Beautiful Way to Move
User Story
By Miriam Hak
I moved to Edmonton in 2003 but it wasn't until last September that I truly felt at home here.
I've always enjoyed watching speed skating due to a general interest and my dual Dutch/Canadian citizenship (in Holland it's like hockey is for Canadians). But this past fall, my roommates encouraged me to try it out when one of them noticed that the Edmonton Speed Skating Association (ESSA) was starting a new season. There was a chance to actually put the skates on, get a bit of coaching, and possibly register for a year of lessons.
During a demonstration, we stood in the middle while a young man raced around the arena. He was doing a lap every 9 seconds. It was incredibly inspiring! Instantly falling in love with the sport, but petrified because of not really having participated in sports in my youth, I registered. I was in a state of complete fear – to the point of tears – that something so wonderful could be at my disposal but that I may totally fail at it.
Interestingly enough, the entire experience has been reinforcement after reinforcement: if I change my perspective, small failures can actually drive me towards success and become small triumphs. This life lesson I'm learning can be credited entirely to the club – its coaches, administration and every member that I've had the incredible fortune to interact with. I'm not sure if any of them know what a deep and meaningful impact they have had on me! Competition is always presented as working towards one’s personal best and spurring each other on towards that goal.
A favourite memory of mine is one of the first speed skating events we had at the Victoria Park Oval once winter hit. Some fun races would be held on the ice with members of the club. I was still very new to the club and hardly knew anyone's name yet. We had a very informal 500m race, my first ever of this length, and I came in dead last!
And when I say last, I mean really really last...everyone was already chatting and getting ready for the next race.
But as I came around the last bend, a group of about 10 club members were shouting and cheering for me and calling out my name. It gave me so much energy and I finished pushing myself hard to the end. It was so incredible to me that these people knew my name. And that they waited and stayed to encourage me just as everyone else had been encouraged as they reached the finish line!
I think it's amazing that the ESSA had 3 individuals compete in the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and has several current members who were involved, directly or indirectly, in past years. To think I'm getting the same caliber of coaching as Olympians! And the club is not expensive or exclusive at all.
One of the coaches described speed skating as "a beautiful way to move". It truly is. And it is extremely exhilarating – someone recently told me it's the fastest human-propelled sport in existence today!
Thanks ESSA! Edmonton has become home for me because of you.
