zerailleur.com / Zach Bell

Part of being an athlete is the responsibility to young athletes, especially those in the community from which you hail. As I grew up I remember looking up to the inspirational leaders of sport in Canada. The athletes who spoke to me at various games growing up formed the athlete I have become today; the person I have become today.

So, imagine my excitement at the opportunity to become that athlete. To be given the opportunity to inspire other young athletes. I was given such an opportunity this week. While all my teammates went down in the blistering heat of the Cuba…I winged in north to Whitehorse, Yukon for the beginning of the Canada Winter Games. This will be the first Canada Games North of the 60th parallel, and the biggest Canada Winter Games ever. My home sport association asked me to be the inspirational speaker at the pep rally for the Yukon athletes. As I headed up for the games I had only the one event scheduled over the three days but I had a feeling I was in for more. After my two full days here I have done 2 radio interviews, one newspaper, one public speech, on dinner for all the sport ministers in Canada, one school appearance, and 2 team speaking engagements. What a thrust into a roll model position…and it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my athletic career. I found myself facing the same questions I had as a young athlete and I realized I had answers for them. I felt like in some small way that I was helping these athletes, and to be doing it the northern setting that I had come from was very rewarding indeed. I hope I can continue on with this sort of work. Sport is first and for most about community. This is how sport reaches and improves community, and improves the lives of everyone it touches. I would like to thank sport Yukon for trusting me with the minds of there young talent. Good luck at the games.

HERE is a link to the an artical on my speech.