To represent one’s country on a National Team is to be considered one of the greatest sports honors an athlete could aspire to do.
Mark Hamilton said, “I love my country and this was a dream of mine in 2002 when Bermuda first hosted tryouts for both Men’s and Women’s Volleyball teams.”
“Obtaining a spot as a starting Middle Hitter for the team which traveled to the island Games in 2003 was all I thought I could wish for. My wife on the Women’s National Team and me on the Men’s, we traveled to Guernsey with our son Kaleb to compete against 9 other countries,” continued Hamilton.
Hamilton went on to say, “But time moves swiftly and dreams come and go, often replaced with new ones. For us the dream became selfless as we watched our 3 boys grow into 3 men taking on the sport which had been our passion for so long. My role as player was replaced with that as coach, both to my sons and as a National coach for the Under 19 Bermuda Boys team.”
“This week my two eldest Kyle (26) and Keiran (25) will travel with the men’s National squad to participate in the US Open being held in Dallas. In June my youngest son Kaleb (18) will travel as a starter for the Boys National team as they travel with me and my assistant coach, Denise Correia to Atlanta for an Under 18 tournament,” continued Hamilton.
Hamilton concluded, “Passing the torch has been an event of mixed emotions which any parent coach reading this will understand. Playing your sport was all you wanted to do and sharing it with your child was as much a gift to yourself as it was to them. Stepping out of your shoes and letting them fill them… bittersweet. I played the sport I love; now I watch the boys from the sidelines cheering them on and still loving the sport I played. In truth I am as much on the court with them as they are, 22 again and back in those shoes and that is how you keep playing the game.”
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