Today is one year to go before the Rio Summer Olympics begins. A lot will happen over the next year to sort out who makes the Olympic team. Depending on the sport that one pursues, athletes this summer are in the process of getting qualifying marks to participate in our countries Olympic Trials. Just yesterday, Peter Callahan '09 hit the US Olympic Trials A Standard for 1500m at a meet in Belgium. If he wants, he now has the opportunity -- along with eventually about 30 other 1500m runners -- to compete for three spots on our Olympic team next summer.
Although following Peter's path and the path of many many others over the next year will be interesting, what is maybe as interesting is what to advise a person who is in 6th and 7th grade right now about what they need to do to make the Olympic Team in 2028.
Here are a five things I would tell them:
1) Keep broad involvement in multiple sports for as long as you can. Many believe that broad involvement may actually protect you from over use injuries that compromise many athletes careers. Also broad participation in sports improves general athleticism which is the essential trait all Olympians need.
2) Assume that maybe you have not even played the sport yet that you will make the Olympic team in. There are 28 Olympic sports and over 300 Olympic events. Some Olympians do not pick up the sport they make the Olympic team in until their late teens or even 20's. Keep open minded about yourself as an athlete -- especially when you are in 6th and 7th grade.
3) Ignore the early rankings and youth championship results. Yes, there are many people who are identified as potential Olympians very early in life. But I would say that early success is almost a curse. Some eventually make a team but many many never make the team and are passed in performance by others who did not have early success. Often success in athletics in mid teens is a result of factors like maturity which is highly variable. Comparing yourself to others as a young athlete is never a healthy trait. Focus instead on consistent incremental improvement in both training and competition over many many years.
4) Surround yourself with people who support and believe in you but not necessarily in the way you think you need them. It's great to have a coach say to you, "you could be great" or "you could be an Olympian". But I think those kind of statements can just as easily create problems for an athlete. As a coach I want to create self belief in my athletes. That takes time and many many small steps. The reality is there are a lot more people who have the physical talent to make an Olympic team than actually do. The first road block to making that team occurs between the ears. Find coaches and support staff that understand that and support your dreams and goals in appropriate ways.
5) Don't worry about the hard work and years of practice. Instead look for joy in the sports you play. Joy is a feeling of great happiness and if you are lucky enough to find it in a sport you pursue you may have found the sport you can make an Olympic team in. The point is you need more than just a goal, a desire and some talent to make the Olympic team. You need to love the process of preparation. If you don't love it, that should also tell you something. Of course there are going to be days you won't love. Getting out the door when it is 35 degrees and raining is not easy. But pursuit of Olympic glory or just personal excellence should have its own rewards which may eventually lead to lessons and memories far more valuable than the acknowledgement a medal can provide.
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