James Gemmell spent a sleepless night in a Toronto hotel room on Feb. 10.
Quesnel鈥檚 sledge hockey champ and his 19 teammates were all in the same boat, waiting to hear who made the final cut to represent Canada at the 2018 Winter Paralympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.
鈥淲e鈥檇 played our last exhibition game against the [United States], bused back to Toronto and stayed in a hotel, and they didn鈥檛 tell us [who made the team] until morning.
鈥淚 was laying awake, wondering if I鈥檇 go home early or stay for the team.
鈥淵ou can never assume you鈥檒l make it. We have 20 players and every one has been pushing to make the cut. It was the big one, and there was a lot of competition and everyone had improved over the last year or two. I didn鈥檛 get much sleep, no.鈥�
Gemmell wasn鈥檛 disappointed. He and 16 teammates were celebrated at a live press conference in Toronto on Feb. 11 鈥� something Gemmell says he was pleased to see happen.
鈥淚t was good to see they actually did a big live reveal. We haven鈥檛 had that in the past, and it鈥檚 good for our sport.鈥�
Gemmell has been vocal about attracting attention for sledge hockey 鈥� or para-hockey, as it鈥檚 called by the Canadian Paralympic Committee 鈥� and hosts a local league to get community members playing.
The sport is one of the most popular in the Winter Paralympic Games, but Gemmell says it is under-appreciated in British Columbia.
鈥淏.C. is one of the farthest behind in the development of the sport. I鈥檓 trying to fight that and promote the sport more in our province,鈥� he told the Observer in September.
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Practice makes perfect
After the press conference, Gemmell flew home to Quesnel. He booked some ice time at the local rink to get a practice in, and spent time with family, including his wife, Sherry, and three children, ages eight, nine and 13, before jetting back to Toronto for another training camp.
At home, Gemmell trains for an hour and a half to two hours every day of the week, plus off-ice training including workouts at the gym three or four days a week and cardio on his hand bike at home.
鈥淚 put in four to six hours every day. It鈥檚 the demands to keep up. We want to win, so we have to do whatever it takes.鈥�
Gemmell is no stranger to the pressure. He and his team earned bronze at the 2014 Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
鈥淲e put in four years for Sochi, and we came out in third place, which was disappointing for us. We didn鈥檛 go for third place.
鈥淓ven tougher would be getting silver; to go all that way, to the final game, and come out behind; it鈥檚 not what we want.鈥�
With his sights set, the bronze-medal winner and his teammates will begin their bid for gold on March 10, in a game against Sweden.
Gemmell himself has never played Sweden, having been injured when Canada last played them at the World Sledge Hockey Championships.
鈥淚 know what to expect out of them though,鈥� he says.
Second chances
Before games, Gemmell says he likes to stay calm; taking care of his equipment and running plays in his head. Nerves are always present, especially when he鈥檚 on the world stage.
鈥滻 do get nervous before games. I don鈥檛 think that will ever go away. You go in with one goal in mind, and that鈥檚 to win, so there鈥檚 some pressure and that brings the nerves up,鈥� he explains.
As a veteran of the Games, Gemmell has a slight advantage this time around.
鈥淚鈥檝e experienced the whole thing before, so that eases my mind a bit.鈥�
The road to glory
Gemmell says he鈥檚 not superstitious, but has a few good luck charms that he鈥檚 carried with him throughout the years.
鈥淚 have a little key that my wife gave me that I keep in my backpack. I don鈥檛 touch it or look at it, but I think I keep it in there for luck.
鈥淎nd I always carry pictures of my kids with me when I鈥檓 on the road.鈥�
He鈥檚 on the road a lot. Gemmell says it鈥檚 usually eight or 10 days of the month, all year long, for four years.
鈥淚 miss birthdays, holidays. My wife runs my business when I鈥檓 out of town. She鈥檚 taken a leave from work to enable me to do this.
鈥淏ut you鈥檝e got to do what you鈥檝e got to do if you want to chase a dream like this one.鈥�
Gold is quite a dream.
鈥淚t will feel great if we bring it home.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the ultimate goal.鈥�
The Games will be broadcast here in Canada for friends and family to watch; CBC will provide live coverage on Saturdays (3-7 p.m. pacific time) and Sundays (3-6:30 p.m. pacific time). It will also provide coverage from 4-6 p.m. in local time zones.
In addition, every event will be live streamed and available on demand on Facebook Live, Twitter Live, and . Coverage begins with the Opening Ceremony this Friday, March 9.
