Marnie McBean's Blog, page 2

8 more Tuesdays | Huit autres mardis

Posted in Mentor Messages

8 more Tuesdays!       (Exciting? Scary? Both!!!)

A funny thing happened the other day…the media started writing articles about the heat in Tokyo. Finally! We’re back to talking about the heat!

While there is still more to be done between now and the start of your Olympic competition, we are all getting down to the fine-tuning. You have put in a TREMENDOUS effort and the volume and quality of the work done are extraordinary.

Don’t worry if it seems that you are running out of time – that feeling is normal. Even with all the changes to the original plan, you’ve been following a plan. Trust it. Keep at it. You’re closing the gap between where you are and where you want to be daily.

Here is an excerpt from my book that I think applies,

“To achieve more, critical analysis is essential. We analyze how we are doing so that we can adjust and correct as necessary. Athletes and performers can become hypercritical of their training because they are striving for the perfect performance, and in some ways – it’s just not possible to achieve.

If you ask athletes right after their competition how it went, they will likely give you a list of things, however obvious or minute, that they would like to have done better. It’s not very often that they will tell you all the things that they did right; that’s just the nature of the beast.

…

Perfection may be something we strive for, but we have to accept that it’s almost impossible to achieve. The type of person who has the ambition to be perfect will most likely learn that once “perfect” is achieved, something more has been revealed to them in order to achieve “the real/next perfect”. The curiosity to discover what that bit more is, and to be able to perform it on demand, comes from our ambitious drive and clear goal setting. It is what drives us toward improved performance. We are constantly satisfied and unsatisfied.”

I remember a quote from another detail-focused athlete, Veronica Brenner, a two-time Olympic freestyle skier and Salt Lake City 2002 silver medalist in aerials: “If I were to have waited for the perfect coach, the perfect training and the perfect day, I would never have gotten anything done.”

In May, Team Canada nomination announcements happened for five teams (Shooting, Table Tennis, Softball, Wrestling and Fencing) with many more to come in June and some more in early July. Cargo has been shipped by air and sea (which isn’t a simple thing!) and Canadian athletes – like you – got better and stronger. Every. Single. Day.

Did you know….

1)  With about 10 more qualifying events to come, Canadian athletes have already secured 156 entries for 307 athletes in Tokyo. (For team size context Canada had 313 athletes at Rio 2016, and 279 at London 2012. Our largest teams have been 354 in Seoul 1988, and 436 in LA 1984)

2)  Your entire Mission Team will have received the Covid19 Vaccine (ideally both shots – I have!) This is to protect themselves, you, our Olympic community and the Japanese public. We all need to do everything we can to protect ourselves and each other. 

A very thorough plan is in place for safe travel to Japan, as well as your accommodation and travel to and from your competition venue in Tokyo.

Did you know….

1)  in the last year, there have been 400 international competitions and over 50,000 athletes participated and none led to a spreading event in the host nation?

2)  75% – 80% of residents of the Olympic Village have been (or now have access to) the Covid-19 vaccine?

I want you to be very confident and excited about the coming weeks. You should be. You are better than ever and Olympic things are happening every day.

We’ve got this.

C-A N-A D-A Let’s Go Canada!!

Your Chef,

​Marnie

Please feel free to reach out to me with your thoughts or comments. I always appreciate the conversations that follow. 
Twitter: @MarnieMcB   Instagram: @MarnieMc2   

Marnie McBean OC OLY
Chef de Mission Team Canada Tokyo 2020

Huit autres mardis!   (Emballant? Épeurant? Un peu des deux?!?)

Quelque chose de cocasse s’est produit l’autre jour… les médias ont commencé à publier des articles à propos de la chaleur à Tokyo! Finalement! On parle à nouveau de la chaleur!

Bien qu’il reste encore beaucoup de choses à faire d’ici le début de votre compétition olympique, nous nous penchons tous sur les dernières mises au point. Vous avez investi une quantité ÉNORME d’effort et ce volume ainsi que la qualité du travail sont extraordinaires.

Ne vous inquiétez pas si vous avez l’impression de manquer de temps… ce sentiment est normal. Malgré tous les changements à ce qui était originalement prévu, vous avez suivi un plan. Faites-lui confiance. Continuez sur cette voie. Vous réduisez chaque jour l’écart entre le lieu où vous êtes et là où vous désirez être.

Voici un extrait du livre que j’ai écrit et qui s’applique à notre situation :

« Pour réaliser davantage, l’analyse critique est essentielle. Nous analysons ce que nous faisons pour apporter des ajustements et des correctifs au besoin. Les athlètes et tous ceux qui doivent offrir une performance peuvent devenir hypercritiques de leur entraînement puisqu’ils visent une performance parfaite. Quelque part, cette cible est impossible à atteindre.

Si vous demandez aux athlètes de revenir sur leur performance tout de suite après leurs compétitions, ils dresseront une liste d’éléments de ce qu’ils auraient aimé mieux faire. Vous ne les entendrez pas très souvent vous parler de ce qu’ils ont bien fait. C’est dans la nature du monde du sport.

…

La perfection peut être notre cible, mais nous devons accepter qu’elle soit pratiquement impossible à atteindre. Le type de personne qui a l’ambition d’être parfait ou parfaite va probablement apprendre qu’une fois cette « perfection » atteinte, quelque chose de plus se révèle qui relance la poursuite de la « vraie/prochaine perfection ». La curiosité de découvrir cette nouvelle cible et notre capacité d’exécuter sur demande provient de notre motivation ambitieuse et de l’établissement d’objectifs clairs. C’est ce qui nous pousse vers une performance améliorée. Nous sommes constamment satisfaits et insatisfaits. »

Je me souviens d’une parole de Veronica Brenner, une autre athlète axée sur les détails, double Olympienne en ski acrobatique et médaillée d’argent aux Jeux de Salt Lake City en 2002 à l’épreuve des sauts. Elle a dit : « Si j’avais attendu l’entraîneur parfait, l’entraînement parfait et la journée parfaite, je n’aurais jamais rien accompli. »

Au mois de mai, Équipe Canada a procédé à la nomination de cinq équipes (tir, tennis de table, softball, lutte et escrime) et il y en aura un grand nombre encore en juin et d’autres au début du mois de juillet. Le fret a été expédié par avion et par bateau (ce qui n’est pas une mince affaire)!  et les athlètes canadiens – comme vous – s’améliorent et sont de plus en plus forts. Et cela, avec chaque jour qui passe.

Saviez-vous que….

1)    Avec environ une dizaine d’autres rencontres de qualification à venir, les athlètes canadiens ont déjà assuré 156 des 307 places à Tokyo (pour replacer les choses en contexte, le Canada comptait 313 athlètes à Rio en 2016 et 279 à Londres en 2012. Nos plus grosses équipes étaient de 354 athlètes à Séoul en 1988 et 436 athlètes à Los Angeles en 1984).

2)  Tous les membres de votre équipe de mission ont reçu un vaccin contre la COVID-19 (idéalement les deux doses, comme c’est le cas pour moi!). Cela sert à vous protéger comme membre de la communauté olympique, mais aussi à protéger le public japonais. Nous devons tout faire ce que nous pouvons pour nous protéger les uns et les autres.

Un plan très détaillé est en place pour un voyage sécuritaire au Japon, qui couvre aussi l’hébergement et les déplacements vers votre site de compétition et en provenance de celui-ci à Tokyo.

Saviez-vous que…

1)    Au cours de la dernière année, il y a eu plus de 400 compétitions internationales impliquant plus de 50 000 athlètes et qu’aucune de ces rencontres n’a provoqué d’éclosion dans le pays hôte?

2)    75 % à 80 % des résidents au Village olympique ont été vaccinés contre la COVID-19 ou ont accès à ces vaccins?

Je désire que vous soyez à la fois confiant(e) et emballé(e) par les prochaines semaines. Vous devriez l’être, vraiment! Vous êtes dans la meilleure condition possible et des choses olympiques se produisent chaque jour.

On va y arriver!

C-A N-A D-A Allez Canada!!

Votre chef,

​Marnie 

N’hésitez pas à me contacter pour me faire part de vos idées ou de vos commentaires. J’apprécie toujours les conversations qui suivent.

Twitter : @MarnieMcB   Instagram : @MarnieMc2  

Marnie McBean OC OLY
Chef de Mission Team Canada Tokyo 2020

Vous avez reçu ce courriel parce que votre nom figure sur la liste préliminaire comme athlète, entraîneur(e), membre du personnel de soutien ou du personnel de mission pour les Jeux olympiques de Tokyo 2020. Je serai heureuse de recevoir vos réponses et vos questions. Que vous soyez d’accord avec moi ou non, je serai ravie de l’entendre – mais plus important encore – si cela déclenche une conversation avec vos coéquipiers, votre entraîneur(e) – ou vous-même – sur ce que vous faites ou devez faire – alors nous sommes en route vers PLUS.

Moving forward every day. | Aller de l’avant chaque jour.

Posted in Mentor Messages

As I said in my last message, Olympic things are happening every day. Updated versions of the Tokyo 2020 Playbooks have recently been posted, some competitions are happening and, yes, some are being rescheduled or cancelled. However circuitous the route, I know that we are all doing everything we can to learn/adapt to change as needed, as we move closer to our goals every day.
In the media and online, we see great things and some set-backs from our Team Canada peers around the world. Please know that our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mike Wilkinson, is collecting information from these events/teams/athletes and passing along best practices and pitfalls to your NSO.
I would recommend that you have a look at the updated Tokyo 2020 Athlete Playbook. Examples of what you’ll see in this version include a more specific definition of what a close contact is, as well as the protocol for if you become a close contact of someone with a positive test (let’s hope this doesn’t happen, but let’s be informed in case it does.) The Playbook instructs that you should expect to be tested daily (currently a saliva antigen test) while in Tokyo. It might be a bit of a bummer that if you win a medal you’ll have to wear a mask on the podium, but consider this…YOU WON A MEDAL!!! (at the Olympics that weren’t cancelled!) 
The Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee isn’t the only group creating plans to keep you safe. With an eye on maintaining the safest and highest quality of support and service to you, Team Canada’s Mission Team – the group of people who work or volunteer to support you at Games (Health Services Team, Outfitting, Transportation, Accommodation, Communications, Logistics, Sport Services, etc) – has streamlined our Tokyo presence quite a bit. The goal is to minimize the number of people around you who aren’t directly involved in sport performance. For example, in my own “Office of the Chef de Mission” some people I count on will be assisting me from New Brunswick (on Japan time!). We will have many essential Mission Team members working from Canada. 

Some people who we believe are important to be present to assist in your at-Games experience are the athlete mentors. We have an amazing team and I wanted to let Lizanne Murphy and Monique Kavelaars introduce themselves to you.

Hey Team Canada, 

My name is Lizanne Murphy and I am a two-time Olympian in Basketball. You will likely be seeing a lot of me as I am one of the Olympic Village concierges and also one of your athlete mentors. 

I can’t wait to meet you and help you have your best Games possible. I was the concierge at PyeongChang 2018 and got a great sense of all the things (big and little) that we can do to help you. 

A little about me: I grew up in Montreal, studied in the US, played professional basketball all over Europe for a decade and have now returned back to Canada. I have experienced some of the highest highs at Games (YAY), and devastating lows (not so YAY), and all the adventure in between. I hope to be there to answer any questions, help you find whatever you need, and serve as a friendly ear to help lighten the mood and hold space for anything you have going on. 

In my day job, I work at the COC as Manager of National Sport Organization Services and help your NSOs with initiatives to improve their governance, gender equity, diversity & inclusion and leadership development. If you have any questions about any programs offered in the sport system, I can probably help out.

Until we meet for real, keep going. You are on track and where you are meant to be; we believe in you!

Lizanne 
 

My name is Monique Kavelaars. I am an Olympian in Fencing and one of your athlete mentors for Tokyo 2020.

For me, competing at the Olympics was a goal I had from when I was a teenager and the experience didn’t disappoint. Competing at the Olympics, my team and I were fortunate to have amazing athlete mentors, who provided us tireless support, encouragement and an understanding during our Games, that I was so grateful to have.

Since retiring, I’ve worked with athletes in different countries, in different sports and in different roles and I’ve never tired from the journey that sport can take us on. Our goal at these games is to provide you with the support and encouragement you need to make your Olympic experience the best it can be.

You’ve had to make some tough decisions and sacrifices this year, along with changing plans and preparations to get here. What you’ve already accomplished this year alone, is just a testament to your determination and focus. You’re almost there!

No request is too small, no need too great. Our focus is for you to have your best experience at Tokyo 2020.

You’ve got this!!!

Monique

You’ll be in great hands in Tokyo.

Your Chef,

​Marnie

Please feel free to reach out to me with your thoughts or comments. I always appreciate the conversations that follow. 

C-A N-A D-A Let’s Go Canada!! 

Marnie McBean OC OLY
Chef de Mission Team Canada Tokyo 2020

You got this email because you are on the long list, as an athlete, coach, support staff or mission staff, for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. I welcome replies and questions. Agree with me or disagree with me I’m happy to hear it – but most importantly – if this starts a conversation with your teammates, your coach – or yourself – about what you are doing or need to be doing – then we’re on our way towards MORE.

Comme je l’ai dit dans mon dernier message, des choses touchant les Jeux olympiques se produisent tous les jours. Des versions mises à jour des Playbooks de Tokyo 2020 ont été récemment publiées, certaines à ont lieu et, oui, certaines sont reportées ou annulées. Peu importe à quel point le parcours est sinueux, je sais que nous faisons tous tout ce que nous pouvons pour apprendre et nous adapter au changement selon le besoin, alors que nous nous rapprochons de nos objectifs chaque jour.
Dans les médias et en ligne, nous voyons de grandes réalisations et certains échecs de la part de nos pairs d’Équipe Canada partout dans le monde. Sachez que notre chef des services médicaux, le Dr Mike Wilkinson, recueille des informations de ces événements / équipes / athlètes et transmet les pratiques exemplaires et les dangers à votre ONS.
Je vous recommande de jeter un coup d’œil à la version mise à jour du Playbook de Tokyo 2020destiné aux athlètes (Ce document est accessible en anglais seulement pour le moment, mais la version française suivra bientôt). Les exemples de ce que vous verrez dans cette version incluent une définition plus spécifique de ce qu’est un contact étroit, ainsi que le protocole si vous devenez un contact étroit d’une personne ayant reçu un résultat de test de dépistage positif (espérons que cela ne se produira pas, mais mieux vaut être informé au cas où cela se produirait). Le Playbook indique que vous devez vous attendre à subir un test quotidien de dépistage à Tokyo (en ce moment, un test antigénique salivaire). Ce sera peut-être un peu décevant, si vous remportez une médaille, de devoir porter un masque sur le podium, mais pensez-y… VOUS AVEZ GAGNÉ UNE MÉDAILLE!!! (aux Jeux olympiques qui n’ont pas été annulés!) 
Le comité d’organisation de Tokyo 2020 n’est pas le seul groupe à élaborer des plans pour assurer votre sécurité. Afin de vous offrir le soutien et le service les plus sécuritaires et de la plus haute qualité, l’équipe de mission d’Équipe Canada – le groupe de personnes qui travaillent ou font du bénévolat pour vous appuyer aux Jeux (équipe des services de santé, habillement, transport, hébergement, communications, logistique, services aux sports, etc.) – a considérablement allégé notre présence à Tokyo. L’objectif est de limiter au minimum le nombre de personnes autour de vous qui ne sont pas directement impliquées dans la performance sportive. Par exemple, au sein de mon propre « bureau de la chef de mission », des personnes sur lesquelles je compte m’assisteront du Nouveau-Brunswick (à l’heure du Japon!). De nombreux membres essentiels de l’équipe de mission travailleront du Canada.
Certaines personnes qui, selon nous, doivent absolument être présentes pour vous aider dans votre expérience aux Jeux sont les mentores des athlètes. Nous avons une équipe formidable et je voulais donner la chance à Lizanne Murphy et Monique Kavelaars de se présenter.

Salut Équipe Canada,

Je m’appelle Lizanne Murphy et j’ai participé aux Jeux olympiques à deux reprises en basketball. Vous me verrez probablement souvent, car je suis l’une des concierges du Village olympique et aussi l’une de vos mentores des athlètes.

Je suis impatiente de vous rencontrer et de vous aider à connaître les meilleurs Jeux possibles. J’étais aussi concierge à PyeongChang 2018 et cela m’a donné une bonne idée de toutes les choses (grandes et petites) que nous pouvons faire pour vous aider.

À propos de moi : j’ai grandi à Montréal, étudié aux États-Unis, joué au basketball professionnel partout en Europe pendant une décennie et je suis maintenant de retour au Canada. J’ai connu certains moments exceptionnels aux Jeux (YOUPI!) et des moments dévastateurs (pas si YOUPI!), ainsi que toute l’aventure entre les deux. J’espère être là pour répondre à toutes vos questions, vous aider à trouver tout ce dont vous avez besoin et à servir d’oreille amicale pour aider à alléger l’ambiance et vous permettre de vivre la meilleure expérience possible.

Au quotidien, je travaille au COC en tant que gestionnaire des services aux organismes nationaux de sport et j’aide vos ONS grâce à des initiatives visant à améliorer leur gouvernance, l’égalité entre les sexes, la diversité et l’inclusion, ainsi que le développement du leadership. Si vous avez des questions sur les programmes offerts au sein du système sportif, je peux probablement vous aider.

Jusqu’à ce que nous nous rencontrions en personne, continuez votre bon travail. Vous êtes sur la bonne voie et là où vous êtes censé(e) être; nous croyons en vous!

Lizanne

Je m’appelle Monique Kavelaars. Je suis une Olympienne en escrime et l’une de vos mentores des athlètes pour Tokyo 2020.

Pour moi, participer aux Jeux olympiques était un objectif depuis mon adolescence et l’expérience ne m’a pas déçue. À notre participation aux Jeux olympiques, mon équipe et moi avons eu la chance d’avoir des mentors des athlètes incroyables, qui nous ont offert un soutien, des encouragements et une compréhension inlassables pendant nos Jeux, et j’en fut très reconnaissante.

Depuis ma retraite, j’ai travaillé avec des athlètes dans différents pays, dans différents sports et dans différents rôles et je ne me lasse jamais de voir les expériences que nous pouvons vivre grâce au sport. Notre objectif à ces jeux est de vous fournir le soutien et les encouragements dont vous avez besoin pour que votre expérience olympique soit la meilleure possible.

Vous avez dû prendre des décisions et faire des sacrifices difficiles cette année, en plus de devoir composer avec des changements de plans et dans les préparatifs pour arriver ici. Ce que vous avez déjà accompli jusqu’ici cette année témoigne de votre détermination et de votre concentration. Vous y êtes presque!

Aucune demande n’est trop insignifiante, aucun besoin n’est trop grand. Notre objectif est que vous ayez la meilleure expérience à Tokyo 2020.

Vous êtes plus que capables!!

Monique

Pas de doutes, vous serez entre très bonnes mains à Tokyo.

Votre chef,

Marnie

N’hésitez pas à me contacter pour me faire part de vos réflexions ou de vos commentaires. J’apprécie toujours les conversations qui s’ensuivent.

C-A N-A D-A Allez Canada!!

Marnie

Marnie McBean OC OLY
Chef de Mission d’Équipe Canada pour Tokyo 2020

Vous avez reçu ce courriel parce que votre nom figure sur la liste préliminaire comme athlète, entraîneur(e), membre du personnel de soutien ou du personnel de mission pour les Jeux olympiques de Tokyo 2020. Je serai heureuse de recevoir vos réponses et vos questions. Que vous soyez d’accord avec moi ou non, je serai ravie de l’entendre – mais plus important encore – si cela déclenche une conversation avec vos coéquipiers, votre entraîneur(e) – ou vous-même – sur ce que vous faites ou devez faire – alors nous sommes en route vers PLUS.

That was then, this is now. And a Thank you.

Posted in Mentor Messages

It’s April 2021. There are 130 days until the Tokyo 2020 Closing Ceremony. (Being part of 10 Olympic teams has taught me to stay focused on when I’m done versus when I’m starting).

Recently there has been a lot of media coverage regarding the one-year anniversary of the postponement of the Olympic Games. That moment has been acknowledged and now we move on. That was then; this is now. It’s time to be laser-focused on the year we’re having. (Last year was sooo 2020). There was also the announcement that no overseas spectators will be allowed. We recognize that this may be a great disappointment for you, your family and friends and that unravelling those plans might be stressful before everything is sorted out. Be patient.  

If I could – I would add a t-shirt to our uniform that says, Complicated…but! as this phrase seems to be part of everyone’s answer to “How’s it going?” I am very aware that many things remain complicated… but! every day you are moving forward – closing the gap between where you are and where you want to be.
(Pro tip -That’s all you need to do.)

Within a few weeks we will cross the 100-day marker until the Games begin. Olympic things are happening every day. For example; the Tokyo 2020 Playbooks have been released (another version will be released at the end of this month), the Olympic Torch Relay has begun in Japan, and Canadian athletes are being nominated to the team (in March – our sailors and sport climbers). You’re getting there very differently than anyone could have ever planned…but I have no doubt that you will be surprised by how strong you are, and how ready you will be.

With that preparation in mind – I would like to thank our coaches and team leaders/managers. I recall being asked if I thought a coach was only just a stop-watch and whistle. While coaches must draw heavily from objective information, their talent is often defined by how they recognize and use subjective, sometimes ethereal, information. So, the answer was, of course, no – there is an art to coaching. This year, our coaches’ ability to be creative has been tested. They have been asked to reach into their hats and, magically, pull out rabbit after rabbit – athletes have depended on it.

It continues to be a challenging year for coaches, team leaders/managers and high-performance directors to create plans, including those for safe training, testing, selection, competition, and travel. Thank you for your resilience and dedication. We are all grateful. 

I’ll conclude with an excerpt regarding the year we’re having and the power of sport, from an article COC CEO and Secretary General, David Shoemaker wrote:

“… what’s changed? Everything has. Our lives in sport and at home have been upended, but our knowledge of the virus, our understanding of how training and competition can be safely delivered for athletes and their communities, are in a completely different place than they were a year ago.

I think an equally important question is what hasn’t changed? Sport, for example, is still an incredible vehicle for good, for spreading Canadian values, for building bridges, for celebrating humanity, and challenging the status quo.

That is why I think this summer’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will be more impactful than ever. They will provide Canadians with pride, joy, and inspiration at a time when we need it most. The resilience of athletes shines a light on our collective ability to overcome challenges.”

(and their coaches…)

Your Chef,

Marnie

Please feel free to reach out to me with your thoughts or comments. I always appreciate the conversations that follow.

C-A N-A D-A Let’s Go Canada!!  

Marnie McBean OC OLY

I send this email out to the long list, athletes, coaches, support staff or mission staff, for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. I welcome replies and questions. Agree with me or disagree with me I’m happy to hear it – but most importantly – if this starts a conversation with your teammates, your coach – or yourself – about what you are doing or need to be doing – then we’re on our way towards MORE.
 

Nous sommes en avril 2021. Il reste 130 jours avant la cérémonie de clôture de Tokyo 2020. (Faire partie de 10 équipes olympiques m’a appris à rester concentrée sur le moment où j’ai fini et non sur le moment où je commence).

Récemment, il y a eu beaucoup de couverture médiatique concernant le premier anniversaire du report des Jeux olympiques. Ce moment a été souligné et maintenant nous passons à autre chose. Oublions le passé, vivons dans le présent. Il est temps de se concentrer pleinement sur l’année que nous vivons. (L’année dernière était tellement 2020). Il y a aussi eu l’annonce qu’aucun spectateur étranger ne sera autorisé. Nous sommes conscients que cela peut être une grande déception pour vous, votre famille et vos amis et que démêler ces plans pourrait s’avérer stressant avant que tout ne soit réglé. Soyez patient.

Si je le pouvais – j’ajouterais un t-shirt à notre uniforme qui dit : Compliqué… mais!
car cette phrase semble faire partie de la réponse de tout le monde à la question
« Comment ça va? » Je suis très consciente que beaucoup de choses sont encore compliquées… mais! chaque jour, vous avancez – vous comblez l’écart
entre l’endroit où vous êtes et l’endroit où vous voulez être.
(Conseil de pro – C’est tout ce que vous avez à faire.)

Dans quelques semaines, nous franchirons le cap des 100 jours jusqu’au début des Jeux. Des choses olympiques se produisent tous les jours. Par exemple : les documents Playbooks de Tokyo 2020 ont été publiés (une autre version sera publiée à la fin de ce mois), le relais de la flamme olympique a commencé au Japon et des athlètes canadiens sont nommés au sein de l’équipe (en mars – nos athlètes de voile et d’escalade sportive). Vous y arrivez d’une manière que personne n’aurait pu prévoir… mais je suis convaincue que vous serez surpris de constater à quel point vous êtes fort(e) et à quel point vous serez prêt(e).

Avec cette préparation à l’esprit, je voudrais remercier nos entraîneurs et chefs / gestionnaires d’équipe. Je me souviens qu’on m’a déjà demandé si je pensais qu’un(e) entraîneur(e) n’était qu’une personne qui tenait un chronomètre et un sifflet. Bien que les entraîneurs doivent s’appuyer largement sur des informations objectives, leur talent est souvent défini par la manière dont ils reconnaissent et utilisent les informations subjectives, parfois éthérées. Donc, la réponse fut, non, évidemment – entraîner est en partie un art. Cette année, la capacité de nos entraîneurs à être créatifs a été testée. On leur a demandé de sortir, comme par magie, lapin après lapin de leur chapeau – les athlètes en ont dépendu.

L’année en cours continue d’être difficile pour les entraîneurs, les chefs / gestionnaires d’équipe et les directeurs de haute performance au niveau de la planification, y compris l’entraînement sécuritaire, les tests, la sélection, la compétition et les déplacements. Merci pour votre résilience et votre dévouement. Nous sommes tous reconnaissants.

Je terminerai par un extrait d’un article sur l’année que nous vivons et le pouvoir du sport que le chef de la direction et secrétaire général du COC, David Shoemaker, a écrit :

« (…), qu’est-ce qui a changé? Tout. Nos vies dans le sport et à la maison ont été bouleversées, mais notre connaissance du virus, notre compréhension de comment l’entraînement et la compétition peuvent avoir lieu de façon sécuritaire pour les athlètes et leurs communautés se trouvent dans un endroit complètement différent d’où ils se trouvaient il y a un an.

Je pense qu’une question tout aussi importante est qu’est-ce qui n’a pas changé? Le sport, par exemple, est toujours un formidable vecteur de bien, de diffusion des valeurs canadiennes, de création de liens, de célébration de l’humanité et de remise en question du statu quo.

C’est pourquoi je pense que les Jeux olympiques de Tokyo 2020 de cet été seront plus importants que jamais. Ils offriront de la fierté, de la joie et une inspiration aux Canadiens dans une période où nous en avons le plus besoin. La résilience des athlètes jettera un peu de lumière sur notre capacité collective de surmonter les défis. »

(et leurs entraîneurs…)

Votre chef,

Marnie

N’hésitez pas à me contacter pour me faire part de vos réflexions ou de vos commentaires. J’apprécie toujours les conversations qui s’ensuivent.

C-A N-A D-A Let’s Go Canada!!  

Marnie McBean OC OLY
Chef de Mission d’Équipe Canada pour Tokyo 2020

Choices, Perspective (and the no-fun books.)

Posted in Mentor Messages

Less than 150 days to go!

The Tokyo Playbooks are out and we’ve shared that operational information with you. It’s not the final word, as they will be updated in late March and April, but I like to see them as a very positive step. They are not about “if’ the Games will happen, they are all about the Games HAPPENING.

I’m going to guess that sport – how much time you’ve given to it versus to your friends, family, school, career, etc… as well as where you’ve had to physically be, or move to, so that you could become world class –has for decades, required countless choices. While other people might see an athletes’ choices as sacrifices, as if they have lost opportunities, we know better. The choices you’ve made have brought you to a remarkable life and lifestyle and you are surrounded by extraordinary people who believe that excellence is a legitimate goal. It is a life we are blessed to live.

Sacrifice (Dictionary.com): noun: a loss incurred in selling something below its value.
verb: to surrender or give up, or permit injury or disadvantage to, for the sake of something else.

Choice (Dictionary.com): noun: the right, power, or opportunity to choose and/or an abundance of variety from which to choose.

Back to the Tokyo Playbooks. They might also seem a bit like the Tokyo no-play-no-fun-books. Arrive late, leave early. No cheering. No going to watch other sports.  No going to restaurants, bars or clubs outside of the Olympic Village. Attendance at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies will likely be…. complicated. Many of these typical at-Games moments, (I’ve framed them before as the Olympic Games which are separate from your Olympic Competition,) are not going to be part of your story. Harder still – we need you to choose to be okay with that. These will not be typical Olympics.

You may feel you need to mourn the loss of those moments. That will be natural; there is grief that has been woven throughout this whole year – nothing has been easy or ‘normal’. In those moments of grief, when you focus on what is not happening, I’d like to ask you to also embrace what is happening – see what you can do.

In the same way that for decades you made choices that have led you towards world class performance – choose to dive into and focus on WHAT YOU ARE DOING.  Take care to not to trip too deeply and frame what is not available as equal to a sacrifice. You have way more power on this journey than that. There is way more opportunity available to you…  continue to choose what can be. 

I will mourn the loss of shouting out my cheer, but share it with you virtually!!

C-A N-A D-A Let’s Go Canada!!!

C-A  N-A  D-A  Let’s Go Canada!! 

Marnie

Marnie McBean OC OLY
Chef de Mission Team Canada Tokyo 2020 @MarnieMcB 

Life Lessons from Kathleen Heddle

Posted in Marnie in the News

Kathleen Heddle Mother, Wife, Friend, 3x Olympic Champion 1965-2021

I’d like to share 2 life lessons I learned from Kathleen Heddle, a Canadian Olympic legend with 3 Summer Olympic gold medals as well as a bronze. Kathleen Heddle was my rowing partner for the better part of a decade. She passed away January 11th, after a brave 6-year battle with 4 different cancers.   Kathleen was quiet and unassuming and yet she was also the greatest Canadian, (if not one of the best global) rowers ever.  I am grateful not only for the sporting memories that we share but these and many other life lessons I drew from the time we shared.

Fear and Doubt are part of a Champion’s path. Do not worry if, for a moment (or longer) you question yourself, your goal or your abilities; you are not alone. Your peers and competitors will be experiencing the same emotions. They are a normal part of an ambitious path.

On the eve of one of our first big wins, I shared with Kathleen that I was scared – the expectations for us to win were intimidating. When she, the GOAT that she is, shared with me that she was scared too, I knew I’d be okay. With my fear mixed in with my confidence – we won the next day, and (for the most part), for the next 5 years.

Relationships are not 50:50. Partnerships aren’t about meeting in the middle. They aren’t 50:50. You give 100% of what you’ve got and if you’re lucky you’ll be given 100% of what they’ve got.  

Kathleen was quiet, many would have described her as an introvert. She was never going to get 50% louder and I was never going to get 50% quieter – it just wasn’t in our natures. It took time and observation, but when I stopped expecting her to communicate to me in the way I communicated to her (and others), we began to click. (She learned that all the starboards (like me) had a speaking/ coordinating role and she stopped expecting me to say nothing.) We shifted our focus to each other’s strengths and quickly went from being a good combo to a great one.   

I’m a better Chef to this team because of her.

Kathleen Heddle 1965-2021 https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/olympics/article-champion-rower-kathleen-heddle-was-one-of-canadas-greatest-olympians/

The Pendulum has swung!

Posted in Mentor Messages

Happy 2021!  (The 1st ever odd-numbered Olympic year!)

            News that the vaccine has a) been discovered b) approved federally and c) is already going into arms is astounding. This coupled with the fact that sport calendars are actually getting competition/qualification dates put into them!!! The pendulum has swung – momentum is moving with us once again. 

            The presence of a vaccine is changing everything and yet we still don’t know how it will affect the Olympic Games – it is a massive global event. It would be naïve to think that the Games won’t still require incredible steps of prevention and management. For now – the best thing that you can do – and increasingly you will get to do – is to continue to focus on your sport prep.

            Olympic competitions in July and August of this year will be amazing and hard fought – focus on that. How the Olympic games will unfold, and by games, I mean everything that happens around an Olympics that isn’t about your start time, performance and finish, remains – for now – unknown.

            For more clarity on both – stay tuned and stay patient. News is coming quickly and we will share it with you asap.

            Through all of the downs and ups of 2020 we have worked hard to keep our communities safe.  I would like to take a moment here to thank all on this team who support our athletes, who kept them safe – mentally and physically – and helped implement return-to-sport opportunities.  We have a massive number of coaches, team leaders/managers, Integrated Support Team members, media attachés, NSO staff, COC staff and Mission Team who sacrificed so much to contribute to Team Canada’s excellence in this extended Olympiad.  Many have already been notified that,  due to reduced Games protocols/programs on site, they will no longer be going to Tokyo.  And yet they continue to be passionate, to believe in and support our athletes and the excellence of Team Canada.

            For those who will come, and for those who will not – as Chef de Mission of Team Canada – I am grateful to you all; and please know that all of Team Canada is grateful also.

            Merci. Thank you.

And now…. Let’s get this 2021 party started!!!

Happy New Year.

Marnie

Please feel free to reach out to me with your thoughts or comments. I always appreciate the conversations that follow.

C-A  N-A  D-A  Let’s Go Canada!! 

Sport Science, Finish Lines and this Pandemic

Posted in Mentor Messages

“Teleoanticipation” is basically the science of finish lines, and how their presence (or absence) influences us. @sweatscience

On Nov. 21, Alex Hutchinson wrote in the Globe and Mail about what sports scientists who study this topic might have to teach us about the coming months with respect to the pandemic, vaccines, our ambitions and our mental health.

It’s a great article and I’m grateful that Julie Labach, a runner targeting the Tokyo 2020 team, sent me note and shared the link. She found the article helpful and wow, so do I.

Among other things, the article discusses the intersection of how we physically and mentally plan –and pace ourselves— for finish lines. “Knowledge of an eventual endpoint (or telos) influences the entirety of an experience.”  Well, you can bet those sport scientists had some fun and did studies where they removed the endpoint and looked at performance during events and races that had no finish line.

No finish line?? Hmmm… isn’t that what makes all of this so hard? Not only is it impossible to know when the pandemic will be over, we’ve all been teased by false summits. After the freedoms that came with success of lowering the curve after the first wave, we’ve been confronted with more restrictions on the steep upward side of the second wave.

How are we to pace ourselves through this?? From the article, I’d like to pull out a few thoughts that helped me with this.

“It turns out that, if you ask yourself “Can I keep going?” rather than “Can I make it to the finish?” you’re far more likely to answer in the affirmative.”

And,

“Knowing that the end will come is clarifying; counting the hours until it comes, on the other hand, is paralyzing.”

On this last point I’ll add a quote from Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer. Speaking recently on the CBC National News she said “No pandemic doesn’t have an ending.” It’s a backwards sentence… but, phew! it’s good to be hear from someone who studies these things that this will all pass.

So, take heart; the pandemic will end –and remember—it’s to your advantage to focus on the moment you are in, the thing that you are doing. It is not advantageous to focus on when disruptions caused by the pandemic will finish. Stay in your lane and focus on the step your taking.

Take care and happy holidays. ‘See’ you next in 2021!

Marnie

The article, an opinion piece in the Globe and Mail by Alex Hutchinson, was printed on Nov. 21. 2020, titled COVID-19 is like running a marathon with no finish line. What does sports science say about how we can win it? Regrets – It is printed in English only.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-covid-19-is-like-running-a-marathon-with-no-finish-line-what-does/

You Are the Somebody You Are Waiting For!

Posted in Mentor Messages

Back in 2009, I shared a story with Team Canada as they were preparing for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. Though 2020 is incredibly different, unprecedented in every way, my message linking laundry with success and happiness still resonates. (Stick with me… it’s not actually about my laundry. It’s about success). The message was this:

        The other day I was taking laundry from my laundry room and a sock fell; I kept walking…. ‘somebody will get it’.

        I must have walked past that sock 4 or 5 times. I even got frustrated waiting for somebody to pick it up. Eventually, I realized it was me; I was the somebody that I was waiting for. (Perhaps it should have been obvious since I lived alone at the time!)

        Well, success and happiness work the same way. Somebody is going to achieve them. No matter how great or how not-so-great the day. No matter how early or late in the season. No matter how fair or unfair the situation. Somebody is going to win.

        Don’t get caught waiting for somebody else – BE YOUR OWN SOMEBODY!

2020 has been an incredibly difficult year. Nothing has gone smoothly. While our goals remain the same, our plans have been dismantled, reconstructed, de-railed, paused and restarted again and again. I can imagine the longing you have for unencumbered training, regular travel and competition. Sadly, it seems very unlikely that the pandemic will be over or adequately controlled soon.

As November comes, so does winter and as it always does, it will get darker, colder and harder. And, regardless of why, a 5-year cycle is looong. The adrenaline and novelty of adjusting and being resilient is gone. But YOU ARE the somebody who can handle this. How do I know? Because you’re part of Team Canada, which means you always have been.

Earlier this year, we heard from Canadian Space Astronaut, Chris Hadfield. In his presentation he told us that we are all responsible for “growing the inertia of our contentment”, and I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. Normally, we get so much happiness from sport but in 2020, most of your contentment and confidence has had to come from outside of sport. It likely hasn’t been as easy, or as concentrated but still – you have been the somebody finding it.

A common characteristic of Team Canada members is laser-focus on ambitious To-Do lists. Chris Hadfield also spoke about the need to have a pandemic To-Do list that is separate from your pre-Covid19 To-Do list.  I believe each item that you accomplish, regardless of which list it comes from, contributes to your Done-List.  (I wrote about having an awareness of your Done-List back in March.)

Take a moment to consider your Done-Lists – sport, education, family and relationships, social action, community outreach, hobbies, etc. The pile of things that you’ve done and accomplished is massive. You have always been more than only a sport To-Do list. You are a full-life Done-List. This is where momentum for your confidence has always come from.

This awareness of what YOU have done – this enormous pile – is what you must continue to rely on to create the inertia to your contentment. Oh, I know there is more to get and you will, but don’t take your eyes off your many earned prizes!

Before, during and after this pandemic, you have always been, and will always be, your best somebody who can pick up the sock. Never forget – you also have a team of somebodies around you – family, team mates, coaches and many others – who are there for you. If you’re having a day when a sock seems out of reach, Team Canada has your back – and your sock.

Go Canada Go!

(did you read this far? …Great! one more  ✓for the Done-list! It’s that easy.)

Marnie

Marnie McBean OC OLY
Chef de Mission Team Canada Tokyo 2020

 Vous êtes le quelqu’un que vous attendez!

En 2009, j’avais partagé une histoire avec les membres d’Équipe Canada alors qu’ils se préparaient pour les Jeux olympiques de Vancouver 2010. Bien que l’année 2020 soit très différente, sans précédent à tous égards, mon message liant la lessive au succès et au bonheur est toujours d’actualité. (Ne décrochez pas tout de suite… l’histoire ne concerne pas vraiment ma lessive. Elle concerne le succès). Le message était le suivant :

        L’autre jour, j’apportais du linge de ma salle de lavage et une chaussette est tombée; j’ai continué à marcher… « Quelqu’un va la ramasser ».

        J’ai dû passer à côté de cette chaussette quatre ou cinq fois. J’étais même frustrée d’attendre que quelqu’un la ramasse. Finalement, j’ai réalisé que c’était moi; j’étais le quelqu’un que j’attendais. (Peut-être que cela aurait dû être évident puisque je vivais seule à l’époque!)

        Eh bien, le succès et le bonheur fonctionnent de la même manière. Quelqu’un va les atteindre. Peu importe à quel point la journée aura été bonne ou pas. Peu importe si la saison vient de commencer ou si elle est sur le point de prendre fin. Peu importe si la situation est juste ou injuste. Quelqu’un va gagner. 

        Ne vous faites pas prendre à attendre quelqu’un d’autre – SOYEZ VOTRE PROPRE QUELQU’UN!

2020 a été une année incroyablement difficile. Rien n’a roulé rondement. Bien que nos objectifs restent les mêmes, nos plans ont été démantelés, reconstruits, déraillés, mis en veilleuse et redémarrés encore et encore. Je peux imaginer à quel point vous vous ennuyez de l’entraînement sans encombre, des déplacements réguliers et de la compétition. Malheureusement, il semble très peu probable que la pandémie soit bientôt terminée ou contrôlée correctement.

L’arrivée de novembre annonce celle de l’hiver et, comme toujours, les journées deviendront plus sombres, plus froides et plus difficiles. Et, peu importe les raisons, un cycle de cinq ans est looong. L’adrénaline et la nouveauté de l’ajustement et de la résilience ont disparu. Cependant, VOUS ÊTES le quelqu’un qui peut gérer cela. Comment puis-je le savoir? Parce que vous faites partie d’Équipe Canada, ce qui signifie que vous avez toujours été ce quelqu’un. 

Plus tôt cette année, l’astronaute canadien Chris Hadfield s’est adressé à nous. Dans sa présentation, il nous a dit que nous sommes tous responsables de « faire croître l’inertie de notre contentement », et j’ai beaucoup réfléchi à cela ces derniers temps. Habituellement, le sport nous procure tellement de bonheur, mais en 2020, la majeure partie de votre satisfaction et de votre confiance a dû venir de l’extérieur du sport. Cela n’a probablement pas été aussi facile, ni aussi intense, mais malgré tout, c’est vous qui les avez trouvés.

Une caractéristique commune des membres d’Équipe Canada est la concentration à toute épreuve sur d’ambitieuses listes de tâches à accomplir. Chris Hadfield a aussi parlé de la nécessité d’avoir une liste de tâches à accomplir pendant la pandémie distincte de la liste que vous aviez avant la COVID-19. Je crois que chaque tâche que vous accomplissez, quelle que soit la liste sur laquelle elle figurait, contribue à votre liste de tâches accomplies. (J’ai écrit sur la prise de conscience de votre liste de tâches accomplies en mars.) 

Prenez un moment pour examiner vos listes de tâches accomplies – sport, éducation, famille et relations, action sociale, sensibilisation au sein de la communauté, passe-temps, etc. La liste des choses que vous avez faites et accomplies est impressionnante. Vous avez toujours été plus qu’une simple liste de tâches à accomplir liée au sport. Vous êtes une liste de tâches accomplies liée à l’ensemble de votre vie. Cela a toujours été la source de votre confiance.

Cette prise de conscience de ce que VOUS avez accompli – cette liste impressionnante – est ce à quoi vous devez continuer de vous fier pour créer l’inertie de votre contentement. Oh, je sais que vous avez des objectifs plus importants et vous les atteindrez, mais, pour l’instant, savourez les nombreux prix que vous avez gagnés!

Avant, pendant et après cette pandémie, vous avez toujours été, et serez toujours, votre meilleur quelqu’un qui peut ramasser la chaussette. N’oubliez jamais – vous avez également une équipe de « quelqu’uns » autour de vous – famille, coéquipiers, entraîneurs et bien d’autres – qui sont là pour vous. S’il y a une journée au cours de laquelle une chaussette semble hors de portée, Équipe Canada est là pour vous… et pour ramasser votre chaussette.

Go Canada Go!

        (Vous avez lu jusqu’ici?… Excellent! Un autre ✓sur votre liste de tâches à accomplir! C’est aussi facile que cela).

Marnie

Marnie McBean OC OLY
Chef de Mission d’Équipe Canada pour Tokyo 2020

Tokyo 2020+1 – How is it Going to Look

Posted in Mentor Messages

How are the Tokyo 2020 Olympics going to look? While there is no crystal ball to predict the status of the pandemic through the coming year, here is our current thinking:

In my most recent message I mentioned that the Canadian Olympic Committee has been world leading in planning for its Olympic team to compete at its best at the Tokyo 2020 Games. This is true. What is also true, are these top priorities: 1) Ensuring the health and safety of Team Canada; and, 2) Supporting the highest performance possible at the Olympic Games.

In the coming months there will be many IOC, OCOG (Organizing Committee) and NOC meetings and announcements about how the Tokyo Games will be delivered. Planning is proceeding with the anticipation that a vaccine will not be widely available, if in fact one is available at all. As your Chef de Mission, I believe that this planning information should be shared with you as soon as possible. Know that your NSO and the COC are in complete agreement on this. Giving you a sense of the plans that Team Canada has in place will be better for your own (personal and team) preparation and performance at Games. Gossip and speculation are rarely helpful.

This is just a start, and as I share this information it’s important for you to remember that each of us will be affected differently by international plans, our own Canadian plan and your specific NSO’s plan. AND all of these plans are being constantly evaluated.

Next summer, we should anticipate that testing and/or preventative measures will be part of our daily lives. This will be more than just masks, social distancing and handwashing. As we saw in the NBA, WNBA, NHL and other professional league play, the key to successful competition has been strict bubbles and protocols that protected the players and their support team from contracting and spreading COVID-19.

You should expect very controlled training environments before you travel to Tokyo, and once you arrive, you will become part of a strict Olympic bubble. Discussions currently support a bubble for those living in the Olympic Village, and other bubbles for those living outside of the village, all with strict protocols for testing and access (or no access) to transportation and venues. This means that Family & Friends will not be in the same bubble as you to protect the health and safety of the system.

(If you have Family & Friends planning to attend…you should have an honest conversation about what this means to all of you. The Canadian Olympic Family & Friends programs in Japan are being scaled back and will be adapted to these new realities. We can assume that venue tickets that were already scarce will be pared down (currently, outdoor events in Japan are open to a max of 50% capacity). Being a foreign spectator at the Games in 2021 will likely be very challenging and connecting with people outside your bubble could have devastating consequences.)

Your Olympic experience will be different relative to your previous Games and/or what you have envisioned, especially around such iconic moments as Ceremonies and cheering on fellow Canadian Olympic Team members at other sport venues.

We understand that you might have a ton of questions. While the COC, your NSO and team might not be able to give you all the answers right now, please know that we’re all on top of this and working together to figure this out. Remember – as everything continues to evolve, the final plan might look different. However, we thought that it was responsible to communicate with you now so that you know what we’re thinking about and how the plans are trending.

I know this seems like a lot and might be very disappointing, but the goal is for your Olympic competition to happen – even if the Olympic Games will look and feel dramatically different. 

Take heart: On the field of play – the Olympic competition will be extraordinary. You and your competitors will compete as fiercely as ever. I can imagine that the stakes will feel even higher; in this pandemic you’ve all sacrificed so much more. The goal remains the same – personal best performances and podium results. While spectators in the building will be limited, broadcast media will show your efforts to the world.

Do not let this changing environment lead you to take your foot off of the throttle. Plan to soar. Be ready to rise; at the Olympics – someone always does. Why not you?

Marnie

Marnie McBean OC OLY
Chef de Mission Team Canada Tokyo 2020

Turn up the Volume!

Posted in Mentor Messages

I’m not sure about you, but I’m looking forward to moving past messages about patience and flexibility with respect to our goals. While these traits remain essential in the ongoing management and prevention of viral spread, and as a team you’ve done a phenomenal job at them…. I’d like to turn my Chef’s message back to performance and ambition management.

Let’s turn the “Can Do” volume up, and talk about winning again.

I won 6 World and Olympic titles and stood beside the top spot another 6 times.  If you asked me what was the most important ingredient in my mental soup for that stretch of time, I’d give you a list like this;

Be confident in your preparation and training.Be respectful of the great potential of your competitorsFear and Doubt will be present at all of your Can I? Will I? moments (in competition and training)Believe that you are a somebody who can be better and/or outlast others.

 My soup, it seems, was kind of a mash up. Believe in me: Believe in them. Be doubtful: Be confident. How does that work? How can one person be simultaneously both?

I believe that ambitions require us to feel (at least) two ways about things. This is the result of wanting to do, to try, to be – more. Think about every milestone you’ve ever achieved. As soon as you got there (yay!!), you knew you could do more – didn’t you? Have you ever been happy with the performance, but unhappy with the result? (Think about a personal or national best that nets a 4th place result). This idea is so important to me that I wrote a book and titled it “The Power of More”.

It was a powerful moment when I first realized that I could feel doubt and confidence at the same time. It was the night before our first World Cup win. I felt empowered by our semi-final result and terrified of the expectation that went with it. In the dark of night, I admitted to my rowing partner, Kathleen Heddle, that I was scared and her simple “me too” reply had the effect of turning down all the negative voices in my head. As the “Not Me” volume went down, I could more clearly hear, “Can Do”.

For the next 10 years I managed my ambitions that way. I anticipated negative “Not Me” voices to be present (often) AND I trusted that I had a full complement of “Can Do” voices. I didn’t expect their volume levels to be balanced, I just knew they were both there, always.

Sometimes my negative “Not Me” voice was so quiet… I barely noticed it; I felt on-fire, ready to take on any challenge. At other times my confidence was fragile, all I could hear was “Not Me”. My “Can Do” level was so low it was hard to believe it was there, but experience told me that I just needed to turn the volume down on one side and up on the other.

Adjusting the volume on some days is easy. Being tired or hangry cranks up the “Not Me” volume, so eating or resting properly is an easy fix. Shifting focus onto technique from outcome is often an easy bump up to “Can Do” and has the same performance result. For sure, some days it feels impossible to change the balance. I need all the resources around me, team mates, coaches, family… and if I have it – time. The key is to know that the positive messages are always there, even if seemingly silent. It can be work to turn up that volume but I know you can do it.

For the last 6 months, since the moment I sent an email saying that Team Canada wasn’t going to attend Olympics in July 2020 there have been two sides to the conversation around the Tokyo2020 Olympics. The “yes it will” and the “no it won’t” happen conversations. Depending who is talking they both sound like real, and legitimate possibilities. 

I’d like to give you some energy for turning up the volume on the “Yes it Will”/ “Can Do” knob. You should know that the Canadian Olympic Committee is being world leading (I’m not exaggerating on this,) in its thoughtful planning on how to take Canadian athletes to the Tokyo 2020+1 Games in a healthy and safe way while still focusing on high performance regardless of a vaccine. Prevention and management will be essential, but plans are taking shape. In the same way that you, your team mates, coaches and your NSO’s are constructing Plan A, B, C through L, M, N, O, the COC is with and ahead of the global curve planning for your Olympic competition next year.  Be assured… The COC is not waiting to plan. They have their “Can Do” knob turned up to full volume. Marnie

Marnie McBean OC OLY
Chef de Mission Team Canada Tokyo 2020