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Gold medalist inspires Okotoks football team

The Foothills Peewee Eagles learned a successful four-man bobsled crew and a football team have a lot in common. They both need dedication and teamwork to get winning results.
Steve Mesler, of the 2010 gold medal winning American four-man bobsled team, shows his medal to the members of the Foothills Peewee Eagles football team on March 22.
Steve Mesler, of the 2010 gold medal winning American four-man bobsled team, shows his medal to the members of the Foothills Peewee Eagles football team on March 22.

The Foothills Peewee Eagles learned a successful four-man bobsled crew and a football team have a lot in common.

They both need dedication and teamwork to get winning results.

Steve Mesler, a member of the American four-man bobsled team that won the gold medal at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, was the guest speaker at an Eagles’ preseason workout on March 22 at the Foothills Composite High School gym.

“During a press conference (in Vancouver) I had said: ‘If we do our job, we can win,’” Mesler told the approximately 25 Eagles.

Mesler got a bemused look from his teammates while they were on the podium for his bold prediction. However, as Mesler explained to the Eagles, his prediction wasn’t all that bold.

“I didn’t say ‘We are gonna win,’ what I said is “If we do our job and we have worked hard enough, we can win.’ There is a difference.”

It was the first gold medal for the Americans in the four-man bobsled in 62 years.

Mesler told the Eagles it is the little things and the proper work ethic that can lead to success whether it be on the gridiron, the bobsled track, school, career or in one's personal life.

He knows plenty about perseverance.

He was recruited by the University of Florida as a track athlete in the late 1990s. However, a string of injuries prevented him from ever competing in the NCAA championships.

Most importantly, he was smart enough to take advantage of his university opportunity. After first struggling in the classroom, he graduated from Florida as an honour student.

However, as an athlete he wasn’t done. Frustrated by his injury-prone track career and not wanting to quit high-calibre athletic competition, he accepted an invitation to try out for the American bobsled team.

He made the team and competed in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics.

Teamwork was the key to winning gold in 2010.

According to Mesler the 2006 team may have been the best group of individuals on the three Olympic squads, but it wasn’t the best team. That was the Olympic gold medal team in 2010.

“We got along better and we worked better together,” Mesler said in an interview after his presentation.

“Hopefully, that message will stick in with these guys (the Eagles) as they get older.”

Not surprisingly, Vancouver was Mesler’s most cherished Olympic experience, but not just for the podium finish.

“Vancouver was by far my favourite Olympics,” Mesler said. “Salt Lake City (2002) was great because it was my home country, but it was shortly after 9-11 and there were guns and security everywhere. Vancouver did such an awesome job. I didn’t’ come across one volunteer that didn’t have a smile on their faces.”

Mesler is a permanent resident who lives in Calgary.

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