More than a world class athlete
This article was originally published in McMaster University’s Alumni Blog in 2012.
Being in the same room with an Olympian could send butterflies to your stomach. You'd expect cameras flashing repeatedly à la paparazzi and a red carpet readily rolled out to welcome sports star/McMaster alumnus Adam van Koeverden at McMaster's 125th Anniversary Lunch.
Except that there were none of those. Formal but laid back, Adam put a casual touch to this official luncheon. Wearing a dress shirt under a leather jacket, the four-time Olympic medalist in kayaking appeared relaxed and informal as he stood on stage to present his speech. In his lighthearted yet poignant speech, Adam drew on three recurring themes in his journey and growth as an athlete – and how they all tie back to "MAC"-Master:
M for Mentorship
He was 14 when he first got his feet wet in kayaking, at the Burloak Canoe Club in Oakville. The intention was for him to stay out of trouble after school. But mischief aside, Adam admitted that he desperately wanted to be an athlete. Growing up, he tried out for every sport he could imagine, including volleyball and hockey.
It was through training with Canadian sprint canoer Larry Cain that Adam found his voice as an athlete. The 1984 Olympic gold medal winner showed him the ropes, demonstrating the intensity and hard work it required to be a successful athlete, according to Adam. Training with Cain inspired him to realize his potential and talents in this intensive sport.
Adam asked himself, "Why not me?" as he ran side-by-side during training with Cain.
Mentorship does have a trickle down effect. Fast forward to years later, when Adam returned to the canoe club, he sees himself reflected in the young canoeists.
While they look up to him as a mentor, he also finds comfort in their enthusiasm in the sport.
"I look up to them for enjoyment in the sport," he expressed.
A for Advocacy
To Adam, sports is not just fun and play; it also comes with social responsibility. This belief has led him to serve as the ambassador for Right to Play, a nonprofit organization making use of sports to advance social justice. With the mission to empower and educate children and youth, Right to Play aims to help the young rise above and overcome detrimental effects of poverty, conflict and diseases in marginalized communities.
In his sixth year as an ambassador, Adam climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, to raise over $12,000 on a recent trip to Africa. To put this into context, it takes $50 to support one child in the program.
For Adam, it is a chance to give back to the community by channeling the power and the fun of sports towards a good cause.
"You can take the trip to Las Vegas and lose your shirt. Or you can choose to spend your time with the community," he pointed out.
C for Community
He has stood on world stage, brushing shoulders with other top athletes from around the world, and has conquered mountains. But Adam remains mindful of the ongoing support he has from the community. Starting from the canoe club, he is reminded of the importance of mentorship, in aiding the growth and development of young athletes.
At McMaster, Adam recalled his professors who had pushed and encouraged him in his journey as a student athlete. It helped him to achieve a balance between his academic and athletic life, earning him the valedictorian title in 2007.
"If I hadn't had my canoe club and Mac, I don't have much to be thankful of," he noted, as he reflects his performance over the years.
Success is less important than the road a person takes to achieve each significant milestone, said Adam to the room of proud McMaster grads, young and old.
"We work hard and that value in hard work is far more important than achievements."
"That makes us great people as Mac grads," he ended with pride.