Mirror careers, different destinations, same Olympia
This Tuesdays With Dave is about University of Vermont standout TJ Hurley. It's going to take a while to get to TJ because the route his father Mike took is a big part of the story. That journey eventually got Mike to Olympia and TJ's passion for everything basketball took off.
TJ was recently named the player the Year in the America East Conference while playing for the University of Vermont Catamounts. He was also named to the All- Conference first team, All- Defensive team, and earned All- Academic status while surpassing the 1,000 point plateau for his career. There is so much more to the story, and a lot of it has to do with commitment to others and love of the game that Mike and TJ mirrored in their years at Olympia Sports Camp.
I also see a story that will inspire, not only because of where TJ took his game, but in the fact that at Olympia this great story can be told many times over generations at camp. At Olympia Sports Camp these stories just keep coming. The passion gets lit and the path is set. That Mike and TJ are not in A Hero's Journey: Beyond Little Norway and Olympia Sports Camp speaks to the breadth and depth of the Olympia family. I guess that is why this blog is at entry number 207.
To get to TJ's story I feel the need to explain the role of mentorship and the importance of those around us who have walked the walk. Mike Hurley grew up in Pelham, Ontario and started basketball like a lot of kids do when he was in grade 3. He played at E. L Crossley High School before making Team Ontario in his last there years at Crossley. He went on to play at Niagara College and Brock University and is a member of the Niagara College Hall of Fame. A born leader. A born coach.
His experiences as a player, and the people that mentored him, reinforced his belief that basketball is about much more than wins and losses- its about building confidence, character, discipline, and.most importantly a lifelong love for the game.
Mike's journey brought him many mentors who taught him the game but also inspired the passion. His high school coaches, Olympians all, Taylor Gamble, Fred Stock and Vito DiMartino, also taught the value and importance of giving back to the game, of which Olympia became an extension.
Giving back? For the past 15 years Mike has served on the executive of the Pelham Panthers where he has helped create a structured development program where beginners learn the fundamentals and advanced players are given opportunities to pursue higher and elite levels of competition. A big part of it is to show all athletes what the game can teach them.
Of course the mentality of helping young people thrive connects Mike's journey to TJ's. Mike's appreciation of his own journey and those who helped him gave him the desire to have TJ experience the same opportunities. He wanted TJ to see the same possibilities for himself. He saw TJ's passion grow and confidence grow through Olympia and other challenges. For sure Mike helped introduce him to the game but it was up to TJ to develop his work ethic, dedication, and love for basketball and that's what ultimately carried him to the levels he's reached.
In 2006 Mike was coaching at Niagara College and Ron Lemon got the Niagara coaches Mike, Phil Mosley and Randy Conlon to come to Olympia and little did these young coaches know how Olympia would impact their lives. For the next five years they shared Cabin M1. Over time, like most Olympians, Olympia became more of a coaching opportunity and part of his extended family.
TJ was born in 2004 and followed soon by sister Sarah, herself an accomplished player who took many of the lessons of Olympia and is entering her junior year at Cleveland State. In 2010, when TJ was six, Mike was given one of the coveted cabins on Coach's Row. The family's schedule was set.
For many of TJ's years at Olympia he was coached by Barry Howson, who knew a thing or two about elite athletes as he was a member of the 1964 Canadian team at the Tokyo Olympics. Coach Howson played a key role in TJ's development as a player and a young person. Being constantly challenged by older, more mature players taught TJ the confidence that he could compete at a high level. A camper-counsellor game was proof when TJ went at it against University aged counsellors and more than held his own. A skilled player with a high basketball IQ, this game showed he had grit too.
Olympia gave TJ the opportunity to grow up around outstanding coaches, counsellors athletes. As is the case with many coach's kids, TJ spent years learning the Hero's journey lessons, embracing challenges and creating friendships.
Mike's quote about his son and the place they called home every summer for years. Mike still does!
"TJ has very fond memories. of coming to Camp Olympia each summer as a coaches kid. When he got too busy in his basketball journey and couldn’t attend anymore, and I continued to go each summer, he would call me (often FaceTime) several times throughout the week and ask questions if this or that is still there or have me walk him around camp so he could see everything for himself. He always wanted to get back to Olympia and it looks like it could happen this summer as he is training and preparing to head to Europe for his professional basketball career. Ironically, one of the first people he reached out to when looking for an agent and deciding on pathways between NBA G league or Europe, he connected with one of his all-time favourite Canadian NCAA players that he felt similarities to and looked up to, you guessed it, Kevin Pangos! "
Yet another level of the journey. A young TJ sees a player that he can identify with getting to the highest level was another push that he too can do it.
And now TJ's journey.
It all starts with fun. One of TJ's greatest lessons from camp was to enjoy the moment and have fun with the game. As a coach's kid he grew up with other coach's kids, year after year, and every summer was like a family reunion. He always loved reconnecting with Walker D Russell and loved meeting pros like Gerald Henderson and so many others. TJ always loved the three on court sessions a day but what stands out in his memories are the moments in between. OxBow lake was always the key to a great day as TJ would enjoy swimming, paddle boarding, going off the "Blob" or just hanging out on the dock on a beautiful Muskoka afternoon. Campfires at night were awesome too. Some of the best memories came from simply being around great people, competing, laughing, and appreciating where you are at that moment.
TJ says," As I continued my basketball through high school and into college, these lessons stayed with me. Work hard, enjoy the experience, build relationships and appreciate the people you meet along the way. Olympia taught me that the journey itself is just as important as the destination."
And what a journey.
His early years were with the Pelham Panthers where he learned the fundamentals and built the competitive spirit that became a hallmark of his career.
It's amazing how life can play a role in our choices and the direction our lives take. TJ attended E.L. Crossley and played basketball in grade 9 and 10 when the path he was on was interrupted by COVID. When everything shut down he had a choice to make: wait for opportunities to return or find a way to keep improving.
He decided to bet on himself. And a turning point on his journey. TJ explains.
When I think of the Hero's Journey I think this was my defining moment. The time when I left the familiar and took a leap of faith to the unknown, but something I knew I needed.
This decisions led me to Florida.
I moved in with a mentor and trainer that a lot of people may know Ganon Baker. Leaving home at a young age wasn't easy but it became one of the most mportant trunking points in my basketball journey. Training every day in a highly competitive environment pushed me physically and mentally. Eventually I earned a spot with Team Florida on the Adidas AAU Circuit where I competed against some of the best players in the country. Playing on the Adidas circuit gave me exposure and confidence so I decided t stay in Florida for my senior year. Through that year I began to get college offers and decide on Vermont."
Turned out to be great choice!
Another turning point was the disappointment of being cut from Canada's U-18 National team. It was tough to take but TJ turned it into a motivating moment. Instead of letting the rejection define him, it fuelled his work ethic and in future years he earned spots on the U-19 and U-23 National Teams, proving that resilience and persistence pays off.
That's what heroes do.
Remember, though, that the hero's journey is not a straight line or filled with positives. TJ had a tough couple of years making the transition to the intercollegiate level and was faced with somewhat limited playing time and injuries. He had ongoing ankle problems, which eventually required surgery. In those moments he may have proved to be his own greatest ally as it was hard to miss opportunities and not ne on the court with his teammates, but he never got frustrated or lose his confidence. His only job was to get better, and did he ever. It's hard to explain to an athlete that injuries are part of the journey just as much as scoring the winning basket, but TJ had his eyes on the prize and got through those times to eventually excel, with all the accolades that followed.
Continued success in Europe TJ. Remember, if you follow your passion, you Can't Miss!
I said earlier that Mike's philosophy of coaching and of life mirrors in many ways what the Hero's Journey is all about. Especially step number 12. The Return. The hero goes through their journey and gathers experience and wisdom and then returns to share it with others, especially the next generation. TJ has worked at achieving his goals since the days of sitting in the gym listening and watching the incredible staff to inspire. He has worked hard at everything it takes to be a world-class basketball player. But a large part of any journey is the wisdom shared by allies along the way. TJ had a great ally in Mike, who was helping kids grow in basketball long beforeTJ was born. Mike and Sarah both benefitted from their father's passion, and from his journey.
Now Mike is an avid supporter and believer in the Olympia Credo of Take the Bat Off Your Shoulder and has recruited many other Niagara coaches to experience life in Interlaken. Week 2 this summer TJ will be returningto Olympia as guestspeaker, doing what his hero Walker D Russell did on the same courts where he grew up. How cool an experience is that.
In my journey of writing the book and now continuing to write this blog I am continually amazed I at the people I get to meet. Mike and TJ Hurley are class examples of what Olympia is all about.
A Hero’s Journey: Beyond Little Norway and Olympia Sports Camp chronicles the people that make up the history of Olympia, but it does far more than that. It serves as an inspirational guidebook for readers to become the hero of their own path. In order to do this the book examines the history of the land on which the camp has been built, from its indigenous origins to the European settlement process of the 1800’s. and the use of the land by the Royal Norwegian Air Force during WWll. The book is built on a collection of stories related to mentorship, sports psychology, and community building. This book honours the 50-year history of the camp while giving us all a window into seeing a deeper level of understanding of the world and our place in it.
Books Available at:
- Tuck and Pro at Olympia ( ask about the coach's deal)
- Amazon and Indigo.ca
- Indigo, Burlington Brant Street location.
- The Different Drummer Book Store on Locust Street in Burlington\
- Cedar Canoe Books on Main St in Huntsville
- Etransfer me $30 and I'll drive it to your house !
- available online at aherosjourney.ca
- audiobook version is available at Audible, Amazon, and iTunes
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