I grew up dreaming the Olympic Dream. As a competitive swimmer, there are no draft picks, Grey Cups or World Series; there is the Olympics. Granted there are many stops and milestones along the way, but the Olympics are always the true dream.

When I finally ‘retired’ from swimming in my third year of university, I knew I had given enough hours of my life to early morning practices, and that the Olympic Dream wasn’t mine to fulfil. While I no longer consider myself an elite athlete, there is nothing that inspires me more than the Olympics. I have been counting down for months, so looking forward to watching the opening ceremonies, and to getting up at 5:00 am MT to watch my friend swim in the men’s breaststroke heats. I’m very glad that we have two TV’s in our apartment, as one will be tuned only to Olympic coverage for the next two weeks.

There are lots of places to join in the comradery of watching and cheering for Team Canada in the coming days and weeks, though there is one place that I find the most inspiring of all. If you have yet to visit the new and beautiful Canadian Sports Hall of Fame at COP, you really must go. The only national museum outside of Ontario, this amazing interactive space showcases Canada’s greatest sporting achievements and people, in every sport and season. I loved trying to ski jump (virtually, I’d never make it off a real jump!), and pretending to be a sports broadcaster!

Photo Courtesy of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame

Bridget Cox, Manager of Marketing and Communication at Canada’s Sport’s Hall of fame is quick to note what a great and inspirational experience the hall is for any Canadian. Canada’s Sports Hall of fame is “committed to promoting the importance of sport and the life lessons it teaches, to inspire Canadians to achieve their best in sport and in life.” Well, I for one left totally inspired.

With over 95, 000 artifacts safely stored at the Hall’s new location at COP, there will always be something new to see, whether you happen to visit during the Olympic games or not.

For more information about the hall, including info on admission and hours, visit www.sportshall.ca. They will be broadcasting live Olympic coverage for the duration of the games, so if you’re like me and don’t want to miss any amazing moments in the next couple of weeks, it’s still safe to visit.