The Medicine Hat Fire Fit Team is heading to the national competition in Sarnia, Ont. next week. Steve Seymour, Josh Hauck and Michael Arnold at Fire Station No. 2 on Labour Day following a training session. T-shirts the team will wear during the competition, with sponsors on the back, Local 263 Medicine Hat Fire Fit Team on the front and In Memory of Curtis Noble on the right sleeve.--NEWS PHOTO SAMANTHA JOHNSON
reporter@medicinehatnews.com
The Medicine Hat Fire Fit team is going to nationals next week. Josh Hauck, Steven Seymour and Michael Arnold are competing this year in memory of fellow firefighter Curtis Noble, who unexpectedly died last year.
Team captain Seymour tells the News the team is excited to be heading to Sarnia next week.
“I am extremely grateful for our community and the sponsors that have stepped up to join our team and help us with our goal, in memory of Curtis Noble, to compete at nationals.”
The competition starts Sept. 13 and the team will fly out the day before. The first three days of the competition are all wild-card days and the nationals will take place Sept. 16-17.
Those teams that won at regionals already have a place in the nationals. Due to timing and the fires up north, the Hat team was unable to compete in the Alberta regional competition. They did win in Saskatchewan, but because it’s not their region they currently have a wild card position and are confident they will win and proceed to nationals.
“Training has been going good,” said Seymour. “We are trying to elude the injuries. We are very hopeful towards our possible outcome at nationals. Last year we won the Tech 2 Over 40. We are hopeful to take that title again this year and bring it back to Medicine Hat as well as have a good showing towards over 45 individual (myself), over 40 team and relay as well.”
With young twin girls at home, Seymour is getting lots of family support.
“It’s amazing the energy they give. Having something they can look up to is what I appreciate, trying to show a positive influence on my family and the people around me.”
The team will be travelling without their families since their children are all in school while the competition is taking place.
Arnold is looking forward to the camaraderie of other departments from across the country. He has a son and daughter, who are a huge part of what he does.
“They’ve been out while we had to train because we were watching our kids while our wives were at work. They get to see their parents being involved and physically fit and that is a big part of what I hope to bring into my family.”
Hauck was modest about how well his training has been going.
“The training toll is paying on the body. I’m trying to pretend the ankle injury isn’t there and things like that. Ramping up to a big event, you start tweaking things to manage a pain but still push to be the best I can be.”
It was a busy summer at home in the Hauck household with his two girls focusing on their dance and other activities.
“My oldest daughter wanted to sneak into my bag saying you have to take me with you so I can cheer you on.”
His youngest daughter was encouraging him to get in the gym to lift weights and workout so he is ready for next week. “She was in there and jumped on my spin bike in my workout shirt and put on a Disney peloton.”
“I have to agree with that,” added Seymour. “Even with my kids, it’s just contagious for them to see us train and then they also want to do it. It’s a good influence.”
