One of the chapters in A Hero's Journey: Beyond Little Norway and Olympia Sports Camp is called the Soul of Olympia, where we have solicited personal Olympia stories from Olympians. This week we meet Zach Thomas, one of the great people you get to meet at Olympia.  Thanks for the support Zach.

 I’m not sure if I hold the record for the earliest debut at Olympia Sports Camp but I was born on April 11, 1999, and was at Olympia week 5 of that year. My mom, Dani Hawkins, and my dad Dave Thomas both have worked as counsellors and coached at Olympia for a long time, they even got married on Oxbow, and I was born a coach’s kid.

 

I am now 20 and have been at Olympia every year of my life. I am studying Human Geography and Environmental Science at McMaster University and play rugby. When I was 17, I wasn’t sure if any of this was possible, but Olympia stepped in and gave me direction.

 

My family is filled with high achievers. My mom and dad have been successful teachers and coaches, my grandfather, Dr. Rich Hawkins, is literally the best in the world at what he does. My older brother Brandon is three years older than me and excelled at running and at academics, and brother Keegan, 2 years younger, will achieve big things because of his abilities in school as well.

 

And then there’s me.

 

I’m not sure if it’s the middle-child syndrome or the black sheep of the family, or maybe a little of being the class clown, but mediocrity was okay for me. I’ve always been a good athlete but never really worked at getting better. Getting better didn’t mean much to me, having fun did. My marks were OK, but I didn’t feel the need to exert myself to excel. Basically, I was ready to accept a life rather than chase one.

 

I went to Paris District High School and luckily I had a few teachers who looked past my goofy actions and somewhat lazy demeanor and invested of their energy in my learning. They taught me that school may not seem that important but that learning and growing is. Mr. Daniel Gray, Mr. Nicholas Rose, and Ms. Tara Topping (now Clawsie) showed faith in me and eventually I wanted to meet their high standards and repay that faith by working as hard as possible.

 

 I was 17 and heading into grade 12 and decided that this would be my last year in the NBA boy’s session of week 5. Chris Dooley had been my coach for a few years, and we had made a great connection. Being the oldest in the NBA group I was doing some typical coach’s kid stuff. I wasn’t going to Dave Talk because I really didn’t need to. If the group had a guest speaker or was doing the off-court fitness I didn’t go because I didn’t want to. Then Chris caught me. After realizing I was skipping out,  the next session he made me run the whole time and not participate in drills with the campers. His point was that at Olympia you are all in or you’re not. Lesson learned. 

 

After that session Chris sat me down at a picnic table and I thought I was going to get ‘one of those talks.’ Instead, he was interested in how good was I in rugby, and did I want to do anything at the next level in rugby. He asked me what position I played, wing, and he asked me how much I weighed. I told him that I weighed 140, was good at rugby, and was just too small for the next level. He told me that when I came back next summer I should weigh 160 and I had to be better, not just at rugby, but at being a better version of myself.  He talked about the marks needed to play OUA rugby. He said that I was a good athlete physically but to compete and excel it took a lot more than that. He also said if rugby and post-secondary schooling weren’t in the picture that was OK too. It’s up to me. I walked away from that picnic table with the idea that I had the tools to change and grow.

 

Ironically in my grade 12 year I suffered a bad concussion and for three weeks I was not able to go to school and couldn’t even have any stimulation at home like TV or music. That meant that I had three weeks to think, and that Olympia conversation came back. Here was Chris, who knew me for only one week a year, knew nothing about rugby or my ability in the sport, who knew nothing about my life other than what he saw every week 5 for years, telling me that I was much better than I was letting on. He knew me. He had the confidence to use his space to push me where I needed and wanted to be pushed. In that conversation Chris totally committed to me and taught me that I had to fully commit. It gave me perspective on what I could be, only if I truly wanted it. 

 

I realized that I loved playing rugby, but I never used it to chase any other goals. I decided that I wanted to play OUA rugby at one of the good programs, Queen’s, McMaster, or Guelph. I worked hard at jacking my marks up. I was invited to the U17 National team camp and fell in love with the challenge of NOT being the best on the team and began working more on my skills. I was invited to Mac’s spring camp, and I found the place for the next part of my journey. I decided that I loved playing scrum half, as it was the position that played a huge role in determining the outcome of the game. I wanted that pressure. 

 

Goals formulated outside of rugby too. I always loved watching kids play and learn so I committed to a goal of attending Teacher’s College. But teacher’s college must be at one of the big schools and good rugby schools, so my marks in university have to be high as well. I don't see myself as a black sheep but rather as someone who sticks out. I plan to make a difference.

 

I’m working here at camp as the third generation of my family at Olympia. I find myself learning more and more every day. That’s what it takes to be an everyday hero. Dave Talk is so meaningful to me now. Being here since birth, I have a perspective that few have. I notice some staff seeing Olympia as a job while most are having an Olympia journey, trying to make the world a better place. ( The picture is of Zach Thomas on the left and good friend Tyler Regan)

 I tell campers to enjoy what every day brings. Every day could be the day that they meet that ally who changes the direction of their life. It happened to me, and I’m now thrilled to be able to show campers that they have all the tools to figure out their journey. And to fully commit. The people of Olympia taught that to me. 

 

Zach Thomas

Coach’s kid, counsellor

Pay It Forward.  I think 2022 will be a great year as the camp will return and flourish, but we need to be allies. Now is the time to get the word out to our circle of influence The camp website is  www.olympiasportscamp.com Check out the website. Register your kids. Get your kids to get a few friends to join them at camp. Send a note to your club teams, your school teams. Do it for the kid whose life will be changed because they got to go to Olympia Sports Camp in the summer of 2022. Help spread the vibe that after two years the best sports camp in Canada ( with the four reasons we hear at every opening) will be back and be better than ever.  

 

 

 

The link to the blog is TuesdayswithDave.blogspot.com

This blog is about the journey of the writing of the book A Hero's Journey: From Little Norway to Olympia Sports Camp. The blog will contain excerpts from the book and my personal thoughts on what the place and the people that make up Olympia's journey is all about. The title comes from the great book Tuesdays With Morrie, by Mitch Albom. The blog's title is recognizing Dave Grace as Camp Director, but all content is my own.