Before Emerson Murray heads to China this fall to be the head trainer at a prep school, he is dedicating his time to inspiring as many kids as possible. There is an urgency and energy to Emerson that emulates his passion for excellence in and out of the gym.
Raised by an Olympic track coach dad, Emerson was surrounded by perfectionists who understood the sacrifice and serious work required to succeed in sport. This rare level of intensity is rarely seen especially here on the relaxed west coast and he hopes that he can help to change that culture. Training kids in physical literacy has become his job, but the training is really just the delivery system for his real passion of instilling belief in kids. He wants to push them to envision bigger dreams and loftier goals – using his own example of growing up in Surrey, playing Division I basketball, then pro and crafting a career on his passions. Emerson wants to show kids that there is nothing better than achieving your goals and the “feeling that I had set out to accomplish a life-long dream and actually have it come to fruition. Being able to work your whole life and simply get a taste of what you were working towards is a blessing in itself”.
Some of the learnings of his transition from high school to NCCA Division I basketball were some of the biggest challenges he has faced. The competition schedule as well as the basketball IQ and speed required were a huge jump from his high school game. The mental edge and “nastiness” needed to compete at the top level is something that Emerson feels needs to be developed here among the “nice” Canadians. In order to gain that mental competitive edge, kids here need to be able to differentiate between competition and friendship. While, sportsmanship must always be at the core of every great athlete, a willingness to battle fearlessly and unapologetically must also be cultivated.
Knowing that Emerson will be leaving Vancouver again, he has a renewed perspective on basketball in the lower mainland. His wish for the community is that the driving motivation is to build a cohesive support system for young athletes, regardless of the name on the jersey. That there is no sense of “ownership” by clubs/teams, but that we all serve youth development with positivity and teamwork.
“Because, in the end, it is all about the kids. And helping kids should be a collective effort no matter what school or club you are associated with.”
Photos by Casandra Parto
COMMUNITY
