Cape Breton's Magazine

We were brought together the end of June, and we were in Halifax and throughout the province for practices throughout the sum? mer every weekend. Danyelle: Three hours on Friday night, three hours Saturday morn? ing. Three on Saturday and one on Sunday. Elsa: We'd go there for our fundamentals, for our plays. And for our defense. But during the week.... Danyelle: We had to work our own. It's really hard to motivate yourself in? dividually, when there's no one around you to push you. You have to say that you're on this Canada Games team and you really have to do it, if you really want it bad enough. Again, it's really hard to motivate your? self individually to eat properly, too. But then you have to think that you have to eat all the good food so you have all the energy to do all that you have to do. Elsa: Our team as a whole, everyone just-- how they mingle and mix, it's unbelievable. Danyelle: We get along great, 'Cause if you take 13 girls from all over the pro? vince, shove them together, you wouldn't expect them to get along as we do. We get along greats And it helps out a lot too. Elsa: We have a really good attitude on our team., Danyelle: The team is great, the coach is great. Elsa: Travelling isn't too bad. Dan? yelle: Travelling is a pain. Elsa: But it's worth it. Danyelle: To sit on the bus with an old lady who smokes is a pain for 6 hours. I don't like it at all. (What about pain?) Pain! My best friend! Elsa: You get a lot of blisters and things like that, but you're okay in the day. In? juries do happen sometimes. Like I hurt my knee, and I was out during the week, and I just did a lot of work on it, and it got back to normal. But that's part of the game. Danyelle: There's a lot of mental pain, too. You get mad at yourself, and you do things wrong, and you get--frustra? tion sets in wickedly, you know,, if you're not working. (If you're not working the way you'd like to work?) Elsa: Or the coach would like you to work! Danyelle: You try, but then you just screw iap be- cause maybe it's not your day. Elsa: (I noticed today, you took one on the thumb, Elsa, and you stayed right there.) If you want to play, you put that aside. Like when I hurt my thumb, I put it underneath. I still played. It's not like I didn't catch the ball or anything. I just dealt with what happened, and I said, I'll look at it later. Danyelle: I sprained my ankle two weeks a- go, and I'm just wrapping it, and still playing. If you want to play bad enough, you endure it. I've had a broken nose, and broken fingers and toes, and bruises and cuts, and everything you can imagine.... Elsa: But if you enjoy it, you'll stick with it, just like anything. Danyelle: (There must be something more than j us t "enjoy.") Well, there's a goal, there's a goal you're reaching for. I mean, to make Canada Games is something spectac? ular, I just came to the realization, actu- A Message From The Minister of Education In February, the attention of the entire country will be focused on Cape Breton as the Province of Nova Scotia hosts the 1987 Jeux Canada Winter Games. On behalf of the Department of Education, I am delighted to extend our traditional, provincial greeting, "Clad Mile Failte," (One hundred thousand welcomes), to the 3,000 young athletes who will be participating in the Games as the representatives of their respective Provinces and Territories. I and my Department have a particular interest in the Winter Games since we are committed to the concept of a well-rounded physical education program which contributes to the harmonious development of the human person, in accordance with the aims of our education system. We want our young people to appreciate all aspects of physical activity including athletics, and daily physical activity within their school program as appropriate. Department of Education The Games will have their own heroes, but they will also show our young people what other young Canadian amateur athletes, much like themselves, can accomplish. It also gives me a great deal of satisfaction to know that school boards are playing an important part in the Games. In many localities where different events will be staged, the public schools will be providing accommodation facilities for the athletes; their gymnasiurns will be the venues for certain events, and many teachers will be assisting as Games officials, and also as coaches and referees. To our young Canadian athletes, and to everyone else who will be participating, I extend my very best wishes for an outstanding 1987 Jeux Canada Winter Games. -t';! Honourable Thomas J. Mclnnis Minister