Having three children active in a multitude of sports has Glen and Brooke Wiseman constantly on the hop, and that’s a lifestyle that strengthens the bond between them.
Their three children — Joe, Georgia and Lindsay — are among the active youth in Corner Brook who have chosen to play multiple sports for fun, fitness and friends.
It’s steady go every day, no matter what the season or what Mother Nature brings, because this trio of athletes have their names scribbled on a number of score sheets throughout the year.
Mom and Dad work full-time jobs — dad employed as an occupational therapist and mom working as a physiotherapist — but they have learned how to juggle their schedules to make sure everybody is ready for the next thing on their busy itineraries.
Between trips to playing fields, school and family life, things can get hectic when Brooke and her husband are making sure each of their children is getting the most out of their schedule.
“It is all about finding the right balance,” she said.
They have always been game for providing their children with sports opportunities because they see how much fun they have when they compete. They like how their children learn valuable life skills, such as the importance of a strong work ethic, how to get along with people and how to be a leader on and off the field of play.
Brooke believes sports is an avenue that has proven to keep some youth from going down the wrong path because of the lessons learned from being involved in the game, but in her household something else is equally important and trumps any glorious moments their children would experience.
She said being on top of things on the academic side of things and engaged in an environment of spirituality carries the same value in her home. Family comes first and they support each other in all they do, and that’s not something up for negotiation around the dinner table when they find themselves talking about their day.
“It’s about learning and developing themselves as people,” she said. “It doesn’t matter how skilled they are on the field … if they’re not a good person then it doesn’t matter.”
Brooke believes sports connects people and brings communities together. The athletes get to play a sport they love and meet new people, and the parents get a chance to watch their children mature both on and off the field of play because of the environment they find themselves in with coaches trying to show them the way.
“It’s an escape for people. There’s so many stresses in life these days that we need to bring fun back into sport,” she said. “It’s fun and that’s what it should be. And that’s what life is about. It’s about having fun and meeting people and the connection they have.”
The family is tight with sports and outside activities like boating, hunting and salmon fishing — things they share together, with Brooke putting it all in perspective with the family motto.
“Success lies in not being the best, but in doing the best.”
