Happy 30th Birthday Double D

There is a story written in Chapter 1 of A Hero's Journey: Beyond Little Norway and Olympia Sports Camp under the subtitle "When I left the ordinary world and Found The People Who" which describes the day at Olympia on Aug 30 1994 that I was told by a counsellor to call my brother John in Waterloo. John told me that our mom had died that morning. The people of Olympia saved me that day. For that I will be forever grateful. I also thank God that I had Joy and Nicole there with me. They saved me too.

Looking back, that day started with such great excitement. It was our 14th wedding anniversary and we were heading into town for an anniversary lunch, and our 4 year old daughter Nicole was having a blast at a place that she considered home, with fellow coaches who were like family, watching over her. . Joy was also six months pregnant with our second child. Life was  good. 

That second child?  That child who was at Olympia before he was at Olympia? 

Today, November 21, 2024. That child, our son Daniel, turns 30 years old.

When I think of Daniel at Olympia, I'll always remember he and Walker D Russell, a former NBA player, competing in front of the camp on several occasions . This picture of one of their battles says it all. We still have the $50 American bill framed at home that Daniel won in a game of HORSE against Walker D. Absolutely priceless. As Daniel grew into a fine player throughout high school and came to camp he always would connect with Walker D, who would say "You done grow!"He said Daniel had a bright future. Whenever I  saw Walker D at camp he would always ask, in his southern drawl, "Where's Point Guard at?? By the way, note the footwork. I'll explain.

Campers at Olympia get so many opportunities to find and then refine their passion at a very young age. They are exposed to world-class athletes and world-class leaders every day in an atmosphere that encourages exploration. 

Daniel was a coach's kid who started at camp in diapers and rubber boots, where dinners in the coach's dining hall were an adventure. From there he grew to love everything about Olympia and because he was having so much fun, he was learning about basketball and leading before he really knew he was learning. He heard Walker D and other NBA players talk about their journeys. He had unlimited usage of hoops all over camp. Then he had interactions with great coaches like Bill Pangos, Pat Dooley, and Joe Raso. . That's called feeding the passion. That's Olympia.

The fundamentals stay if worked on daily. That's what the good ones do. I wanted to share three pictures of Daniel. I find the attack mode and footwork to be eerily similar. Attacking using the left, or setting up the left. One, battling Walker D on court 1 at Olympia, the next as a member of the University of Guelph Gryphons, and finally as a member of the Windsor Express of the NBLC. There are many people who have helped guide this now-30 year old, and these three pictures convey that fact. He was mentored by these people; coach's and  counsellors, to work hard and play the right way. It worked. The best part of this is that now Daniel is mentoring others. The future is in great hands.

HAPPY 30TH DANIEL. PROUD  YA'LL