The humility of a champion- Remembering Randy Snow

As I’m going down memory lane, flipping through old albums filled with my most precious souvenirs, I can’t help but put aside everything for a moment to capture this story. (Sometimes I toy with the idea of writing a memoir- should I??).

To set the stage, let’s rewind to the year 2000 when I bought tickets for the Sydney Olympics, booked a plane ticket, and embarked on a backpacking trip to Australia. 

After settling in, I asked my parents to ship my tennis racket, as I’d started playing regularly with new friends. In retrospect, it wasn’t the most practical idea – why would you want to drag around a tennis racket while backpacking a country? 🙄

Anyway. 

Unfortunately, the package didn’t arrive in Australia in the same condition it had left Canada.

It was my Pete Sampras signed Wilson tennis racket!  One of my pride and joy. Well, maybe not to that extreme, but Pete was my favourite player. Needless to say, it was a sad day when it arrived damaged. But, for s**ts and giggles, I wrote a letter (a snail-mail letter!) to Wilson, sharing my tale of woe- not expecting or asking for anything in return- just a story to tell from a random canadian-backpacker-sport-tennis-enthusiast. (But the whole “Wilson” story will have to wait another day- that will be part two.)

Moving on…

A few days later, I hopped on one of the iconic Sydney Harbour ferries that crosses the bay. I was heading to Manly Beach. I don’t recall anything else about that day, but one thing that has stuck with me is a memorable meeting with a fellow American passenger – a chance encounter that will forever be etched in my heart. 

Randy Snow

I remember it was a breath of fresh air talking to this guy- a very kind and down to earth man. Then he drops me a bombshell: he’s in Sydney to compete in the Paralympics Tennis tournament.

“You’re a tennis player- No way! Well… do I have a story to tell you!” And I launched into the tale of my beloved Pete Sampras racket.

“Tell you what, come see me play on Monday and I’ll give you one of mine”. 

As luck would have it, I was already planning to attend that match – his third-round game against Australian David Hall, (who would go on to win the gold medal.)

On a side note, if you ever get a chance to go watch the Paralympics, DO IT!  I was also fortunate to go cheer on our Canadian swimmers and basketball players. Those athletes are truly inspiring. Tennis is no exception.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t Randy’s day to win, but him and David Hall put on a really good match. After the game, as Randy was packing up his gear on the sidelines, I made my way down and called out, ‘Hey Randy!’

I was afraid he wouldn’t remember me or even cared but to my delight, he yelled “JANINE!!. He kept his promise, wheeling over to me and handing over the racket he’d just played with. 

As you can imagine, some of the remaining crowd’s reaction was immediate – kids came running down, looking for his attention. He told me to wait for him outside the venue, where I could also meet his mom. 

I can’t help but laugh as I’m writing this blog- and do I even dare mention it. I just realized I was rocking an Alpine shirt! Hahaha. Was that my way of repping my country while meeting a Paralympic tennis star?? Fashion statement much?

I had the short pleasure of meeting his mom and we said our farewells. We exchanged several emails after our encounter, where I expressed my gratitude for his generosity. But, as life often goes, things got busy and I never heard back from him. Years later, I looked him up and discovered he’d passed away. 

Today, stumbling upon his picture, I finally took the time to read about him. It turns out Randy passed away just 9 years after our meeting, at the age of 50. I only now realize what a legend he was – a trailblazer in wheelchair tennis, track, and basketball. He won numerous accolades, including gold medals in the 1992 Paralympics, and became the first Paralympian inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2004. He was also posthumously inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2012.

What strikes me most was that despite all his achievements, he never gloated. He wasn’t seeking attention. He just showed a zest for life and was a genuinely kind and humble person.

I recently picked up my racket again to play a game with a friend. This racket holds even more significance now that I know more about his life and achievements! But above all, like I have since 2000, everytime I pick up the racket-  I think of Randy, a reminder of his generosity, humility and kindness.

And I hope by sharing my story, i’m honouring his legacy.