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FatherofskiingprograminNWTpassesawayJean-MarieMouchetsgentlecoachinginspiredNorthernersNorthernersSkiCoach17TuesdayDecember10201313122KA0Useelectricitysafely.Whendeckingyourhallsreplaceanydamagedoroldlightsandcords.MerryBrightatcoelectric.comByMARIACHURCHFatherJean-MarieMouchetbestknownforlaunchingthesportofcross-countryskiinginCanadasNorthpassedawaylastweekattheageof96.AccordingtothosewhoknewhimwellincludingKenCoatesahistorypro-fessorattheUniversityofSaskatchewanMouchetwasnotonlyaskicoachbutamanwhoinspiredgreatnessineveryone.AsmallunimposingmanwithaheavyFrenchaccentthepriestwouldgentlybutfirmlyencour-agehisskierstotrytrytheirbestregardlessofwinningorlosingCoatestoldTheJournal.HisfavouritephraseandIcanhearitringingtothisdaywasmotiva-tion.Whereisyourmoti-vationherecalled.Hewasneverpreoccupiedwithwhetheryouwontheraceornotthequestionforhimwasdidyougoasfastasyoucould.MouchetwasborninFranceonMay11917wherehistheologyandphilosophystudiesleadhimtobeordainedasanOblatepriestin1945allwhilecultivatinganinter-estinprofessionalskiing.ThepriestemigratedtoCanadaattheendoftheWorldWarIIfollowinghisreleasefromaGestapoprisoncampwherehewascapturedasamemberoftheFrenchResistanceshortlybeforetheendofthewar.InCanadaMouchetservedasaCatholicpriestinseveralNortherncom-munitiesbeforemovingtoOldCrowYukonacom-munitywellestablishedintheAnglicanfaith.AccordingtoCoatesthepriestspentseveralyearsattemptingtocultivateaCatholiccongregationbuttonoavail.Heturnedin-steadtohisathleticpassionofskiing.Inthe1960saftermovingtoInuvikFatherMouchetstartedtheTer-ritorialExperimentalSkiTrainingTESTprogramtointroduceNorthernyouthtocompetitivecrosscoun-tryskiing.TheprogramtookoffinInuvikandOldCrowwithafocusonAboriginalyouthinthepredominantlyFirstNationcommunities.SharonFirthandherlatesisterShirleyFirthweresomeoftheprogramsmostnotablesuccessstoriesbothofwhomwentontospend17yearsontheCa-nadianCrossCountryteamandcompeteinfourOlym-picWinterGames.Withthesuccessofsev-eralathletesandcon-stantencouragementfromMouchetTheTESTpro-grameventuallygrewintoaworldclasstrainingpro-gramfortheNorthstopcross-countryskiathletes.Mouchetsinspirationalcoachingwasnotlimitedtothosewithnaturaltal-enthowever.CoatesraisedinWhitehorsefirstmetFa-therMouchetasayoungboywhenthepriestcametolaunchhisschoolscross-countryskiprogram.AftercoachingthestudentsfortheseasonMouchetan-nouncedthetopskierswouldbecompetinginatournamentinInuvik.IwasnotthemostgiftedskierCoatessaid.OneofthethingsthatFatherMouchettoldmewasyouarenevergoingtodowellontalentbutyoumightdowellonef-fort.Theonlychanceyouhaveistoworkharderthananyoneelse.AfternotmakingtheeliteteamCoatesrefusedtogiveupandfollowedMouchetswordsofwis-domgivingithisallateverypracticeandlocalracetorecordsomeofhispersonalbesttimeswhichsometimesbeatskiersontheteam.JustbeforetheteamleftforInuvikMouchetan-nouncedthatCoateswouldbejoiningthem.InfrontofeveryonehesaidthereasonKensgoingisnotbecauseheisthefastestskierbutPhotosTonyGondabecausenobodyworkedharderthanhedid.Formethatwasperhapsthemostimportantlifeles-sonCoatessaid.FromFatherMouchetIlearnedtheimportanceofnevereverbeingbeatenonefforthesaid.HisfavouritephraseandIcanhearitringingtothisdaywasmotivation.Whereisyourmotivation...hewasneverpreoccupiedwithwhetheryouwontheraceornotthequestionforhimwasdidyougoasfastasyoucould.KenCoatesUniversityofSaskatchewanFatherMouchettakespartintheWhitehorse2007JeuxduCanadaGames.FatherMouchetscross-countryskicoachinginspiredhisstudentsbeyondthesporttoencouragegreatnessineveryoneaccordingtohisbiographerandfriendKenCoates.