"FINISH!"

As the sound of the outboard approached, the seal rolled over from where it lay on the dock and gave a hopeful glance at what it apparently thought were returning fishermen, perhaps anticipating a handout.

Seeing none, and evidently rather tired from posing for these photo-ops without the expected prize for having done so, the seal yawned, rolled back over and gazed up at whatever seals gaze at while chilling.

No, we were not fishermen.

I am a writer of my brother’s story and my brother’s story is about a community that cared enough to create opportunities for youth to learn on the water what they would need all the rest of their lives: resilience, perseverance, teamwork, camaraderie, the capacity to dream, and the character development required to realize their dream.

Theirs’ – the athletes – is the story.

And the community, it’s their story too.

It’s everyone’s story who has ever considered attempting anything of significance.

And yes, it is my brother’s story because had he not had the vision there would not be a story to tell of what is happening out there on the water and across the world for that matter as these young athletes compete for the ultimate prize: a place to stand on the podium in the awards ceremony in the Olympics.

And not only is it a story of what has been happening out there on the water through the years but what has happened in the lives of young men and women who’ve come through the program and who have since taken up occupations and are raising families across the country.

‘Often I sit at my desk cluttered with projects for which I am responsible,' wrote one of the first graduates of Alan’s water world, 'and Alan’s words I can hear as distinctly today in my office as when I would so often hear him shout as I entered the last 100 meters of my race: FINISH!'

I’m sure I saw tears forming in my brother’s eyes this morning when he shared that excerpt from a letter he’d received.

The letter was from a successful businesswoman who as a pre-teen one day stood on the dock currently occupied by the seal and she wrote in her letter to Alan of having that day looked out at the water where her peers were going through their paces: ‘it was then I decided to board the train I saw leaving the station. I didn’t want it to leave without me.’