Jessica Gregg

[mtnme]

Athlete Biography: Jessica Gregg



Hometown: Edmonton
Date of Birth: 03/16/1988
Current Residence: Calgary
Coach: Jonathon Cavar,
Club: Edmonton Speed Skating Association
Training Centre: Olympic Oval (Calgary)
Years on National Team: 2 years
Occupation: Student



Highlights

Skated in her first senior World Championships in 2008 and won a silver medal in the relay
Won two medals in the relay on the 2007-08 World Cup Circuit (bronze and silver)
Finished 4th overall in the 2008 Canadian Open Championships
Ranked 5th in Canada in 2007-08
Won a bronze medal in the 500m and in the relay at her first World Cup in Saguenay, in 2006
Bronze medallist in the 500m at the 2004 and 2005 World Junior Championships
Placed 1st in the 500m, the 1000m and 1st overall at the 2006 Canadian Junior Championships
Posted Best time at 2005 Alta Valtellina Trophy in the 500m
Quick Facts

Started Speed skating at age 5
Leisure activities include; playing volleyball and fastball, snowboarding, friends, watching movies, and shopping
Mother Kathy Gregg was an Olympic Speed Skater, Father Randy Gregg played hockey in the NHL and at the Olympics, brother Jamie Gregg is on the National Development Long Track Team

To read more stats on Jessica, go to her link at Speedskating Canada:

www.speedskating.ca/team-page2.cfm?memberID=509&teamID=146&memType=Athlete

[mtnme]

Olympic hopefuls share Canada’s best holiday bets.


Short track speed skater Jessica Gregg glides from west coast to east coast…to north coast. Second in a continuing series: Canada travel tips from athletes training for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.



From ponds to canals to hockey rinks—and two Olympic Ovals (Calgary, AB & Vancouver, BC)—Canada’s got plenty of towns where visitors and pros can ice skate. Alberta’s Jessica Gregg, a University of Calgary student and short track Olympic hopeful, has spent loads of time in many of those places—both on and off the ice.

Gregg says the chance to visit Canada’s far north was a lifetime travel highlight: “When I was about 10, my dad (former NHL hockey player and Olympian Randy Gregg) took me to Tuktoyaktuk in the Northwest Territories for a hockey school. It was very cold, but so different and a neat experience.” One thing that made that trip extra special: dogsledding.

Canada is a multi-season country; when Gregg was younger she helped keep her legs in shape during the summer months by in-line skating on the spectacular river valley pathways of her home city, Edmonton, AB. “The paths are right by the water,” she recalls, “so it was always nice in the summer.” In fact, she says the North Saskatchewan River valley is the first place she would show any visitor to her hometown. “I would walk down the river valley with them. It’s close to where I grew up, and is just so beautiful.”

Gregg’s status as an elite-level athlete has allowed her to really explore her own country. “I’ve travelled lots throughout Canada,” she says. “I had speed skating competitions all over the country growing up and now usually travel to Quebec for competitions.” Two travel spots that really impressed her: Campbellton, NB, because ““Everyone’s so friendly there,” and “seeing the ocean in Vancouver.”

With hard work and a bit of luck, Jessica Gregg may see more than ocean during the upcoming 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver; she’s hoping to see Olympic success as well.

Jessica Gregg’s top five places in Canada to:

visit: Walk or in-line skate on Edmonton, AB’s River Valley trails.
eat: Saigon Y2K, 2110 Crowchild Trail NW, [phone] in Calgary, AB. “All the speed skaters love to go there—it’s close to the oval and # 46 (charbroiled seasoned chicken, spring rolls) is always a hit!”
make new friends: Campbellton, NB.
impress a kid: Tuktoyaktuk, NWT

watch Olympic-level training and competition: Calgary, AB’s Olympic Oval

Link to original story:

mediacentre.canada.travel/content/travel_story_ideas/jessica_gregg

[mtnme]

A sneak peak at the Vancouver Olympics
July 16, 2009 03:21 PM | Posted by Jessica Gregg

www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/2009/07/a_sneak_peak_at_the_vancouver.html

One stepping-stone has passed, but many more remain down the road.

We just finished our national team training camp in Vancouver, where we trained at the Pacific Coliseum, the site of the short track races for the 2010 Olympic Games.

The camp consisted of the top 16 ranked girls and guys in Canada, as well as a few more alternates, and the coaches and staff of Speed Skating Canada. We were all put up at a nice hotel in downtown Vancouver, a short drive away from the Coliseum. Staying at the same hotel for over two weeks can be a little tiring to some people, but as we were right downtown there were many things we could do when we weren’t training.

Not only were we right downtown, but we were only a 10-minute jog from the construction site of the athlete village. On the first day, my coach took us on a run to the site and back. We took a couple minutes while passing by to take in what that area was going to represent, and I’m sure we were all picturing that as our home next February. The buildings, though not quite finished, are really neat and are located right on the water. I think they'll be one of the highlights of the Games for the athletes.

Training-wise, we skated almost every day at the Coliseum, trying to get the most out of our advantage of having ice time there. We had a few weights sessions as well, at a weight room downtown. Another thing we got to do that I was really excited about was to skate on the long track oval in Richmond.

It was for only one day, but because I skated long track when I was growing up, I brought my long track skates and enjoyed the change of tracks for the day. It's been said that the oval will be one of the focal points of the Games, and even though I’m a little jealous I completely agree. The roof, constructed from pine beetle wood, is beautiful and the view of the mountains sets it apart from other ovals I've seen.

Tough climb

The Coliseum might not be as new and talked-about as the oval in Richmond, but the hospitality we've received while staying there has been remarkable. They're currently painting the arena and updating our personal change room so it will be a great home for the five girls and guys who will represent Canada in short track, as well as those on the figure skating team.

When we had our few afternoons or mornings off during the camp, we enjoyed all the activities Vancouver has to offer. We were able to make it to the beach a couple times, and managed to beat some locals on the volleyball courts, a game I also grew up playing and miss a lot. It was nice to relax and enjoy the sun, because for most of the days we were inside the rink.

One afternoon, we had the option of recovery or to climb up Grouse Mountain. Not knowing how hard it was going to be, I picked the climb. A few of us started out hoping for a nice hike, but we soon realized it was going to be a tough climb! Halfway through we set a goal to make the second half faster and worked hard to pass all the traffic on the steep steps. We eventually made it to the top, found the rest of our team, and took the gondola back down.

On Canada Day some of us walked down to Canada Place and watched the fireworks. I was surprised to see so many tourists standing around us. But I guess the city will have to get used to it, especially when the Games come around.

We have had a couple days off since the camp and I was able to spend some time relaxing at my Oma’s cottage on Lake Winnipeg. That might turn out to be my last break for the summer, because we'll soon be back at the oval in Calgary where we usually train all year long.

I’m looking forward to training on that ice, but even more to go back to Vancouver in a month for our trials.

__________________________________________________________________________________

OK, I don't feel so bad if a well trained elite athlete found the Grouse Grind difficult. I do a fair amount of hiking, but I do it for fun....

... and I don't think this qualifies!

Last fall, Lori and I did the Grouse Grind, and let's just say, unlike the athletes, we didn't try to break any land speed records. Our time to do it was pretty embarrassing. But hey, we made it to the top, and no one ended up in a body bag or the hospital with acute cardiac arrest, so it's all good.

...and all I can say is, that beer and burger at the top of Grouse Mountain we awarded ourselves for actually doing this brutal hike never tasted so good!!! ;D




Lori at the trail head. (Yeah, she's smiling now...5 minutes later was another matter...) We clearly had NO idea what we were getting ourselves into.





...the halfway point. We're still alive.





This hike gives new meaning to the term 'Stairway to Heaven', although in all honesty, it felt more like hell at the time. Especially that first quarter mile, when my body was screaming 'What the $%*& ?' in protest. By the second quarter, it decided it might as well get with the program since we obviously weren't turning back.

...and that's what you get when you're older and don't warm up first. ...dummies.

If you look closely, you can see Lori further down taking a picture of me taking a picture of her.





At one point some of the trail was washed out, and you needed to hoist yourself a bit with the rope. Some of the steps were almost as tall as I was, so the rope came in handy there too. I definitely had some difficulty 'getting a leg up'. Lori is taller with a longer leg span. ;D

[mtnme]

Olympic family

The Greggs aim for a second generation of Olympic participation

By Joanne Ireland, Edmonton Journal, August 2, 2009


www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/2010wintergames/Olympic+family/1854162/story.html




Jessica Gregg heads for victory in the women's 500-metre final at the World Cup short-track championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, in February.
Photograph by: Dimitar Dilkoff, Getty Images, File, Edmonton Journal



One after another after yet another, the Greggs zip up their skinsuits, lace up their speedskates, and head to the start line--and not just any start line, either.

Jamie, Jessica and Sarah Gregg are all poised to compete in the Canadian Olympic trials. Jessica will race in Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum, Aug. 9-18. Brother Jamie and sister Sarah will be vying for a spot on the 2010 Winter Games team during the long-track trials, Dec. 27-Jan. 2 in Richmond, B. C.

"Going up against Clara Hughes and Cindy Klassen makes it pretty unrealistic for me, but anything can happen at the trials and I do want to give it my best effort to see where I place," said Sarah, who is the youngest of the three and the one with the longest shot. But, as she said, anything can happen.

It so happened that their parents, Randy and Kathy, met at the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid, N. Y. Kathy Vojt was a speedskater, Randy a member of Canada's hockey team.

The Olympics have been and will continue to be a family affair.

"In our household the ultimate dream, in any sport, was going to the Olympics," said Jamie. "Dad always said that representing his country was the best part of his career."

Through the years, the siblings have coerced and cajoled, challenged and cheered each other no matter the sport. Skating wasn't always the focus. Jamie played hockey until he was 19, Sarah was drawn to softball, and Ryan, the eldest of the four, is playing baseball at the University of Calgary.

"My main goal when they were skating was that they were having fun and that they were out there doing something that was good for them," said Kathy, who made her Olympic debut in 1976 in Innsbruck. When Calgary hosted the world in 1988, Randy, a former member of the Edmonton Oilers' defensive corps and a four-time Stanley Cup champion, again slipped into a Team Canada jersey.

Kathy, pregnant with Jessica at the time, worked as an official at the Olympic Oval.

"Obviously, they're in the sport because of my background, but it's funny--because the way I see it, the kids who have too much pressure are the ones who aren't skating at that level," said Kathy, who said there was never a steady diet of Olympic talk at the Gregg dinner table.

"My parents weren't really into sports," she continued. "They'd come to watch, but it wasn't a big thing when I was growing up. That's part of it, and just having seen, when I was skating, how some of the parents acted. I learned from that."

"We were always active; our parents brought us up in that atmosphere. I think that's why we're here," said Sarah, "but there was never any pressure."

Last summer, Jamie relocated to Richmond, B. C., to train with the likes of Jeremy Wotherspoon and Mike Ireland, and is coming off a breakout season.

He made his debut at the world sprints in Moscow and finished 13th overall, after which he racked up an eighth-place finish in the world single-distance championships at the Olympic track in Richmond.

"It just gives me some confidence going into next year, knowing I can compete at that level," Jamie said. "I can build on that and keep moving forward.

"When I first came(into the sport), it was a really good experience to train with those two as well. To work with the top guys in Canada, you see the dedication and focus they bring every day. That taught me a lot about how I'd have to train if I wanted to be at that level.

"It's a good benchmark to work toward as well. I can't be satisfied with where I'm at right now when I look at those guys."

With four years of university completed, Jamie will one day attend medical school, following in his father's footsteps. Randy, a family physician in Edmonton, runs a sports medicine practice.

Sarah, 20, and Jessica, 21, study kinesiology at the University of Calgary.

"I don't want to look back and say I have regrets but at the same time, if I don't make it, life goes on, so you don't want to stop the rest of your life," said Jessica. "I have been trying to find a balance."

Jessica won six World Cup medals last season, a haul that included two gold medals. She took two bronze medals from the 2009 world-short track championships--half of Canada's harvest.

"Just hearing about her accomplishments, or hearing her stories, definitely motivates me and I think, in some ways, I can motivate her as well," said Sarah.

"Jess was always more focused on skating. I had applied at the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary because I didn't know if I was going to continue skating. I thought I was going to go to the States and play softball, but I just thought I'd give it a shot and it's worked out perfectly."

A member of the 2014 talent squad last season, Sarah parlayed her standing as first overall at the Canadian juniors into a 14th-place at the worlds.

"It will be tough for Sarah, but you never know," said Kathy. "Just having one in the Olympics is going to be so exciting.

"There's nothing quite like the Olympics. It comes down to you having to rearrange your life, and making sacrifices and working hard toward something. And it doesn't always work out the way you want it to either, so you have to deal with those kinds of things, too."

[Laura (Lori)]

From Jessica's blog - and a big congratulations to you!:

My lifelong Olympic dream comes true
August 25, 2009 11:32 AM | Posted by Jessica Gregg

I was hoping I'd have good news for this blog… and it turns out that I do!

We just finished our Olympic trials a couple days ago, and I am relieved and excited to say that I officially made the short track team for the Vancouver Olympics in 2010.

It hasn’t fully hit me yet, but everyday I'm getting more and more excited. I was almost speechless after my final when I clinched my spot on the team, and after I got my skates off the first thing I did was run over to my coach, Jon Cavar, and give him a huge hug. My eyes started to fill with tears — happy ones, obviously — and at that moment I realized I had accomplished my dream goal, the goal that I have had since I was a little girl when I first started racing around the track.

Of course, right when I had the chance, I ran up to the stands to share the moment with my family.

As I had skated in the previous Olympic selections four years ago, I had a bit of an idea of what to expect in this competition. But with so many good new skaters ranked in the top 16 in Canada and the sport evolving, it was almost an entirely new experience. Unlike in 2005 when I was young and fairly inexperienced, this time my goal was to make the team and I knew I had a pretty good shot at it. It was a roller coaster of emotions the whole two weeks we were in Vancouver, but one of the keys to short track is keeping those emotions positive and not letting any negative ones get in your way.

Bittersweet day

My best distance is the 500 metres, so I was very focused and determined to win that distance. We had three finals for every distance spread out over the competition so I knew I had to keep my motivation up the whole time.

The first 500 final was an exciting one. I got out in the lead, but with a couple of laps to go Kalyna Roberge passed me on the inside. I passed her back right away, but she came back and got me on the inside to get first place, and I finished a close second. I was happy with the race, but I knew I had more in me.

The second and third 500-metre finals played out much the same way, as I got out in front right from the start and was able to keep first position the whole race. Going into the last final I knew that if I skated well, I would make the team. I tried to keep that thought out of my head before the race, just trying to focus on the fact that it was the same race I have done so many times in my life, and I just needed to go out and skate. With two laps to go in the race the thought of making the team was taking over but I tried to stay focused, and apart from a little slip coming out of the last corner I skated a perfect race and accomplished my goal of winning the overall 500.

The day was kind of bittersweet, though, as two of my teammates from Calgary missed out on making the team by just fractions of a second. It’s hard to believe that in that short period of time, your dream can either come true or be changed. I was upset after watching my teammates' two races, but at the same time I needed to celebrate.

I think now would be a good time to thank the skaters in Calgary who have been training with me for a very long time. We've all been through so much together and even though they won’t be joining me on the Olympic team, they will be a huge part of my experience. So thank you Jessica, Gabby, Marie Eve, Tyler, Mike, Liam, Richard, Dustin and Cory. I couldn’t have done it without all of you! And of course, thanks as well to my coach, Jon.

We have about a week off now, and then I’ll be back on the ice preparing for the World Cup season. It’s time to start learning French!

[Laura (Lori)]

DID YOU KNOW?

Jessica will be following in the Olympic footsteps of both her mother and father. Her mom Kathy (then Vogt) competed in long-track speed skating at both the 1976 and 1980 Winter Olympics, while her famous father, Dr. Randy Gregg, is an ex-Edmonton Oiler, who played for Team Canada's hockey team at both the 1980 and 1988 Games.



Jessica Gregg Makes Olympic Short-Track Team

thingsiseehearandthink.blogspot.com/2009/08/jessica-gregg-makes-olympic-short-track.html

The article also touches on Canada's high hopes for the short track team to hit big for the home team in Vancouver. A few quotes by Flou as well.

[Laura (Lori)]

From Day 2 World Championships competition:



See more images at:

www.2010wstssc-sofia.com/ (Click 'Gallery')

[Laura (Lori)]

'20 Questions With Jessica Gregg' - Cute! (it's short - less than 2 minutes long)

[mtnme]

A boatload of blog entries by Jessica leading up to the Olympics. Interesting to read a Canadian view on things during the World Cups last year.

Here's an excerpt (...and I sure didn't hear anything about this! LOL)

'Paper!'

The relay in Marquette, Mich., was a bit more interesting, however. In the quarter-final we were battling it out with the Japanese team. I was finishing and as I was about to get ready to wind up on the inside, I turned the corner a little too tight and ended up hitting the referee on the ice from behind and sent him flying! Fortunately, I didn’t go down with him, but I was a little startled from it.

I had to get out for the exchange in a lap and a half, so I tried to get my head back in it, but as I was coming around the corner, all I heard was my coach yelling "Paper!"

For some lucky reason, I looked down just as I was about to step on one of the many pieces of paper that flew from the referee's binder when I hit him on the previous lap. I jumped over a sheet and nearly stepped on another one, but managed to stay on my feet again and somehow got out for the exchange on time.

We ended up coming second in that race and qualified for the semi, but the funny thing was that no one saw me hit the ref! The girls were all laughing after because they thought he had fallen on his own, and when I told them what really happened, the joke was on me. Fortunately, the hit wasn’t caught on tape, though, as the camera (and everyone else) was looking at the skaters on the ice at the time, and not at me in the middle.




Read more here:
www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/jessicagregg/archives.html

[Laura (Lori)]

Hahaha, cute story - I'll give it a look!

Tags: Jessica Gregg / Short Track Speedskating

[Laura (Lori)]

New blog entry by Jessica for cbcsports.ca:

It's trials time
By Jessica Gregg / January 14, 2010

www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/jessicagregg/2011/01/trials-by-fire.html

Tags: Jessica Gregg / Short Track Speedskating

[bubblebuttsbabe]

New Blog for CBC.ca

Source: www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/jessicagregg/2011/03/a-concussion-ended-my-season.html

Second concussion ends my season
March 10, 2011 2:32 PM | By Jessica Gregg


Canadian short-track speedskater Jessica Gregg suffered two concussions this season.

If my season went according to plan this year, I would be in Sheffield, England right now preparing for the short-track speedskating world championships. Instead, I'm at home in Calgary.

As much as we plan and prepare for each season, there are always variables we can't control. Such as falling hard into the mats and getting a concussion, which is exactly what happened to me for the second time this season.

In February, my team and I traveled to Moscow for the fifth stop on the World Cup circuit. Many of us had never been to Russia, so we had a good time experiencing all we could, visiting Red Square and taking the famous subway.

The competition went well for most of the team, but ups and downs were experienced, as usual. I had some good races, but overall didn't skate my best and wasn't able to make it to an "A" final.

Our relay team skated really strong and got on the podium in second place, so that was a nice finish to the competition. I was really looking forward to the next weekend, where the last World Cup of the season was being held in Dresden, Germany.

Crashed hard

The week was going well, and I was getting eager for the races. The day before the competition, we usually have a speed practice to get primed.

That's when all this started again.

I was chasing the boys, going as fast as I could, and as I came around the apex of one corner, the ice broke away from my skate. I crashed hard into the mats and my head whipped around into the mats as well. I got off the ice and tried to rest because I knew the instant headache was not a good sign. Long story short, I had to sit out the competition and still have not recovered fully. My season ended a lot earlier than I'd hoped.

I was really upset and frustrated and confused at first, but when I realized there wasn't anything I could do I knew those emotions weren't going to help. I still wonder what I would be doing if I was in Sheffield right now, but I'm trying to focus on the here and now and on the things I have in my control. Just like in skating.

I get to attend all my university classes for the rest of the semester - maybe something a normal student would not be too happy about, but it's one positive for me in this situation.

I have time to recover fully and get healthy before starting summer training. In a four-year cycle between each Olympics, I guess I picked a good year to have a little more time off than usual. The next three years will go by quickly, so I know I need to take every opportunity from now on and make the most of them.

[Laura (Lori)]

Thank you for posting this, BBB - I got it in a Google alert, but just didn't have time to process it!

[bubblebuttsbabe]

Mar 11, 2011 20:51:55 GMT -8 Laura (Lori) said:

Thank you for posting this, BBB - I got it in a Google alert, but just didn't have time to process it!

Me too! But I figured since I was just sitting here and I haven't posted anything in awhile I might as well. lol.

[Deleted]

Building the 2013-2014 team:

www.cbc.ca/sports/speedskating/story/2013/03/02/sp-speedskating-jessica-gregg-patrick-duffy.html