I decided to get involved one more time in
a campaign against bullying, in particular bullying against children who figure
skate. This problem is serious because some kids who are bullied end up
committing suicide. Others feel that they have to hide the fact they do this
sport because they’re afraid they will become a laughing stock at school.
Anybody can play sports but, in the case of a negative bias towards figure
skating, I blame parents and the education system again. This is what I plan to
do in my fight against bullying. Since participating in the program Battle of the Blades on CBC, I became a
true figure skating fan. I watch all the competitions on TV and I can finally
appreciate the true value of this wonderful sport. I've said it before and I'll
say it again. Figure skating is a more physically and mentally challenging
sport than hockey and I'm speaking as a former heavy weight hockey player who
spent 13 years in the NHL. During the six months I figure skated on Battle of the Blades, I sustained more
injuries than during the 13 years I spent fighting and playing hockey. Once the
program ended, I participated as a volunteer to some fifty figure skating pairs
shows in Canada. I wanted to show all the guys that there is nothing wrong with
this sport and that you are not a lesser human being in doing so. I will keep
on doing shows at the request of figure skating clubs. This will be my
contribution to resolve this problem and let’s hope that, in the future, our
Canadian female skaters will not have to look for partners outside of the
country. Sometimes, it is not enough to be heard. Actions speak louder than words!
You will find below the different numbers I
executed in these shows..