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Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Object ID |
2015.5.19 |
Object Name |
Video Recording |
Title |
Michael Edgson Interview |
Interview Summary / Résumé d'entrevue |
Michael Edgson, Order of Sport recipient, inducted in 2015, born in North Vancouver, British Columbia, talks about his swimming career, the Paralympic Movement, his values, and his messages to youth. Michael mentions that he started swimming at 11 years old, which was late for competitive swimming. While he always enjoyed playing sports, he was introduced to the pool as a visually impaired youth because it was a safe environment. Michael describes Alex Baumann and Victor Davis as athletes who inspired him and how his family always supported his athletic career. Michael explains that he didn't encounter "challenges" because he saw them as opportunities and choices and says that "challenges are minimized when training as a team." Michael recalls the 1988 Paralympic Games in Seoul as an event that stands out in his memory and also recounts what it felt like standing on the podium at the 1992 Paralympic Games in Barcelona and realizing that everything he had done in the previous 11 years had led to that moment. Michael talks about his belief in the importance of humility and how important it is for youth to learn how to fail. He explains how supportive Swim Canada has been to disabled athletes, how the Paralympic Movement has been a leader for inclusion, and talks about how dedicated Paralympic swimmers are. Michael describes how proud he is to be inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Entrevue avec Michael Edgson, 26 juin 2015. MP4 d'origine numérique, temps de visionnement : 00:17:31. Michael Edgson, récipiendaire de l'Ordre du sport, a été intronisé en 2015 et est né à North Vancouver, en Colombie-Britannique. Il parle de sa carrière de natation, du mouvement paralympique, de ses valeurs et de ses messages à l'intention des jeunes. Michael mentionne qu'il a commencé à nager à l'âge de 11 ans, ce qui était tard pour la natation de compétition. Bien qu'il ait toujours aimé pratiquer des sports, son introduction à la piscine se fait dans le but de lui procurer un environnement sûr en tant que jeune ayant une déficience visuelle. Michael décrit Alex Baumann et Victor Davis comme des athlètes qui l'ont inspiré et il raconte comment sa famille a toujours appuyé sa carrière athlétique. Michael explique qu'il n'a pas rencontré de " défis " parce qu'il les considérait comme des opportunités et des choix, et il dit que " les défis sont moindres quand on s'entraîne en équipe ". Michael se souvient des Jeux paralympiques de 1988 à Séoul comme d'un événement marquant dans sa mémoire et raconte également comment il s'est senti quand il s'est retrouvé sur le podium aux Jeux paralympiques de 1992 à Barcelone et qu'il a réalisé que tout ce qu'il avait fait au cours des 11 années précédentes l'avait mené à ce moment. Michael dit qu'il croit fermement en l'importance de l'humilité et à quel point il est important que les jeunes apprennent à échouer. Il explique l'appui considérable de Natation Canada à l'endroit des athlètes avec des déficiences, comment le mouvement paralympique a été un leader en matière d'inclusion et il parle de l'engagement des nageurs paralympiques. Michael décrit à quel point il est fier d'être intronisé au Panthéon des sports canadiens. |
Scope & Content |
Michael Edgson interview, 26 June 2015. Born digital MP4, viewing time 00:17:31. 0:16Michael Edgson. When younger tried a variety of sports, the pool was a safe environment. Took to the water, was always a passion. 1:06Started swimming at age 11. Late start. 1:30Inspiration- Alex Baumann, Victor Davis. Alex was his main inspiration. Saw him in the pool training, he had an incredible work ethic. 2:14Biggest challenges. There were not too many challenges, there were opportunities and choices. Swim Canada was supporting swimmers with a disability. Only injury was a groin injury for three years. Changed focus on what he was doing in the pool. Swam butterfly. Main focus was looking at the time and dedication, surrounding self with people who were going to set you up for success. Challenges are minimized when training as a team. 3:25Family always a huge supporter. Family was driving force. The only member of the family who swam. Family would take him for a workout but it was up to him to go. 4:01Dad played ball. Mom was a behind the scenes supporter. Brother played football. 4:31Brother 5 years older, sister 3 years older. 4:45Siblings always supportive, however they were older so missed a lot of his training and practice. 5:15Family all over. Most family is in Vancouver. 5:50One of greatest competitions was at the Seoul 1988 Paralympic Games. Competed in 9 events, 3 relays. The more you win the more the expectations and the pressure builds. Toughest event was last relay, being the last one in the water. 7:08Most proud of. The announcement of the Inductees and the other Honoured members. Event that stands out, one of last events in Spain. Showed a decade of training and a decade of competing. About to turn a new page in life. He had lost his first race in 8 years, and had one race left to go. Remember what it was like to hear everyone cheering as he was introduced before the race, and how he felt. 8:27Part of motivation was love to compete. Enjoy winning, hates losing. Passion to train with other individuals whom he would compete against and with. 9:10Most of career was spent in able bodied world. Raised in household that didn't treat him any differently. Trained with able bodied swimmers whole life. University of Victoria with Dr. Peter Vizsolyi, treated like one of the squad. Impairment didn't stand out, was not an issue. 10:11Part of being a swimmer with a disability means a lot of inclusion. Swim Canada has been a main supporter. Was the first carded athlete with a disability in 1983/1984. "Swimming took the ability of individuals and worked with it". Was not a focus on limitations, was a focus on how are you going to succeed. Sport has grown, not a limited sport, more about ability. 11:25Paralympic Swimmers are dedicated, motivated, intrinsic value. Competitors by nature. Balance of work and life. Respectful and quality people. 12:20Always been important to give back to sports. When left competitive career didn't want anything to do with swimming for 6-7 years. Coached soccer and swimming. Went back in as Director of Finance for Paralympic Committee. Benefited from this committee as it had supported his career and training, so wanted to give back and help. 13:12Journey of Athletes. Met Walter Gretzky, gave him some wisdom that he tries to live by. "Those that are truly great need not tell anyone". Resonated with him because he trained and competed for himself, represented his country and family, but should not have to go around telling people how good you are. 14:24Youth are starting to struggle because they don't know how to win with grace, and don't know how to lose with respect. It is a balance, and there are steps along the way. Coaches and mentors need to communicate that it is okay to fail. Because you can build on it and learn from it. Also important to stay active, physical literacy, sport for life. 15:44Moment that relates to athletic career summed up all in one, would be standing on a podium, in the middle, with the Canadian flag, O' Canada playing, in Barcelona in August, blue sky. Realizing that everything he did in the last 11 years had set him up for success, and a fantastic athletic career with opportunities for education and travel. "It just summed it all up, as in hey, I've done something". 16:51Induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame is an honour, humbling, and quietly proud. An honour to be included into a diverse group of athletes and builders. Canada has a diverse group of athletes that have led the way for the future generations, and is able to celebrate the past and rejoice in success. Sport brings people together. |
Date |
2015/06/26 |
Year Range from |
1983 |
Year Range to |
2016 |
People |
Edgson, Michael Baumann, Alex Davis, Victor Vizsolyi, Peter Gretzky, Walter |
Search Terms |
passion challenge work ethic team work motivation dedication balance humility Interview Michael Edgson Para swimming swimming Paralympian Paralympic Games Seoul Barcelona Gold medal Silver medal interview |