Two years ago, Brittney Yurek scampered to a bronze medal in the 100-metre dash at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) track and field championship. The following season, in Grade 11, the determined Twin Lakes Secondary School runner improved her time and won a silver medal.
Since that moment, she’s been focused on working on her mental and physical game as she strives to win the ultimate prize this year – a gold medal at the provincial championship.
However, to equate Yurek’s accomplishments with the colour of a medal is to do a huge disservice to a young woman who has overcome long odds physically, mentally and emotionally.
“She’s an incredible kid,” says Twin Lakes teacher and track coach Andrew Corry. “She is an inspiration to all of us.”
In Grade 9, Corry asked students in his French class to bring in personal items as part of an exercise meant to help the students learn more about one another. That’s when Corry got a glimpse into Yurek’s life – a life that started when she was born three months premature with cerebral palsy, a brain injury that primarily affects body movement and muscle coordination.
“I brought in a perseverance award I won in Grade 8, I used to have braces on my legs, so I brought an old brace and I had a stuffed frog that was a good-luck charm when I had one of my surgeries in London,” Yurek recalled.
“She also had a picture of her mom and her grandma and mentioned that her mom had passed away when she was little,” said Corry. “I was just blown away by her story. I was trying so hard to hold it together because I didn’t want to cry in front of all these Grade 9 students.”
In that moment during Grade 9 French, Corry saw a strength and depth of character rarely seen. It had also been noticed by her gym teacher, Adele LeMaire, who was the head coach of the school’s track team. “I think we were both so inspired … and we saw something special there,” said Corry.
They approached Yurek and asked her if she wanted to try out for the track team. They told her about the ambulatory category that allowed her to compete against others facing physical challenges. “I didn’t realize there was an ambulatory category,” Yurek said. “Any way, they suggested I come out. ‘Just see what you think.’ So, I joined the team in Grade 9 and I’ve been doing it ever since.”
Yurek is matter-of-fact about her accomplishments – and the hurdles she’s overcome. She was just 18 months old when her mom died as a result of a brain tumour; her father was never in the picture. Since then, she has been raised by her grandparents, but, last year, her grandfather died. “My grandma – she’s the only one left,” she says. “It’s been hard on her.”
Brittney has found a second family of sorts at Twin Lakes. She says the gym teachers have, in a way, adopted her; she has found salvation through their support and by focusing on running. “Mr. Corry has been my No. 1 supporter … I just feel comfortable here,” she said. “The whole phys-ed department … they’re just always there for me.”
LeMaire, who now works in Barrie, was instrumental in giving Yurek the confidence to try out for the track team, while Jamie Bell, who heads up the physical-education department, and Corry have worked with Yurek on her technique, her starts, her physical strength, her mental toughness and her gait. They have never had to worry about her work ethic.
“She is the hardest worker,” says Corry, who often works one-on-one with Yurek. “She is super coachable, very committed, never misses practice. We are currently training even though it’s the off-season.”
Each Thursday at lunch, Corry works with Yurek as she lifts weights and runs on the treadmill and participates in various drills. “We’ve also continued to work on the mental game,” said Corry. “Like everyone, Brittney gets super nervous before a race.”
To say the hard work and perseverance has paid off would be an understatement. The first time Corry clocked Yurek, she ran the 100-metres in 23 seconds. In Grade 9, at the Georgian Bay championship, she trimmed the time to 19.41. In Grade 10, she shaved almost another second off her time and last year, she clocked 17.55 seconds – good enough for a silver medal.
“It’s ridiculous,” Corry says of her improvement. “You might see someone improve by six seconds in the 800 … but it’s unprecedented to see that that in the 100. I’ve never heard of it.”
Yurek is proud of her accomplishment, but far from cocky. She doesn’t boast about her successes. Her life has taught her perspective. As to how she has handled what life has dealt her: “I just grind,” she says, using an athlete’s lingo. “I just function like normal. I acknowledge (what’s happened) but it’s not something that’s going to be an obstacle.”
Ironically, running has helped remove obstacles. “It has opened me up a lot. I never thought I’d do this … and it’s rewarding to see the improvement over the years. It has definitely given me more confidence,” she said, noting that confidence allowed her to volunteer to become the secretary of the school’s athletic association. “I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. It feels good because a lot of people don’t have the opportunity.”
Now, she is intent on making the most of it. “This year, I want to make it a golden year,” she says of her OFSAA hopes. “I just want to improve.”
To do so, she must be careful not to focus on her time. “I really try to focus on my technique. I used to try to look at my time when I was finishing,” she said, conceding that slowed her down. Not, she strives to push past the finish line.
While Corry believes she is poised for gold, he also knows whatever happens won’t be from lack of effort. “When you watch her run now, compared to Grade 9, it’s just remarkable,” he says. “She just continues to exceed expectations and that’s because she puts the time in and she works her butt off.”
