Cori Bartel

Sport: Curling

Residence: Calgary, Alberta

"My proudest moment in sports was playing in the 2007 Alberta provincial women's final in Grande Prairie"

We all have tasks and activities that we choose to pursue, and mine just happen to revolve around curling. I may be an elite athlete, but I don't really feel that a day in my life is different from anyone else's. I work full-time and after, I tend to head to the gym for training or to the club for on-ice practice.

I consult a number of experts—including a chiropractor, a naturopath, a fitness trainer and a sports psychologist—and so have meetings and sessions with them on a regular basis. I also spend a lot of time meeting with my teammates and coach.

Being an elite athlete is all about effort. I was never a naturally talented athlete. In fact, when I was going to school, tonnes of other people were more gifted than me at various sports. What I lack in talent, however, I make up for in persistence. It’s persistence that pays off. You simply have to keep on trying. If you want it bad enough, don't give up. Surround yourself with people who can teach and mentor you, and who can help you get to that next level. Then, put in the time and effort, and never stop believing in yourself!

My curling career began to evolve when I moved to Calgary in 1998. I had curled since I was a young child in Saskatchewan, but after moving to Calgary, I began to participate on a competitive level.

In 2002, I was chosen for a select team through the National Training Centre in Calgary. The coaching and training I received as a part of that one-year program helped propel my curling career to a higher level, and paved the way for where I am today.

I continue to utlize the national training centres in Calgary (Calgary Winter Club) and Edmonton (Saville Centre). In the past two years, I have also had access to Canadian Sport Centre facilities and services in Calgary, including sports psychologists, fitness trainers, and medical personnel. All are helping me become a better athlete.

My proudest moment in sports was playing in the 2007 Alberta provincial women's final in Grande Prairie. My teammates (Cheryl Bernard, Susan O’Connor and Carolyn Darbyshire) and I had a lead going into the final end, and I was making the mistake of thinking about the outcome.

I was incredibly nervous. And I was absolutely relieved after completing my two throws, as all I had to do from that point was sweep. Carolyn made a dynamite double peel on her first shot, which increased my excitement level even higher. On her next shot, however, we flashed a peel and I was quickly brought back to reality.

As each shot went down the ice, I was an emotional roller coaster. As we came closer to clinching the win, I could no longer look at or talk to any of my teammates. By this point I had a huge lump in my throat and tears welling in the back of my eyes. I began repeating the alphabet over and over again in my head to keep myself under control. As Cheryl's last rock made contact and secured the win, I could no longer hold back. The tears came flooding out!

It was one of the happiest and proudest moments of my life, and it was even better because my parents and grandmother were there to celebrate it with me.
Leadership is a big part of sport, and I have learned it isn't about being the person at the top: the captain, the president or the CEO. Leadership is an action. It's about demonstrating your commitment to your task by practising and training harder than everyone else. It's about supporting your teammates, and understanding what they need from you in order to become a stronger team overall. It's about making sacrifices—be it time with family and friends, or career goals—and still finding the will and drive to be the best that you can be in your sport.

One of the people who has inspired me for many years is a friend I grew up with. I consider her my hero. She didn't have a very good home life, nor did she have a very stable family situation. She never let that get her down and she never used it as an excuse. She always saw the good in people, and the positive in situations. Even though she had very little, she was always the first person to share what she did have. Her unselfishness and continual optimism have never ceased to amaze and inspire me.