Limitless Spirit
I was asked to write about the impact my coach, Thelma Wright, had on my life. I have worked with CEOs who have won the Order of Canada, learned from people with PhDs and worked with high profile doctors, but not one person could be described with the plethora of adjectives that can be used to describe Thelma Wright.
When I reflect on Thelma, there are so many words that come to mind to describe her: positive, enthusiastic, supportive, kind, effervescent, determined, grit, hardworking, energetic and joyous. It is her “never give up” and “you can do it” attitude that I found so compelling. There was a never a problem in Thelma’s mind, only solutions. Her height might have limited her, but her spirit was limitless.
Not only was she a great role model on the track and in the trails, often running circles around us barely 20 year olds, she was also a role model as to what it means to be a working mom. I was lucky enough to be asked to babysit her kids at one point, being invited beyond the circle of the track into the inner circle of her home. This seemingly simple gesture meant the world to me. It meant that she trusted me. It meant she believed in me. And it meant that she thought I was responsible. I never heard Thelma say an unkind word about anyone. She always saw the good in people and brought out the best in us as athletes. What you would hear many of us say at the end of our practices was “Man, if only I had ½ the energy of Thelma – just imagine what I could do.”
Thelma fostered the love of the sport of track and field in all of us, and for that we are all grateful. I look forward to paying tribute to Thelma, my amazing coach and friend and her brilliant career on Jan 12, 2017 at Cecil Green. Please join us to recognize this wonderful woman and many others who have dedicated their lives to our sport.
Dr. Christina Bjorndal BCom '90
