Winter Dreams

Lillehammer Norway 12, February 1994

If you take into account the skill, power and strength you need for any Olympic  event  and add the slick speed generated by ice and snow  you have the answer why I ultimately  chose to dedicate my attention and training to alpine skiing and given that I found the athletes and venues more informal and convivial than the warm weather  Olympiads and games but the  final choice was not easy.  Pierre de Coubertin the founder of the modern Games had no interest in adding winter competition to the Olympic program but with the growing number of winter sports enthusiasts the Winter Olympic Games were added in 1924 and were initially called "International Sports Week" and debuted in Chamonix France.

Up until the Games in Sapporo Japan in 1972 the Winter Games had been held in Europe and the United States--- it would have been a crowning glory for Coubertin as his vision was to see The Olympics go global. My own experiences were certainly my dream come true as a result of rigorous training but the rules governing the athletes set by the International Olympic Committee were much more strict than they are now. The status of my US citizenship was incomplete, also I was deemed a professional due to some work from coaching and in television and film and the last straw was I had appeared in commercial advertising for a sponsor associated with  the Olympic Games since 1928--- I did not lie about any of these issues but I was not exactly forthcoming with the facts at the time; all of it resulted in my expulsion from competition. I learned the first half of my life lesson about truth and the consequences of misleading and/or vague information... In spite of all of that happened I doubt there was anyone else present with more team spirit and filled with the joy I had of making it as far as I did... I had to take the chance of appearing on a box of Wheaties off my bucket list. I was only able to compete once...but I had to get back to real life and other responsibilities as my place was being saved elsewhere upon my return with a signed contract. I've been reluctant to discuss this but seeing as the news today is filled with the truth surrounding the Olympics I decided I've been silent about this for too long.

 The limitations of duel citizenship as well as the amateurism requirements were gradually phased out;  the rules governing appearing in advertising and endorsements were also modified as the IOC started doing big business with big businesses  relating to the five ring logo to sell products and Olympic merchandise.

How do you start down the road to The Olympic Games? I think each persons road takes different twists and turns but my journey started when I was about nine years old taking gymnastic classes (you have to find what your strengths are and learn to improve and build them) I was long and lean with great balance and coordination so it was a good fit for me and I used swimming and ballet as cross training tools I continued to use both even as I found my  way on to the springboard and platform for high diving and then skiing and even for physical therapy after a debilitating accident later in life---I am the product of an early coach who taught me that pain is simply weakness leaving your body (I still think about him when I work out)-- My first competitive venue was in Tel Aviv participating in the Macabiah Games (an annual contest created to help  and encourage young Jewish people in sports) it's basically the Jewish Olympics held every four years the year after  The Olympics... and although I did not do great I  developed skill and confidence and learned not to quit... and after returning home I got involved with diving on the local level and eventually advancing up the system to participate in scored events regionally and eventually nationally.--- Eventually I participated in diving for the National Collegiate Athletic Association events until I decided I needed to focus all of my attention and time on Alpine Skiing and could not hedge my bet and split my focus... would my life have turned out differently had I stayed on the diving board? Who knows... maybe but I likely would not have had the  Olympic or life experiences that followed if I had (more about that later).

The discipline to be a successful athlete can be attained  using the following principles...

1. Know as much as you possibly can about your sport, the history, the technique... find out as much as you can and keep looking for new information and answers.
2. Diet and Nutrition... Eat mindfully and know the nutritional value of what you put in your body and how to best fuel yourself to be in the best possible form for different levels of competition.
3. Get plenty of sleep... it's the best way your body recovers from stress or sports injury.
4. Set goals ( make them reasonable and set them by season, year and long -term)
5. Make friends with your competitors  ( I said earlier I found skiers much more convivial and likable than swimmers and divers but maybe it's me) It does not mean you don't compete at top level and form but sometimes friendships poise us to work harder.
6. Compete in other events... I can't begin to tell you how important it is to get outside your comfort zone but cross training is crucial to good training.
7. Visualize success and stay strong and confident.
8. Taper your activity leading up to competition--- by this I mean decrease your training a few days before an event. You want to allow your self to be at full speed and power and  strength and you can't do it if you burn yourself out the day before a competition.

This is a short list of what most athletes do to to get ahead but you can modify it to apply to performing, studying or just being successful  in life... but the one thing to always remember is do what works for you... what works for one athlete will not always work for another.

I never cease to be amazed at the advances made in training and equipment... Technology and the use of computers to measure performance have taken the industry to higher levels than I ever dreamed possible... At the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs sports scientists can gauge physiological responses to the stress of exercise and an athletes overall efficiency.

The use of computer technology to create three-dimensional charts to graph  the progression of every move and turn you make can and will give you the additional edge of knowledge of your sport and your body and it's capabilities. And the quicker you receive performance feedback the more useful it is in training and competing.

I went to The Games in Lake Placid in 1980 with a couple of friends and we endured traffic jams from hell, mud, snow, extreme price gauging  and experienced for the first time artificial snow being used and the effects it can have on your performance and psyche... but in spite of all of it we had a good time ...

So from my experiences with skiing and attending I worked as a commentator for the Men's Downhill and Giant Slalom in Calgary in 1988 and again in Lillehammer in  1994 and I noticed for the first time in Norway the events had taken on a new tone and texture since the summer and winter events were played in alternative years  and The Cold War was over and the games were not being used as a battleground for clashing political ideologies... but in addition and maybe most importantly I participated in a Luge and Bobsled demonstration on national television  and as a result started taking some chances in life again after a few years being saddled with fear from some of life's events and experiences during the 80's and early 90's.

OK so I never got my face on  box of Wheaties... but life turned out pretty swell in spite of some setbacks along the way... I'm happy that because of an on line petition to General Mills Greg Louganis finally got his this past spring....

So what was the life lesson I learned or was reminded of  because of Mr. Louganis?  " You can't win every game but you can't give up when you loose." 

Every year I find new inspiration from The Olympics especially when I see athletes well into their 40's who are not only participating but winning and advertisers and sponsors who are not homophobic or judgemental about age, experience and background.

I'll leave you with a couple of things---

If you are ever in the vicinity of Lausanne Switzerland you should visit the Olympic Museum... it's the largest repository of Olympic literature, artifacts and memorabilia and in every way celebrates the spirit and heritage of the Olympic movement.

Oh and one more thing... I got an e-mail a couple of days ago from a reader who misses what I have to say about fashion.... So...

... over the years the Olympic uniforms have been brought to you by several sources including JC Penney, Levi Strauss, Tommy Hilfiger, Adidas, Reebok, Halston and most recently Ralph Lauren... who I am happy is now actually having them made in the United States.

So no matter where you are from or where you are in life wear your colors proudly and strive to be a hero... I started becoming one when I coached the first  Special Olympic Winter Games in Steamboat Springs Colorado in 1977 and learned their motto and started applying it to my own life... "Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."

See you next week!