One of the basic tenets of the hero's journey that Dave Grace adapted from the teachings of Joseph Campbell and has been captured in "A Hero's Journey: Beyond Little Norway and Olympia Sports Camp" is that as heroes we the go and grow through our journey, and all that entails, but it is in the return where the true impact of our lives takes place. Accomplishments are great results of passion and hard work  but in the return the hero shares of the lessons to impact others and help them shape their journeys, and the exponential impact of those, in turn, allow for hundreds of others to benefit.

Such is the life of John Petrushchak.

Last week I went to the celebration of life of Coach P  and came away overwhelmed by the truism that the hero's journey really is. Yes, John coached 4 teams that won OFSAA championships, yes he is the winningest coach in OFSAA history, yes he has been honoured at the national level for what he has done in basketball, but in that room the true accomplishment of a man who guided hundreds was felt.


Daughter Debbie Petrushchak and 'adopted' son Paul Melnik brought the warmth, humour, and commitment to others of 'Johnny' alive in moving speeches, then others shared brief stories of their time with Coach P. Taking a look at this picture one realizes that the impact of a coach and mentor doesn't create clones, it creates adults who take the lessons of their formative years as tools for their own journey. 

That journey can be in basketball, as it is with some of the people in the picture, it can be in high level coaching in others sports, like it is with a few people pictured here, but it also can take form in any endeavour the hero has a passion and desire to pursue. Mentors lay the groundwork, but it is up to those lucky enough to absorb those lessons as they grow through their professional and private lives. This in turn carries the message of growth to a whole other generation, and the community becomes a better place. My favourite line of the night was that John had four daughters, but he had hundreds of sons. Now all those  sons are impacting others just as John impacted them.

To all the teachers and coaches reading this, just think of how many young people you have impacted just by sharing of your passion. It's awesome to see them grow and its even better when you know you played a role. Then think back to your mentors and see the pattern of passion and service to the next. That's how it works.

As I sat and watched an enjoyable evening go by, I thought how lucky these people were to have their lives touched by Coach P. Most were between the ages of 15 and 18 and were looking to find themselves and in the process they found Coach P, or in many cases he found them. The basketball was just the vehicle. John, too, was lucky to have the opportunity  to be able to share of his talents, passion and gifts with so many. Coach P wanted to win, and he did that a lot, but he also wanted the young people he worked with to grow into their own identity, their own journey. The Hero's Journey.

SCHOOL YEAR OVER... CAMP SEASON ON

Hard to believe that it's almost the end of June, and for those in education you are to be congratulated for the journey you have taken your students on, especially in these last two years. You have adapted, like education always demands, and the summer is yours for respite. 

For the students, many will  need summer experiences like Olympia now more than ever. The hanging out in the cabin, the sharing of duties at meals, the bond that gets formed throughout the week, and the sense of growth that happens organically at Olympia, is something so many young kids are yearning for but maybe they are stuck in limbo about life ever getting back to normal and what that means. I think we all need to spread the word that the best summer of their lives can be found at olympiasportscamp.com. Use your contact list to share with colleagues. Send a note to your association. Help make it happen for some young person whose life may be changed in the summer 0f 2022. Again, the website is olympiasportscamp.com

 

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.

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