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| Sarah Burke 9/3/92-1/19/12 |
The purpose of life is a life of purpose. ~Robert Byrne
The day before a half marathon and so much is going through my mind. Ironically, none of it has to do with running, swimming or biking. It has to do with being thankful for all that we have and to treasure each day as if its our last. We hear people utter these words all the time but shrug them off thinking, nothings going to happen to me, those words are meant for someone else. Sometimes that can't be farther from the truth. Yesterday the sport world was rocked when Sarah Burke decorated freestyle Canadian skier passed away from injuries suffered on one of her runs. Now, I don't know Sarah personally and I can honestly say that until her accident, I probably wouldn't have taken note of her until I was watching the Olympics. But her story intrigued me and I found myself wanting to learn more about who she was, not just as a skier but as a person. Sarah was a pioneer of freestyle skiing for women. She fought to get women into freestyle competitions. They say that every female skier owes a debt of gratitude to her, but I think it goes farther than that. Sarah's determination to bring equality for women to her sport is a shining example of the work that still needs to be done for female athletes so they can compete on a level playing field. The Women's Professional Basketball League and National Pro Fastpitch League are making strides in the world of sports but they still have a long way to go until they are respected on the same level as their male counterparts. Sarah was determined to show everyone that not only could she compete with and beat some of the boys but that there were other women out there that should be given a chance as well. Hopefully, someone out there will read Sarah's story and use it to fuel their passion and make their mark in this world.
I can relate to her story of wanting to be given a chance to show people how good you can be. When I was younger I wanted to play baseball but there weren't any girls teams. If you wanted to play, you had to play with the boys. So, my parents signed me up for the park district league and I was one of two girls out of over 200 boys that were signed up in my division to play . I remember standing alone at my tryouts with all these boys staring at me and questioning why I was there. All I thought about was how bad I wanted to play and show them that I was as good as the boy standing next to them. When it came to my turn at the hitting tryout, the coach told me to relax and try my best. With fire in my eyes I was bound and determined to show them what I could do. The boys of course didn't show me much respect by moving in. I hit the first pitch deep in the outfield over their heads and pulled some third base line shots that moved all the boys back. By the time tryouts had ended I had quieted the non-believers and showed them just how hard a girl can compete. That year I was the starting catcher for my team the Braves, made the All Star Team, led my team in home runs and won the Sportsmanship Award at the end of the season. I also had earned the respect of my coaches, my teammates and their parents. It was a great lesson for me in learning to stand up for myself, and be confident in my abilities. The following year there were over 20 girls that tried out for baseball. Its amazing what one person can change when they are determined and passionate about something. To this day, one of my prized possessions is my All-Star hat from that season. I'll never forget that magical summer and how it helped me develop as an athlete and as a person.
I believe that the experiences we have growing up shape us into who we are today. Whether we display our passion on the slopes or in a race, our actions, our drive, our love of our sport is inspiring someone out thereto be brave and go for it. One of the greatest things that Sarah did was donate all of her organs to those in need. I signed my organ donor card years ago and hope that one day, when I am called home, I can give someone the gift of life.
Today's Workout
Run
Swim Workout
1000 set.
To learn more about Sarah Burke please cut and past the link below into your browser and see what an amazing person she was.
http://opensnow.com/blog/2012/01/in-memory-of-sarah-burke/
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