The day is finally here!  Support and cheer John and Canada tonight at 2am EST or 11pm PST.

Rick Mercer Report

John on set with Rick Mercer in his DU Fit Hoodie!

On set with the Rick Mercer Report

Petro-Canada Presents: Face to Face with John Leslie

CBC News:  Canada’s Para-Snowboarders Ready to Shine

Sportcheck and Canadian Tire:  John Leslie describes his road to the Paralympics

Landed in Sochi, Russia after 36 hours of travel time.

John and the DU Fit Hoodie made it to Sochi, Russia!

Heading out to the opening ceremony!

Sochi, Russia Turf

Find me in the opening ceremony!

Ready for Game Day; Thanks for all the Support EVERYONE!

We are all rooting for you!

GO JOHN GO!!

John Leslie – Road to Sochi:  Part 2

Following my “Fall Adventure” of traveling across Canada with my good friend Mitch I started right into dry land training.  I worked with my trainer out of Whistler and built a sport specific program so that the transition from my off season to being on snow would be somewhat seamless.  I trained off snow and got myself into pretty good shape leading up to November.

In November, the team made the move to Banff, Alberta, Canada. One of the most beautiful places in the world.  We were not greeted with large amounts of snow but enough to get our training done and some of the most beautiful blue bird days.  This was the earliest I was able to be on snow in my life and we took full advantage of having time on our side.  We started at the beginning of snowboard progression; focusing on ankles, knees, knees and hips.  Relearning turn initiation, body positioning, and edging.  It was great to spend the month getting into things slow and starting off small.  I believe it was key to spend time on these key aspects of snowboarding.

Stoked on good training days!

When we weren’t riding at Norquay or Lake Louise we were at Banff Cross Fit working with our trainer Will.  He built us an unreal training program and pushed my body to its limits.  I don’t think I have ever been in as good of shape as training with Will.  Cross fit is awesome and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to get to the next level in their training.

At the end of November the team then made the move to Big White, British Columbia, Canada.  Our training mountain for the 2013/2014 season.  This is where we took the first month of our progression and moved it into a gate and course setting.  We took the skills we perfected in November and learnt how to apply them when going around gates and being in a boarder cross track.  When racing at high speeds sometimes you automatically go back into poor habits.  We broke these habits and got used to being in a course environment.  I can’t thank Big White enough for helping us have the preseason course and run blocked off for us to train on.

I was lucky enough to spend my Christmas Break in Whistler!  My home away from home.  Although it seemed like the east coast had more snow over the vacation then Whistler I still made the most of it.  My very good friend Jason came out for ten days to enjoy the rain and cloudy skies.  We managed to find a bit of powder and the Paps helped the mood.  My girlfriend also came out for a visit and broke her ankle on the second day.  She was a champ though and ended up exploring Whistler and partying in a wheel chair.  New Years was a blast at Moe Jos and I could not have asked for better company.  I then said my goodbyes to Jason, Ally, and Emilie and headed back to Big White.  We had another week training camp before the World Cup season started.

Whistler fun with friends.

When I got back to Big White the big boarder cross track was up along with the XL jumps in the park.  This fit in perfectly with our progression of the season.  I was ready to step it up and it was lot easier to break the bad habits because of the new ones I had been working on.  At the end of the camp we had two solid powder days.  This was awesome spent those days in the trees reminding myself why I love snowboarding so much.  Off to the first two World Cups in Colorado!

I had a lot of mixed emotions going into my competitions.  I felt very confident in myself with all the training and work I had put into the season leading up to this point.  But at the same time I knew that so had my teammates and competitors from other nations.  I was excited to see how everyone was riding and where I would stand against this group of strong riders.  We could not have asked for better weather or course to race on.  It was a close race but I managed to pull off my first career podium.  What a feeling.  All I wanted to do was go out and celebrate but we had another World Cup the following day so I behaved.  I was so satisfied with my best career placing in snowboarding that the following World Cup I just wanted to go out, have fun, and not get hurt….then I got in the start gate and everything changed.  I wanted it.  I went out and managed to get another 3rd place, getting even closer to 2nd.  It was a very successful weekend in Copper and I was so happy to have brought home some hardware for not only for myself but all the people that have been believing in me and supporting me since day one.

First Podium at Copper Mountain, Colorado World Cup!

3rd Place finishes!

Back to Big White for the next two World Cups of the season.  This was home soil and the mountain the team had been training on.  I was really feeling the pressure.  I wanted to do so well and coming off two bronze metals I felt like I could.  Everything was perfect for the first day of racing.  Course was unreal, weather was perfect and everyone was riding to the best of their abilities.  I was able to pull off a 5th place finish.  I was happy with this but knew I could do better.  There were a lot of areas in the course that I could clean up and gain speed.  With a lot of pressure gone and feeling good I went out the next day wanting to have fun.  It was another beautiful day, things came together for me and I managed to get another 3rd place finish.

Another 3rd place podium at Big White, BC World Cup

Today was one of most memorable days of of career as an athlete.  I podiumed at home on Canadian soil and then shortly after receiving my medal I received my Team Canada jacket.  I had been nominated to represent Canada for snowboarding.  What an awesome feeling. I love snowboarding and it has become such a huge part of my life.  I love the freedom it gives me, the people it get to meet through it, and the places I get to travel.  Canada is an amazing and beautiful country.  I have been lucky enough to travel the whole country coast to coast with my best friend.  We met some amazing people and have some wild stories.  The pride I feel knowing that I get to represent a country I care so much about doing a sport I love is overwhelming.

As I type this up I am on my flight to Spain for the last two World Cups of the season.  I plan on racing my best but more importantly having fun.  I have been nominated to the team and have enough points to go to Sochi.  I just don’t want to get hurt and want to enjoy all the ride has to offer.  I can’t thank all my supporters enough.  To everyone that has been supporting me in one way or another over the past three years I truly appreciate everything you have done for me.  I have trained hard for this and will lay down my best possible run in Sochi.

Enjoying the weather in Spain!

Go Canada Go!!

Words By:  John Leslie

Watch as John Leslie talks with CBC News about his journey to the Paralympics and how he has overcome all the obstacles that have been put in front of him.

Its hard to believe the snow is about to fly soon!  This is going to be my most epic season to date with the Paralympics coming up in March.  I had a very busy summer with school, training and work.  It was nice to be back in Arnprior to see my friends and family for awhile.  The summer flew by and soon found myself looking forward to moving back to Whistler.

For the month of September my best friend Mitch and I bought an RV and drove across our beautiful and amazing country (Halifax to Vancouver).  I wanted to gain an appreciation for the country I was going to represent and it is something I have always wanted to do.  To anyone thinking about doing it I would strongly recommend packing your bags and going. You will not regret it!  Check out some of the pictures!

I am now back in Whistler training full time.  It feels great to be so close to the gym and have the support team I have around me again.  I am able to see my coach and trainers on a daily basis.  I try to get to the gym four times a week, trampoline two to three times and get to yoga when I can.  I have gotten myself into a good routine and my trainer has me on a sport specific training schedule.  I cant wait to hit the snow and see the benefits of conditioning before the season.

I will be in Whistler until November 1^st.  I then go back to Ottawa for a week to visit family then to Banff to start the season!  In less then a month and I will be on snow!  The team will be training out of Lake Louise for the month of November to get on the snow early.  We then move to Big White for the month of December to hopefully get some training on a track.  I will be spending my Christmas break in Whistler getting in as many days on snow as possible!  My competition season starts in January in the United States, we then venture to Canada before heading over to Europe for a few World Cups and World Championships.  We then come back to Big White for a pre games camp.  We then fly over to Russia for most of March.  If everything goes as planned and I don’t get injured I should hopefully be representing Canada at the 2014 Paralympics!  The amount of pride and excitement I have is overwhelming.  I am so pumped.

It is going to be a crazy year and I look forward to sharing it with everyone!  I want to thank all my sponsors, family, and friends that have supported me and continue to support me. Let the snow fly!

John Leslie was featured as one of the Paralympic Sochi Hopeful Athletes at this years Canada Day ceremony located at Parliment Hill in Downtown Ottawa.  Pictures and articles below.

Newswire

Location: Slovenia

Race Type: Para World Cup

Representing: Canada

After some great racing and sight seeing in Russia the Canadian Team had one day to travel to Slovenia for the Para World Cup, it was quite the adventure. After a full day of catching flights and enjoying lay overs we then got to hop in a van and drive for 10 hours. We arrived in Slovenia at 9am the morning of training, I was pretty tired and the stress levels were high. Trying to make the most of spring riding conditions was hard but as a team we pulled through.

The Streets of Slovenia

Something I am learning as a athlete is that sometimes you have to race in less then ideal conditions. I was personally battling a health issue at the time so fatigue and snow conditions were not helping the situation. I had to remind myself of all the people supporting me from back in Canada and how thankful I am to be doing what I am doing.

Dropping In The Course

It was a rough day of racing and I wasnt happy with my performance. Although I placed 8^th I was not running the course to my full potential. This was a very good lesson for me. I was able to learn from my mistakes and get a taste of what competing on the road can feel like sometimes. As an athlete this experience made me stronger so that in the future obstacles like this will become less and less of a problem. After the race I was very excited to get back to Canada!

In the words of:  John Leslie

Location: Sochi, Russia

Race Type: Paralympic Test Event

Representing: Canada

I cannot believe I am in Russia! It is so amazing to be in the same spot that I will be competing in next year. Seeing all the construction and work being done to host the Olympic games has been life changing.

Travelling to Russia is an experience in itself. After leaving Whistler it took about 36 hours to reach our Hotel in Sochi.  Once we reached the hotel it was time to adjust to the time difference. From Whistler it is a 12 hour difference.  What felt like 6:00pm was now 6:00am. It took a few days but with a balance of sleep, exercise, and food I was able to adjust.

Landed in Russia

Once adjusted to the time difference it was time to move to the mountains. What a difference. I went from being in the middle of a construction zone to a beautiful high class village. The first day we tried to get on snow there was a snow storm the night before and the lifts were closed. It wasn’t that crazy but I don’t argue with Russia military men holding guns and not speaking English. I wasn’t too bummed because I could use the extra rest day.

2014 Mountain Layout

View From the Village

Our first day on snow was amazing! I have never seen so many cranes, trucks, and workers on a mountain before. We explored where some of the venues for the Olympics would be (Slopestyle, Halfpipe, Skier-cross, and our SBX hill). After getting yelled at in Russian we then proceeded to do some laps to get our legs back. After having a funky lunch on the top we called it a day.

Time to start training. Today we were allowed on course to do our inspection and start training the course. If I could describe the course in one word it would be, fun. Enough jumps and rollers to keep it fun, as well as enough turns to be smart about ones line. Challenging enough but not pissing my pants. All and all exactly what I am hoping to see in 2014. Training went very well for me. I was happy with my line and knew exactly what I need to improve on to be successful in the race.

The Course

Today I am going to give it all I got, I have gotten here because of the people that have supported me. With this being a bigger event then the previous two, there is more competition. My goal is to place top ten and 2^nd in Canada. Thank you everyone for the continued support and I will keep you updated with my results!

In the words of:  John Leslie

A little different of a welcoming than the other DU Crew or Team DU family members.  Take a second, have a read, hear his story, you may view life at a different perspective after this read.

John and I met two years ago at Algonquin College in the Small and Medium Enterprise Management program.  I first clicked with John when we were paired up for a little group assignment; from there on I was beyond intrigued by his personality towards life and how he acted towards and around others.  Sharing similar interest in winter sports, we quickly bonded and got to know more about each other.  Not knowing he had a disability, John without hesitation briefly told me his story, which left me speechless and with many unanswered questions left floating around my head.  I was inspired on how a young adult can move past such a giant speed bump in life and continue to maintain a cheerful and positive attitude towards everything he does.  Here is his story.

Johns Story:

Growing up as your usual ten-year-old kid John Leslie loved to play hockey, at this time he was playing the 2002/2003 seasons with the Arnprior Rep Team, and was determined to play on big team the next season.  He started his training early in June, and was motivated to get as much off ice training in as possible to be the most prepared he can be for the upcoming season.  Shortly after his conditioning began John started to develop a bump on his left leg, thinking nothing other than a sports injury, John and his parents believed an x-ray might be a smart thing to do.  Following the x-ray, John found himself sitting in a waiting room confused to as why his family is by his side and not at school or work.  Waiting upon the doctors’ return, the doctor informed them that he had a cancerous tumor in his leg.  He was then quickly rushed to CHEO to have a biopsy done to double-check the doctors’ theory, being very fortunate that the doctor caught the tumor when he did.

After the biopsy was taken, John was then admitted to CHEO and begun chemotherapy treatments.  These treatments are not wished on anyone, but in the end saved his life.  Three long months of chemotherapy went by, which brought John to one of the hardest choices an 11-year-old kid could make.  He had to decide between three surgical options.  The first, being the most popular and safe which was an above knee amputation; the second, being a metal rod put in as replacement of the bone, this had many complications; or the third, a van ness rotation.  John picked the third option in hope to be able to walk and play hockey again.  A van ness rotation is when your ankle is completely rotated 180 degrees to replace the knee, this allows for similar motion to a knee joint.  Still flustered about imagining his heel as his new kneecap, John set that aside and went in for the dreadful 12-hour surgery, which thankfully came out a success.

Post Surgery: Looking stronger than ever.

He wasn’t done just yet, a few more months of chemotherapy to go through, plus another surgery and he was finally done.  Once received his artificial leg, he was determined to walk again and to start physiotherapy.  On April 12, 2004, the end of his treatment, John was walking without crutches.  That summer as his strength slowly started coming back, he was already out on his bike with his friends and that winter he was already playing non-body contact hockey and learning how to snowboard.  There was no better feeling for John to be back out with his friends, staying active, and at this point he knew he made the right choice.

Trying out his new artificial leg.

John getting comfortable being back on his skates.

At the start of high school, John started playing competitive hockey and loved every moment of it.  At this time, he was trying to balance working a part-time job and being committed to a competitive sport.  Knowing he wasn’t going anywhere with hockey, John took up a new sport and started snowboarding more seriously.  With not having to focus on hockey, John started spending his free time out on the hill.  Still a newcomer to the sport, John then started racing with his high school and after four amazing years of placing first and second in local competitions around Ontario, John was starting to get pretty good.  During his final year his coach pulled John aside and asked him what his vision was for his future in snowboarding.  Not knowing he had a career or future in snowboarding he just informed her it would be a past time of his.  She then learned of his artificial leg and right away he was put in contact with Para Snowboard Canada.  He was then invited to a World Cup event in Lake Louise to test his snowboard skills on a world level.

Lining up for World Cup in Lake Louise.

After saving money and fundraising his dream finally came true and he was on a flight to the West coast.  This was his first ever boarder cross race and the butterflies were flying, but he did not disappoint.  Taking home 5^th place in the world and 1^st in Canada at the 2011 World Cup in Lake Louise, John paved a path for his future.  With the Para Snowboard team being blown away by his performance, he was invited out to Whistler, BC to try out for the team.  John made the team, and went into the 2011/2012 season as a Para Snowboard National rider.  Riding at the World Championships in Orcieres, France, and the World Cup in Nakiska, Alberta and placing 8^th in both, he swiftly learnt the dedication and commitment it takes to be at the top level and to be a national athlete.

World Cup in Nakiska, Alberta.

May of 2012 came along when John received an email that changed his life; he was informed that snowboarding had made it into the 2014 Para Olympics in Sochi, Russia.  Knowing this wasn’t an easy goal to achieve, John increased his training and decided it was then time to become a full-time athlete.  In June, John flew back out to Whistler, BC and gave it all he got. His hard work paid off he made the 2014 Para Olympic Team.

Now John is living as a part-time student and full-time athlete with increased training.  John lives his life to the fullest.  Aside from being in class or at the gym, he takes part in any type of physical activity such as long boarding, mountain biking and trampoline in order to be the most prepared for the 2012/2013 winter season.  With views of bringing a medal home for Canada in the 2014 Para Olympics, John knows this task will not be an easy one to accomplish.  With his beyond optimistic mindset, and unbelievably positive attitude towards life, John is well on his way to accomplishing his goal.

If that smile doesn’t inspire you, I don’t know what would.

John would like to thank his family, his town of Arnprior, his sponsors, fundraisers and everyone that has supported him during his treatments and everyone who will continue to provide support to him on his long road to the Para Olympics.

The DU Family is beyond excited to be behind John’s journey, and wish him the best of luck in his upcoming events.

Welcome to the family John!

Written By: Carlo L. Mion

For more on John, follow his Twitter and be sure to check out his page below.  Click here or the link below.

@dujohnleslie

https://dulifestyle.com/ducrew/john-leslie/