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In the shadows
By Eloise Owens | February 12, 2010
I can hear it now…the Olympic theme song booming in my head. It’s that time again for Olympic dreams to start coming to life, night after night as we cheer for athletes that we have never even heard of before. Most have been training for a big part of their lives.
They step up to that medal stand with that shiny gold medal being draped around their necks just as their alarm clocks start buzzing –only to discover it was just a dream. And when all of us are still snuggled in our warm beds, these Olympic warriors go to work – again at 4 am.
Can dreams become reality? I mean really, can they?
For every skier who hurtles down the slopes, for every hockey player who suits up, and for every ice skater who takes the ice in Vancouver, there is someone standing in the shadows who knows the answer.
The Olympics is a world stage to show what you are made of. It is time to push yourself past fear, past doubt, and past pain. It’s where ruthless determination puts you in the category of….well… just average.
Why? Because every athlete who shows up is determined. Everyone in the opening ceremonies has a will to win. Everybody is focused on doing whatever it takes.
So what will be the difference between the skiers, the hockey players, and the skaters who watch the medal ceremony from afar with red-rimmed eyes and those elite few who feel the weight of the medal around their necks?
The answer is lurking out of view, off to the side, standing in the shadows.
Here’s a safe bet –some of them wanted to quit at some point. I betcha some of them had no idea what they were getting into and never understood what true commitment really meant. They can talk a great “dream speech” but for some of them, there came a moment where quitting was a wonderful and sane choice.
But then, something stepped out from the shadows…that magic elixir to regain their insanity once again to this Olympic madness.
The path to dreams is never a straight one. Take the unfolding story of Lindsey Vonn, the gorgeous blond, the “Michael Phelps” hopeful of these Olympic games. She may have to live the agony of defeat before she ever hits the slopes (imagine skiing with razor blade pain shooting through your shins!). Her demeanor spoke volumes at a news conference yesterday. Will she be able to put on her ski boot and race to fulfill her life goal? Yesterday, she couldn’t bear to answer the question. She could not even bear to get her leg x-rayed for fear that it might be broken. She didn’t want to know. She tried to sound determined. Who could blame her?
But off in the distance, was her chance. Because in the shadows, there lurking out of the limelight was….her COACH.
The person who has belief when you don’t. The coach! The person who can see your weaknesses when you won’t. The coach! The person who dreams of your Olympic medal ceremony every night and wakes up early with you, ready to take the next step that you cannot even see. It’s the coach!
This year, while watching the winter events, keep a close eye in the shadows for the person who takes every ski jump with you as if they are on the slope. Or the coach who holds their hands to their heart when you fall on your triple axle in the short program and feel all is lost. Because there in the shadows is the person who will fight off your fear and dispel doubt that your kick ass long program will give you another chance to win!
So, lets give a shout out to all the coaches of these Olympic games who turn great athletes into elite ones. We will be looking for you…in the shadows, beaming with pride.
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February 15th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Wow…dont we all need a great coach in our corner???And how important for us to be the coach for others…