Ellie Black, Magical Canadian Gymnast, All Things Are Possible

To dream the impossible dream coupled with hard work, relentless pursuit and massive sacrifices, places you in a position where you might live the life once thought impossible.

Your chances of getting there are a long shot but you have to start somewhere.

In the visually and emotionally mesmerizing 1991 Canadian classic film Black Robe, our protagonist leaves France and embarks upon a journey that takes him around the world where his faith is tested in his quest for what might be described as the ultimate long shot.

**fciwomenswrstling.com article, Samuel Goldwyn Company photo credit**

Black Robe is a 1991 film directed by Bruce Beresford. The screenplay was written by Irish Canadian author Brian Moore, who adapted it from his novel of the same name.

Set in New France in 1634 (in the period of conflicts known as the Beaver Wars), the film begins in the settlement that will one day become Quebec City.

It was shot entirely in the Canadian province of Quebec.

Let’s enjoy the storyline presented by the master Movie Reviewer, Roger Ebert at rogerebert.com, “Black Robe tells the story of the first contacts between the Huron Indians of Quebec and the Jesuit missionaries from France who came to convert them to Catholicism, and ended up delivering them into the hands of their enemies. Those first brave Jesuit priests did not realize, in the mid-17th century, that they were pawns of colonialism, of course; they were driven by a burning faith and an absolute conviction that they were doing the right thing.”

This writer remembers watching the film when it first came out and though a sad cautionary tale, it was a testament to Canadian fortitude and brilliance in film making.

In October of 2015, the Canadian press at cbc.ca reported about another Canadian who was once a long shot.

Her efforts required fortitude and brilliance.

They share, “A jubilant Canadian women’s gymnastics team, led by Ellie Black of Halifax, clinched a berth at the 2016 Olympic Games on Saturday with a seventh-place finish in the qualification round at the artistic gymnastics world championships.

After placing fifth on the first day of qualification Friday, the Canadian squad had to wait for the remaining countries to compete on Saturday to see if their score would be high enough to secure the top-eight finish needed to qualify directly for the Olympics.”

The stellar Canadian gymnast Ellie Black is used to surpassing the seemingly unachievable, while doing so with elegance, persistence and brilliance.

Have you heard of this Canadian luminary? Let’s meet her.

Ms. Black is a Canadian artistic gymnast who represented her country at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

She is the 2014 Commonwealth Games Beam Champion and the 2015 Pan American Games All Around, Beam and Floor Champion.

Very impressive, wouldn’t you agree?

Along with her long list of accomplishments she competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She helped the Canadian team qualify to the team finals and individually she qualified to the vault final with a score of 14.366.

This is the fulfillment of a life-long dream.

In January 2015, Ellie competed at the Elite Canada competition, winning the beam title, which was her only event.

She also competed at the 2015 AT&T American Cup in Arlington, TX on March 7, 2015 and placed 5th with an all-around score of 56.132.

In May, 2015, Ms. Black won her third consecutive National All Around title with a score of 57.950.

In September 2015, Gymnastics Canada named Ellie to their World Championships team. She and 6 of her teammates will represent Canada at the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships from October 23rd to November 1st.

What a meteoric rise.

**fciwomenswrestling.com article, CBC.ca photo credit**

The dynamic site mtl2017gymcan.com speaks to her break through and long shot accomplishment. “Ellie Black made a historic breakthrough with her ninth place finish in the women’s individual all-around at the 2014 FIG World Championships, posting Canada’s best-ever result in the event. At 16 years old, Black made her Olympic debut in London just months after she had been a longshot just to make the Olympic team.”

Virtually nothing stops Ellie from reaching her goals.

And reach them she did. No, let’s make that surpass them.

Her countrymen at olympic.ca share another impressive memory. “Black ended a lengthy drought at the 2013 Universiade where she became the first Canadian female artistic gymnast to win a medal at the world student games since 1983. She was one of five athletes to win five medals at Toronto 2015, making her Canada’s decorated athlete of those Pan Am Games. Her gold medal in the individual all-around was the first by a Canadian in the event since San Juan 1979 and the first by a non-American since Caracas 1983.”

So what happened in Rio? We can’t wait to find out.

At the respected Canadian Olympic team’s official site olympic.ca, they praise, “Ellie Black produced a breakthrough performance for Canadian artistic gymnastics at Rio 2016, placing fifth in the women’s individual all-around for the country’s best ever Olympic result in the event.”

Super impressive.

It’s time to visit the village that helped shape our beautiful Canadian star,

Have you ever been to Halifax?

Let’s calmly meander there before the sun rises.

Halifax is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada.

The metropolitan area had a population of 414,400 in 2014, with 297,943 in the urban area centered on Halifax Harbor.

Halifax is a major economic center in Atlantic Canada with a large concentration of government services and private sector companies. Major employers and economic generators include the Department of National Defence, Dalhousie University, Saint Mary’s University, the Halifax Shipyard, various levels of government, and the Port of Halifax.

Agriculture, fishing, mining, forestry and natural gas extraction are major resource industries found in the rural areas of the municipality.

Halifax was ranked by MoneySense magazine as the fourth best place to live in Canada for 2012, placed first on a list of “large cities by quality of life” and placed second in a list of “large cities of the future”.

The global travel experts at lonelyplanet.com have been there and they love the friendly civic atmosphere among other things. They smile, “Halifax is the kind of town that people flock to, not so much for the opportunities, but for the quality of life it has to offer. Sea breezes off the harbor keep the air clean, and parks and trees nestle between heritage buildings, cosmopolitan eateries and arty shops. Several universities ensure that the population is young and the bars and nightclubs full. Stroll the historic waterfront, catch some live music and enjoy the best of what the Maritimes have to offer. In summer, never-ending festivals ignite the party ambience that much more.”

Admit it. Doesn’t that sound wonderful and life affirming?

Think of all of the places that people grow up, live and sometimes die. Flat lands with no mountains in sight. No ocean nearby. Crowded conditions. Urban decay. Small towns not so ideal.

Then there is Halifax.

In California we are used to the sun setting in the majestic Pacific Ocean. In the East they are used to …….well, let’s have them explain it.

At the nice city tourism site destinationhalifax.com they enlighten, “Watching the sun rise brings a certain kind of rejuvenation and optimism, reminding us that it’s a new day, a fresh start full of new opportunities. And with the sun rising in the east, it should be no surprise that Halifax is an ideal location to enjoy picture-perfect sunrises.

Whether it be over the open ocean or the harbor, there are locations in and around Halifax that provide sunrise views worth waking up early for.”

Before we go, let’s take a look at some sea food.

A Halifax landmark since 1964, Bluenose II Restaurant offers fresh Nova Scotia seafood, lobster, char broiled steaks, vegetarian and Greek specialties with home-style cooking.

Look at that plate. Yummy.

They smile, “This is the place for simply sensational seafood in Halifax! Our historic building overlooks the waterfront and offers some of the freshest seafood, biggest selection of oysters and friendliest service.”

Don’t you love the possibilities?

Ellie?

You are from a fantastic life affirming place.

In the film mentioned above, Black Robe, the transformation into what we now know as Quebec was a long shot, rife with dangerous alternate outcomes.

Long shot or not, when a world class athlete like Ellie comes from a foundation that is magical Nova Scotia, in terms of achieving the impossible?

They always have a shot.