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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, January 21, 2010 · 26 PHOTOS BY MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER SHARING THE SPIRIT: Olympic torch bearer Andrea Middaugh (left) and former Olympian Rowan Barrett visited Gladys Speers Public School last week to tell students about the Olympic spirit and emphasize the importance of working hard to achieve their goals. Gladys Speers students learn first Olympic lesson T glued to the bench in his freshman year at St. John's. After coaches told Barrett his shooting had to improve, Barrett got up at 7 a.m. he Vancouver Games don't get under- each day to work on his jump shot. way for another three weeks, but stu"I watched my shooting go from my dents at Gladys Speers Public School weakness to setting three-point records at have already learned their first Olympic les- the school that still stand," Barrett told the son. students. "I went from not playing to capFormer Olympic basketball player Rowan taining my team." Barrett visited the school Friday morning as Scouts noticed the improvement in part of a school-wide presentation that Barrett's shooting as well, and representafocused on the importance of tives from the Portland Trail setting goals and then working "Almost anyone Blazers and San Antonio Spurs hard to achieve them. that gets to the came out to watch one of his Barrett, who suited up for level of being one games in 1997. Thrilled at the Canada in the 2000 Summer chance to showcase his skills to of the best in the Games in Sydney, seemed like professional teams, Barrett the ideal person to deliver that world is going to took to the court that night -- message. The 37-year-old have their ups and and tore a ligament in his foot Scarborough native told stu- downs." in the opening minute. dents about the obstacles he "I went from on my way to had to overcome during his Former Olympian the NBA to being in a wheelbasketball career, including Rowan Barrett chair," he said. working hard to improve his Doctors told Barrett he'd grades so he could earn a scholarship at St. never play basketball again. He was advised John's University and then overcoming a to pursue a legal career instead. Barrett did potential career-ending injury to pursue his go to work at a law firm, but he spent his Olympic dream. evenings rehabilitating his foot and then "It's the journey, the sacrifice... having sharpening his basketball skills for another dreams and hopes dashed and then going back shot at the pros. after it again," said Barrett, who is an assistant Seven months after the debilitating injury coach with the Oakville Venom atom boys' to his foot, Barrett signed a tryout contract basketball team this season. "Those things with the Toronto Raptors, though he never develop character. They develop your person. played a regular-season game with the team. "I think almost anyone that gets to the Ups and downs level of being one of the best in the world is going to have their ups and downs." Similar ups and downs were in store for Barrett certainly had his share of those. Barrett when it came to realizing his childThe top-ranked player in Canada coming hood dream -- participating in the out of high school, Barrett found himself Olympics. BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR By Jon Kuiperij He was cut in his first attempt to make the national team, but earned his way onto the squad in 1997. Joined by notables like Steve Nash, Todd MacCulloch and Sherman Hamilton, Barrett helped Canada qualify for its first Olympics in 12 years by beating host Puerto Rico 83-71 in the semifinal of the 1999 Tournament of the Americas. "We were playing a team that had beaten us 10 days earlier," said Barrett, who captained the team. "We learned that with any goal you want to achieve, you have to believe you can do it." Canada went on to finish seventh at the 2000 Olympics, but that's not what Barrett remembers most about the Games. "I think the greatest thing you see with the Olympic spirit is the same spirit is within all the athletes," he said. "It doesn't matter what you look like, it doesn't matter where you come from. There's a tremendous amount of pride and amount of preparation that the athletes have put forward, and each person is trying to do the best for their country. You lose sight of all the other things that in the end seem trivial." Carrying torch inspirational Barrett's appearance at Gladys Speers was arranged through the RBC Olympians Program by Andrea Middaugh, whose sons Marco and Matthew attend the school. Middaugh had her own story to tell as well, having carried the Olympic torch last month during its relay across Canada. "Being a torchbearer was probably the proudest moment I ever had," said Middaugh, who got to carry the torch because she works for relay sponsor RBC. "I wanted to let them feel even a piece of what I felt that day when I carried the torch. "I can honestly say the flame is hopes and dreams and peace and unity and pride. To be able to hold that flame, the pride of the world... to be part of history is humbling and it makes you say `Maybe I need to start doing better.' It makes you want to do better." Message received Middaugh and Barrett's presentations were well-received by an attentive and enthusiastic audience that waved Canadian flags, whacked their thundersticks and chanted "Yes I can" when prompted. Barrett's most memorable quote of the morning -- "Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there's footprints on the moon" -- was especially relevant for Sierra Murdoch, who hopes to become an astronaut. "I've already learned a lot about space and I've already got my own telescope," said the Grade 3 student. "I set my goal and I'm going to try and do it." Classmate Alex Nguyen has a different goal in mind. "To be a really fast runner," he said. "I'll just keep on practicing. You have to believe in your goals." Grade 3 teacher Katie Crichton was also pleased with Barrett's presentation. "I liked the message he gave about how he had friends who were goofing off... and he'd be practicing. That was a good message to send to everyone," she said. "The other good message was him talking about how we can make Canada a better place. What goals we can set. We have a big banner that everyone at school will be signing, coming up with ideas of how to make Canada a better place. "I think it hit home."