This weekend I went to a collegiate track and field meet for the 1st time in several years. What stood out to me most was what seemed like the overwhelming and glaring need for most of the people there to be associated with some sort of group...in most cases a team, and in some of the unattached cases, some kind of affiliation with a shoe company. It brought back memories of my earlier years of competing on the circuit without sponsors and support and the need that I had to be associated with some sort of group or company.
I can remember trying to find out what the Nike/Adidas/Asics competition kits looked like and then I would go out and try to buy something as similar as I could to their kits. I also remember borrowing or trading for USATF National Team gear when I went to meets when I was in college. At that time, I thought it meant something...like you achieved something, if you had national team gear on...like "look at that guy, he has been on a team".
Its ironic how your view of what "successful is." I remember seeing guys who I watched on TV in the Olympics and World Championships, guys who had medals, money, sponsors ect... and I was always amazed at how little they cared to show off their accomplishments. I remember seeing a high school kid training at the Olympic Training Center last fall...the kid actually made the World Junior Team and actually did quite well. He came to the track about 3 times a week and every time he came, he wore his full national team gear, head to toe! Fully decked out... I can relate to him being proud of his accomplishments and wanting to "show" the athletes at the training center that he was legit and wanted to be accepted there.
I'm guessing he didn't realize that as you get older, its not the actual teams that you make that makes you value those National Team kits... Its all the teams that you sold your soul for that you didn't make. The years of living on couches, nursing injuries with no medical insurance and raking up debt...searching for the elusive secret or holy grail of your event. Putting all your eggs in one basket and watching them all crack one by one... but then having your 5 minutes of fame where you make that team, and you realize how special it is. I often think that the few lucky guys and girls who sign big sponsor deals and make World and Olympic Teams their 1st year out of school miss out on those times. Thats not a bad thing, it just makes me understand why they probably don't care that much for those Team USA kits, because it was just another team...
So you see kid...I see you with your USATF team jersey...the one that you probably bought on the USATF website, and its ok. Because I know given the opportunity to do so, you would probably sell your soul as I did to earn you own Team jersey.
I'm looking at a massive box of Beijing 2008 Olympic gear that got worn almost everyday for at least a year. That box hasn't been opened in at least 2 years now.
Until next time,
M++
Monday, April 25, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Life After College ... "Pick up a Golf Club"
Last week I stumbled across an interview that my old roomate, Toby Stevenson, gave to Flotrack after a practice session at Stanford University (were he currently coaches.)
This interview is probably one of the greatest perspectives of life after college, by one of the greatest pole vaulters to ever live. And this is from an Olympic medalist, a guy who has reached the pinnacle of the sport. His advice to an aspiring NCAA "up and coming" athlete...someone who has the "potential" to make it in the professional ranks..."pick up a golf club and learn to play golf". This is the funniest, yet truest advice I have ever heard.
In Toby's interview, he talks about sacrifices and support. We all know "sacrifices sound cliche" but in professional track and field, especially the technical events where athletes don't reach the international level until their late 20's and 30's... sacrifice is an understatement.
I was speaking to the Olympic Training Centers sports psychologist last week about life after track, and what I can take away from my career when it is over. My opinion seems to be echoed by most retired and older athletes, most of whom are Olympians and even some Olympic medalists. I...we... believe that we have put in more than we will ever be able to get out of track and field. Even if I where to win an Olympic Gold medal, I believe that I will still feel as if I have dedicated half my life to an ideal that did not give back. I have had a pretty blessed career thus far, made an Olympic Team, World Championship Team, World Cup Team, won an International Medal, traveled the world 10 times over...but yet I feel that the sport has made me more cynical and bitter than thankful. I admit, that the majority of my animosity comes from the lack of support from our National Governing body, who ironically should be the number one place of support. Maybe one shinning light in hindsight was the support that I received from my family and a few close friends and organizations that put faith in my talent and ambition...amazing people and friends such as Amory Rowe and In the Arena, Jack Wickens and the USATF Foundation. Let me make that statement clear, that would be the USATF FOUNDATION, not our national governing body USATF...there is a BIG difference! Help from the United States Olympic Committee and guys like Tracy Lamb, for taking a gamble on me back in 2006. Support from amazing friends like these help ease the burden of trying to fight the sometimes impossible fight and for that I am forever thankful.
In a side note, how fun would professional sports in the USA be if they followed the track and field, golf and tennis model. What if... NFL/NHL/MLB/NBA players didn't get paid, unless they won their game? How hard would these guys fight every game to secure their multi-million dollar salaries, some of who receive millions of dollars and dont even play? How fun would that be? Maybe we would see a little "extra effort" or a few ground balls?
Here is Toby's interview, watch it, save it, hopefully you get an idea of what life is all about in the life of a professional track athlete and maybe get a laugh as well.
The interview can be seen here:
http://www.flotrack.org/speaker/7406-Toby-Stevenson/video/482077-Toby-Stevenson-Life-After-Track?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook
This interview is probably one of the greatest perspectives of life after college, by one of the greatest pole vaulters to ever live. And this is from an Olympic medalist, a guy who has reached the pinnacle of the sport. His advice to an aspiring NCAA "up and coming" athlete...someone who has the "potential" to make it in the professional ranks..."pick up a golf club and learn to play golf". This is the funniest, yet truest advice I have ever heard.
In Toby's interview, he talks about sacrifices and support. We all know "sacrifices sound cliche" but in professional track and field, especially the technical events where athletes don't reach the international level until their late 20's and 30's... sacrifice is an understatement.
I was speaking to the Olympic Training Centers sports psychologist last week about life after track, and what I can take away from my career when it is over. My opinion seems to be echoed by most retired and older athletes, most of whom are Olympians and even some Olympic medalists. I...we... believe that we have put in more than we will ever be able to get out of track and field. Even if I where to win an Olympic Gold medal, I believe that I will still feel as if I have dedicated half my life to an ideal that did not give back. I have had a pretty blessed career thus far, made an Olympic Team, World Championship Team, World Cup Team, won an International Medal, traveled the world 10 times over...but yet I feel that the sport has made me more cynical and bitter than thankful. I admit, that the majority of my animosity comes from the lack of support from our National Governing body, who ironically should be the number one place of support. Maybe one shinning light in hindsight was the support that I received from my family and a few close friends and organizations that put faith in my talent and ambition...amazing people and friends such as Amory Rowe and In the Arena, Jack Wickens and the USATF Foundation. Let me make that statement clear, that would be the USATF FOUNDATION, not our national governing body USATF...there is a BIG difference! Help from the United States Olympic Committee and guys like Tracy Lamb, for taking a gamble on me back in 2006. Support from amazing friends like these help ease the burden of trying to fight the sometimes impossible fight and for that I am forever thankful.
In a side note, how fun would professional sports in the USA be if they followed the track and field, golf and tennis model. What if... NFL/NHL/MLB/NBA players didn't get paid, unless they won their game? How hard would these guys fight every game to secure their multi-million dollar salaries, some of who receive millions of dollars and dont even play? How fun would that be? Maybe we would see a little "extra effort" or a few ground balls?
Here is Toby's interview, watch it, save it, hopefully you get an idea of what life is all about in the life of a professional track athlete and maybe get a laugh as well.
The interview can be seen here:
http://www.flotrack.org/speaker/7406-Toby-Stevenson/video/482077-Toby-Stevenson-Life-After-Track?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook
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