Ah, the good olSA国际影视传媒� days. Remember those? Those days when Michael Gilday was doing the North proud on the ice? Iqaluit trying to claim him as one of their own (technically they could because he was born there in the pre-Iqaluit, Nunavut days of Frobisher Bay, NWT)?
Well, those days could come back and a lot sooner than you think because there is another young speedskater who is on the cusp of something real good.
But a lot of you knew about that already so consider this column a bit of emphasis, if you will.
Wren Acorn flew the flag for the North at the Canadian Short Track Championships in Montreal late last month and finished 13th overall on the womenSA国际影视传媒檚 side. It was out of 20 and you may think SA国际影视传媒楪eez, she finished well backSA国际影视传媒� but then you factor in that sheSA国际影视传媒檚 just 18 and, all of a sudden, 13th in the country in your first year as an adult ainSA国际影视传媒檛 something to take cover over.
Besides, Acorn wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 competing for an Olympic spot (the trials of which, by the way, were happening alongside the national championships) but she got a front-row seat for that and from what she told me, she loved watching it. ISA国际影视传媒檓 willing to wager she wanted to be there mixing it up with them because she is as competitive as they come but her day is approaching.
That day will be sometime in 2025 following eradication of the Zeta variant but before the next big thing to come and shut us down. My best guess, gang.
If you know Acorn well enough, you will know she is one of the most determined, committed, wall-breaking athletes there is out of Yellowknife right now. If sheSA国际影视传媒檚 not winning, sheSA国际影视传媒檒l find a reason why she didnSA国际影视传媒檛 win, neutralize it, plan an appropriate plan of attack and kill it so it isnSA国际影视传媒檛 a problem anymore. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 sort of like when I suggested years ago Gilday go out and proceed to punch, pound and kick the crap out of anyone who got in his way on the road to the 2014 Winter Olympics after missing the 2010 edition in Vancouver by the distance of your outstretched thumb and index finger.
It was figuratively, of course, because I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 want to be sued. That can get expensive. But you catch my drift, donSA国际影视传媒檛 you? Acorn has already figured out that in order to be at the top, you have to think like youSA国际影视传媒檙e at the top. You canSA国际影视传媒檛 simply go fast at practice and think to yourself SA国际影视传媒楪ee whiz, whoSA国际影视传媒檚 gonna catch me?SA国际影视传媒�
YouSA国际影视传媒檒l find out quickly who can catch you because you will find out the hard way how many people are faster than you once you step on the ice. Being the best locally is a whole helluva lot different than being the best nationally.
Something else I picked up from Acorn is her selfishness. No, hear me out on this one because itSA国际影视传媒檚 a good thing.
Short track is a solo sport for the most part, save the menSA国际影视传媒檚 and womenSA国际影视传媒檚 relay. As Acorn eluded to, there is only one person that matters and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 her. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 all about what sheSA国际影视传媒檚 going to do on race day and not anyone else. You can hope someone has an off-day but we all know what will happen if you hope in one hand and spit in the other, right?
When itSA国际影视传媒檚 a solo sport, you have to be selfish because if you arenSA国际影视传媒檛, whatSA国际影视传媒檚 the point? At this level, you arenSA国际影视传媒檛 trying your best and making new friends and coming home safely. YouSA国际影视传媒檙e trying to move up the Team Canada food chain and onto a national team. Acorn will be on the NextGen team, the developmental squad, for this season and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what she wanted. But, like I said, if you know her well enough, you know she wants more and sheSA国际影视传媒檒l do whatever she has to do to get it.
And if she wants to be selfish, give SA国际影视传媒榚r. Take it all and laugh all the way because in short track, greed is good.
