The kid comes out in everybody when they find that special gift under the tree on Christmas morning.
The smile can’t be wiped off your face.
It’s the one thing you want to show everybody who comes through the door or the first thing to chat about when talking to family and friends on the phone about what Santa brought.
The Star caught up with a number of athletes who are plying their skills at home or away and asked them to share their story about a memorable sports-related gift they received for Christmas.
Hailey Oke, Massey Drive
Volleyball
Memorial Sea-Hawks
When I was in Grade 9 I was playing on a volleyball team travelling to the Newfoundland and Labrador Winter Games that year. For a Christmas gift all of our parents decided to get us these beautiful jerseys. They were just gorgeous and over a $100. They were really pretty and we used them for two years afterwards and it was a special gift for me because we won a lot of tournaments in them.
Jordan King, Corner Brook
Hockey
Amherst Ramblers
The best sports gift was an old Warriors hockey stick called the MacDaddy. It was bright blue. I didn’t really know much about the brand of hockey sticks when I was younger so I liked the look of this one because of the colour so I was excited to wake up and see that. I scored a few goals with it back in the day. I was the only one with the light blue stick. I also remember getting a Mario Lemieux jersey for another Christmas and that was exciting because Mario was my favourite player from the old days.
Rebecca Bennett, Corner Brook
Figure skater
Silver Blades Skating Club
My first year competing, I believe I was seven, I got my first skating dress and it was blue. That same year I won provincials which was the biggest competition I was competing at that year. I used the dress for two years and it was my favourite colour. I wasn’t expecting it so I was really excited Christmas morning.
Roslyn Decker, Corner Brook
Marathoner
Corner Brook Running Club
Kristian (her fiancé) knew I was going to Boston for the Marathon so Christmas 2015 when I opened my gift from him there was a travel-size hand sanitzer, a passport holder and in the bottom was my ticket to Boston. That was my most memorable one that I would say I have because I think if Kristian didn’t push me to go to Boston then I probably wouldn’t have went.
Keisha Brown, Corner Brook
Bowling/rowing
When I got my first set of bowling balls, which was quite a few years ago. I was probably 13 or 14 and I still use the same balls. I knew that I was getting them because I was waiting for them a long time, and I just asked for them and me and my parents went and I picked them out myself.
Jolena Gillard, Deer Lake
Western Warriors AAA midget female hockey team
I would have to say a pair of black hockey pants. They were the most comfortable pair of pants I ever wore and I had them for a nice few years. They were the ones I always wanted so it was a good Christmas.
Lucas Park, Corner Brook
Western Kings AAA midget hockey team
When I was 10 or 11 I got tickets to a Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh game in Florida. At the time I was just becoming a Tampa Bay fan so that was special and I will always remember that.
