A professional downhill mountain biker toured schools on the Coast last week to teach kids about the power of a dream.
Darcy Turenne, 21, was born in Sechelt and returned to pass on her story leading up to becoming an international champion.
"Goal setting is a really easy way of getting what you want," she told students at West Sechelt Elementary school, who packed into the gym to hear her talk. She revealed her "secret weapon" is positive thinking.
Her competitive edge began in elementary school when her best friend kept beating her up a hill on their ride home from school.
She resolved to save up money for a new bike, so she set short-term goals to achieve it. Eight months later, she'd earned her $450, bought her first bike then raced ahead of Amy up that hill.
Since then, she's moved on to bigger goals and higher mountains, winning 25 races and earning sponsorships throughout her professional career.
First she tackled the provincial championships before making the national team twice. In reaching for her next goal of being the world's best downhill mountain biker, she placed eighth in the world championships twice.
"It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of practice," Turenne said. "Sometimes you have to fail first, but you can always learn from mistakes."
She engaged the audience by suiting up a volunteer in body armour and asking the students questions like how many of them have bikes.
"My job is to ride my bike downhill as fast as I can," she told the fascinated crowd.
She asked the students to close their eyes and picture a dream or goal they want to achieve. Later, she advised them to draw the goal on paper and hang it somewhere they could see it every day. This is the first step in making the dream a reality, she said.
She had the students shout out the words to her "smart" goal setting - specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely. She also spoke at the Sunshine Coast Alternative School, Kinnikinnick Elementary and Sechelt Elementary, Sept. 22 and 23. Turenne travelled to the Coast from Victoria, where she is studying geography and environmental studies at the University of Victoria. She is part of the Esteem Team, a program of internationally-acclaimed athletes teaching and inspiring youth to reach their goals.
