to change to better reach his top athlete, Kelsey Wog. In the end, his surprising vulnerability reveals a deeper strength than anyone knew existed, and that wasn’t only in him but in his collaboration with this incredible athlete. From golf at the highest level to track and field, Paralympic basketball, and diving, we talked to a line-up of coaches with a lifetime of experience to draw upon and to share… and they certainly shared from their hearts!!
As one of our founders, we are thrilled to connect you with a webinar that Dr. Leslie-Toogood gave on how embracing your humanity unleashes your potential on a “Coaching through COVID” series with the Coaching Association of Canada. View Webinar.
The 2021 Edition of the Cal Botterill Legacy Lecture included alumni speakers Wade Gilbert, Cristina Fink, Peter Jensen and Gloria Balague and they discussed the importance of embracing the “human” behind the performance. Check out their discussion with Michelle as moderator here:
And get excited because Wade, Cristina and Peter will all join us individually to share THEIR stories and much more in “Season 2” which kicks off in May! Speaking of “Season 2”, if you want to listen to a conversation on the power of performance psychology beyond sport? Just WAIT for our guests Dr. Chau Pham and Dr. Faisal Sidiqui… who talk to Michelle about how the psychology that has been developed for the best athletes in the world is now helping them thrive in their careers in medicine.
As we all work to understand why sport is important and why it is of value even now, let’s remember that sport brings us together. Community and connection is essential and learning that TOGETHER is the most valuable of all. Cal Botterill, Adrienne’s chosen hero and one of our Season 1 guests, talked of the incredible minds from the sports psychology world, that came together for his 2021 Lecture panel, saying this, “I’ll never be any one of those, but I tell ya, I got something out of every one of them.”
And that is why we share these stories.
Listen.
Find out what YOU can get out of “every one of them”.
~ Michelle, Donna, & Adrienne
“It is a privilege to capture the journeys of the heroes that walk among us by listening with care and compassion. We know their words will empower others to have the courage to authentically be themselves, to lead and to make a difference. We are humbled by the trust our guests place in us so that we can creatively share the authentic stories that they tell”.
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