Coaching goal of champ

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It has been 15 years since their retirement, but now they're ready to step back into the competitive world of cross-country skiing.

After dedicating 17 years of their lives to the Canadian National Cross-Country Ski Team and representing Canada in four consecutive Winter Olympics, Sharon and Shirley Firth are planning to start coaching.

"I didn't ski for a while after I finished competing," said Shirley Firth. "I started training five years ago to keep in shape after I had my children."

After Shirley retired in 1984, she raised a family of three daughters in France where she lives today.

"I really don't think there is anyone Aboriginal who does any racing at a national or international level in Canada," said Shirley. "We thought there would be a team after we retired, but there was nothing at all and there should be because the kids are so talented."

The passion for skiing began in 1965 when the girls were only 12 years old. The Gwich'in/Metis twins lived a traditional lifestyle off the land in the small community of Inuvik until they were presented with skis by Roman Catholic priest Jean Marie Mouchet who arrived with the missionary.

The Territorial Experimental Ski Training Program (TEST) was initiated by the federal government. It was through the program that the Firth sisters began competing at a national level.

"It takes sheer determination and you have to love what you're doing because it's a long term commitment," said Shirley. "You have to train on a long term basis. We had to ski and train every day and there were many struggles."

Their determination paid off, acquiring 48 Canadian championships during their careers. The twins qualified for the 1972 Olympics but were shaken when Shirley was diagnosed with hepatitis just before the games. In 1976 the sisters again led the Canadian

Olympic team in competition. As Canada's best cross-country skiing talent, the twins continued and competed in the 1980 games, again suffering a setback upon learning of their mother's death during their training. Their last Olympic stand was in 1984. Shirley then decided to retire from competition and Sharon followed soon after.

"We didn't win a medal but the high note was making all those Olympic teams. It was all so good, that is why we lasted so long. We had endurance," said Sharon. "After the games when you didn't do well it was hard, because there was lots of pressure, but Shirley and I had one another."

The twins believe the hardworking lifestyle of trapping and snaring as children gave them the discipline required to become Olympians. Without the endless support and encouragement from their parents though, both sisters feel they would not have made it as far as they did.

"When we skied we had someone behind us who believed in us," said Shirley. "Our parents were always behind us, encouraging us."

In recognizing the support they received from their parents in reaching their dreams, the twins feel compelled to encourage strong parenting.

"Parents play a huge part," said Sharon. "Aboriginal people are still at the bottom when it comes to smoking, drinking, and drugs. This is such a shame. Offer encouragement to our youth. Give them confidence, self-respect. Sometimes it's hard to know who the child is or who the parent is. The roles have been switched."

The twins now want to contribute back some of the experience they received by mentoring, guest speaking, and coaching. Sharon is currently working at receiving her coaching certificate.

"The children need so much guidance and role models," said Shirley. "We talked about role models a lot when we were competing, even within the governmental system, but we were never used for that. Even in the whole of Canada, you need role models for Aboriginal youth."

Last February the twins finished working with CBC Sports on a documentary of their Olympic careers, which aired in March. The film conjured up painful emotions for the twins, which has given them inspiration.

"hen this documentary came out it really hit me. I never really paid attention until I found what the TEST program really meant," said Sharon. "It was to see if Native kids could make it in mainstream. Here we represented Canada for 17 years on the Canadian National Cross-Country Ski Team and we went to four Olympics. As Aboriginal people it is amazing and we proved that we could do it and yet we competed all those years and never received any compensation for it. If I became a drunk like they predicted then maybe we would get recognition. But both Shirley and I live healthy lifestyles and talk to young people."

Sharon and Shirley have plans to write a book about their lives in the hopes to inspire and encourage Aboriginal youth.

"Like my sister Sharon says, we are a part of Canadian history," said Shirley. "We're like the explorers. There are not too many people who have done what we have."