Hometown cheers Hallat

By Diane Strandberg – The Tri-City News

Published: February 04, 2010 1:00 PM
Updated: February 04, 2010 1:36 PM

It was a dozen years ago that Rob Foot saw the spark in Matt Hallat that drove the amputee-skier to become a Canadian champion.

In a couple of weeks, the Hillcrest middle school principal will see if the Anmore-raised Hallat still has that grit and determination — and if it will be enough to earn him a gold medal at the Paralympic Games in Whistler.

“I saw a kid with amazing determination, a kid who wouldn’t let anything stand in his way, a kid with a positive attitude, a kid you knew who was going to turn out to be a great person,” recalls Foot, who taught PE to Hallat at Panorama Heights elementary school and coached him in volleyball and basketball. What he remembers from those days is a happy, social kid who excelled in sports even though he had lost part of his leg to cancer.

“It didn’t impede him socially or in any way,” Foot said. “He just played, period.”

And on March 18, led by Foot, 150 students from Hillcrest middle will travel to Whistler to watch the men’s giant slalom and they hope that Hallat will be racing that day. The kids were inspired by Hallat’s visit in the fall and are looking forward to cheering him on.

Hallat is also thrilled about being able to compete in the Paralympic Games in front of a hometown crowd.

Most of the time he competes in Europe or on ski hills far away from the public eye. This is a chance to show his stuff in front of his friends and family, as well as the Hillcrest students who have adopted him as their Olympic hero.

“It’s pretty cool,” he said. “You give them something to cheer for.”

The 25-year-old has been an avid skier since he was eight and now gets to make a living carving turns on some of the most famous mountains of the world. He just returned from the World Cup circuit in Europe and is resting in Squamish, where he lives, before heading to southeast B.C. for more training.

Since graduating from Pinetree secondary school, Hallat has stayed friends with many of his school buddies and some of them will be watching him in Whistler where he expects to compete in all the alpine events.

To qualify, he had to finish in the top 12 in his races and he has done that in spades. “I was seventh, eighth and 10th last week,” said Hallat, who is shooting for finishes in the top five during the Paralympic Games.

Wherever he finishes, he’ll compete in front of a bunch of cheering fans from his old hometown.

dstrandberg@tricitynews.com