Leanne Stanley

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The New Chapter Begins

October 22nd, 2009

Upcoming Events

May 25-29. 2010 - IVF World Outrigger Sprint Championships

Race Schedules

Let me start off with, GO SKYHAWKS GO!

As I write this the Nelson A. Boylen Senior Boys Soccer team is hitting the field at York Mills in the TDSSAA North Region Semi-Finals. Last year I had the pleasure of coaching these boys to an indoor championship, a city championship and to the OFSAA 'A' Championships. With many returning players and juniors returning that were on the practice squad last year, this team has continued their success by going undefeated in pre-season and league play this fall. I'm so proud that they are continuing to play as 'one' and working hard for their new coaches. All they needed was a little taste of success to see that hard work and more importantly, working together pays off! Way to go guys!

As for me, I'm back in Kelowna and getting ready for the next phase of my adventure.

The racing is done. Finished up this past weekend in Victoria with some OC6 sprints and OC2. I filled in for a lady that couldn't make it so ended up racing Womens with Comox Wahine and Mixed with VOS IV. Results can be found on my racing results page. On the Sunday I hooked up with Helen Curry, one of the fastest women in Canada and raced 6km in a marathon canoe and then a 10km route in an OC2. Though we are both of a marathon canoe background it took us till near the end of the race to finally start to gel. But when we got in the OC2, we were flying ... and left all the boys behind! A huge thanks to the Pilon Family for welcoming me in for the weekend.

Now Kelowna. I was going to wait til Monday to start the new program but it was so nice and sunny when I woke up this morning that it was another "Why Not?" moment. So into the food plan (fairly simple, just go back to eating like I normally do when not on the road) and first workout was the auxillary workout to work on the little things like shoulder stabilization and such. With the workout done, it's now time to get to work. I know you must be wondering what I do all day everyday since I'm not acutally working at a job so here are a few things that I'm doing.

Work for today includes updating this site a little. Race results for this season are complete (with links to full results). I'm hoping to get a few of the publications linked in under the paddling section that have been written this year. Eventually I'll do an overhaul and update everything but have a few other projects in the works first.

I'm in the middle of creating a video montage type thing to commemorate the National Womens Dragon Boat team and their success in Prague. I collected pics and video and are compiling them all and creating a video to music to distribute to all the team members.

I received my BC Teaching Certificate in the mail this week so I can now apply to school boards for TOC positions (teacher on call, same as supply or substitute teaching). Since I don't know where I'm going to be living in January, I'm applying to boards around Kelowna, Victoria and Vancouver. Where ever I can get some work ... the more likely I am to live there. So may get to writing cover letters today but if not, it moves to tomorrow's list.

What I do have to get done to day is to go gym shopping. I need a gym to train in around Westbank so I'm going to go make some visits this afternoon and see what the atmosphere, facilities, staff and cliental are like. That and compare prices because sadly, like most things, it comes down to money.

Later this afternoon I'll be doing a big grocery shop for the house. Tomorrow will be gym workout, walk the dog then I think I'll be vacumming the house and washing the dog slobber off the patio door before getting dinner prepared for the family. And somewhere in there continue work on the above projects.

The other big project I have is to finish up the work I started in the spring in terms of creating sponsorship packages. All my racing and traveling is self funded. I do not get any money from the government or sport organization to compete for Canada. I do it purely for the love of my sport. With the IVF World Championships taking place May 25-29th in New Caledonia in 2010, I have to raise the money to cover my expense for the trip as well as training leading up to it. Some of my expenses include: rent, gas, food, supplements, gym fees, paddling club fees, training camps (fees, travel, accomidation), coaching, new paddle, entry fees, airfare to/from New Caledonia, and accomodation while there, just to name a few! While I do plan on trying to work part-time while I'm training, the support from sponsors means that I can focus on my training and not have to worry about if I have enough money to eat properly that week.

If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a sponsor, I'll get a package to you as soon as I have them ready. Just fire me an email.

And again, huge THANK YOUS to all those fine folks that have helped me along the way. Moral support (loved the txts, calls and fb posts of support), transportation (to race courses, home from the gatherings, etc), accommodations (and the offers of accommodations), idea givers, wonderful cooks and .... for everything. I have the best friends a gal could ever hope for. TIme and time again you folks exceed what normal friends would do. YOU ROCK!

Sponsors and Supporters