Youth Olympic Games

I found out that this year will be the inaugural Summer Youth Olympic Games for ages 14-18 held in Singapore. The Youth Olympic Games will occur every 4 years as well, but its summer games will be held in the same year of the original Winter games. And vice versa. So, the Winter Youth Olympic Games will be in 2012.

Perhaps there is some controversy surrounding these games. Should teens be striving for such a goal at such a young age? My take on it is that they already do. Most every teenager who is training in an Olympic sport is already hoping to gain elite level as soon as possible. And perhaps the age falsification so prevalent in sports like Gymnastics will die down if those same youngsters have an legitimate avenue on a world level to achieve the same success.

I think it seems quite interesting. It’ll be nice to have something to watch in between the main Summer Olympics!

The reason it’s been a couple days since my last post:

the Olympics, of course. Friday night, David and I watched the Opening Ceremonies. I was wide-eyed and well impressed. It made me want to be there more than ever, though. I have a Chinese friend I met online (Hi Lu Fei!) And his blog is pretty interesting – you should read it. There’s a link at the bottom (Fareonline). One of the most interesting things he had to say about the opening ceremonies (all of it is interesting) is this: 

 …I think that is the moment not only for the world get to known the new China, but the moment that a new image of world standing China. from decades of people’s struggling and sacrifice, the China is not the way it used to be, it is a fresh new image of China which contain harmony, peace, economic developed, intelligent, huge population, open, good will, etc.

You have to remember his English isn’t perfect, though pretty good, I think. Anyway, it’s been great talking back forth with him. 

So, tonight, so far, I’ve watch the men’s gymnastics team qualify 6th for the team competition, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh win their first beach volleyball match, Michael Phelps win a gold and Ryan Lochte win a bronze in the Men’s Individual 400, and Katie Hoff win a bronze. 

I love our athletes. Seriously, the Olympics make me more patriotic: it’s the fact that individuals can have success at whatever level they want in whatever avenue they want in our country.  And that’s true – whether you believe it or not. Whether you take advantage of your opportunity or not. I guess that’s part of it. It’s your choice. 

And the Olympics also make me more hopeful for humanity. If athleticism becomes a language, it means we can at least talk to each other. And if something like sports can become a method of communication, it helps me believe that other things, like our common feelings, hopes, desires, and insufficiencies can unite us – not just for unity’s sake but for the goal of making us spiritual brothers and sisters.

Getting close

That looks fun.

Recently, I’ve been into all things Olympics. Not long at all left until the games start. I’ve mentioned it before, but I would love to go the Olympics someday. Speaking of the games, I just love the Beijing mascots.

Aren’t they adorable? Mostly anything Chinese or Asian seems adorable to me. I’m sure my lack of Asian culture shows here, but everything Asian always seems so ornate and important. So purposeful. These little mascots name’s say “Welcome to Beijing” when you put them in the correct order. That’s just nifty.

So, I mostly watch gymnastics, track and field, and swimming during the Olympics. I’ll probably catch the diving and beach volleyball, too. What sports do you like to watch? Any specific athletes/sports you plan on keeping up with? How about athletes from other countries?

To the 2008 Women’s Gymnastics Olympic Contenders: You make me a better person

It’s usually movies and books that move me to tears. It’s usually stories about characters or people’s lives that inspire me. And those stories are usually written after they are lived out. After the victory.

But it is in my following of the American elite gymnasts who are striving to reach their ultimate goal, the 2008 Beijing Olympic Team, that I have recently found inspiration. And currently, they are exactly in the middle of their story. They are writing it right now.

And I am, quite possibly, more affected by their fight for their dream than I ever have been by anyone else. I know it’s because, over the past year, I’ve spent countless hours researching their lives, watching videos of their gymnastics, reviewing in detail their routines, their personalities, and their hopes and it’s all culminating now as they perform the routines that will determine their destinies. And I have realized something.

Their destiny is not at all just handed to them. It is by their choices and actions whether they will be on that Olympic team or not. It is by their choice to train hard, their desire to do what it takes, and their determination to make no excuses that they have victory. No, they can’t control how they are scored. They can’t control how hard it rains and how high the flood waters rise in their gym. They can not control what order they perform in and on what apparatus they start on. They can’t control their inconvenient injuries. But they can control the placement of their hands as they touch the vaulting table, the balance and strength of their bodies on beam, their momentum in the air as they flip, twist, or turn, their toe-point and lines on bars. And how do they do it? By repeating over and over their routines in the gym countless times perfecting their skills, knowing their bodies, becoming one with the equipment, with the music, and merging their mental toughness with their physical capability. And it is only through this hard work, through battling this ever-fight that they become the toughest athletes you will ever see, that they become champions.

I am inspired. Because I have dreams, too. And though they may not be to win an Olympic gold medal, they are just as important. And I’m realizing, they are just as attainable. Because I, too, can put in a work ethic and determination behind a vision. I, too, can dream. And so can you.

Now this is what I call a good hike…

A 5.7 grade to be exact. ;) Today, I went real rock climbing for the first time. I’ve been to our local rock gym before and climbed walls at festivals and events before, but this was the real deal. The particular part of the rock we climbed today was called “Short Man’s Sorrow” – if you’re the one to make the first ascent on a rock, you get to name it. So all these routes have really cool catchy names.

David and I have a few friends who are seriously into rock-climbing so they took us out today and gave us a great chance to figure out if we really like it or not. So, I can now officially say that I love climbing huge, intimidating rock faces. The last time I was at the rock gym, I left defeated. I couldn’t quite make it to the top of this one wall. Today, out in the heart of Pisgah, on one of the most beautiful days of the season, I climbed higher and overcame.

I almost got hung up in this one spot. I felt the frustration and fatigue starting to settle in just like it did that day at the rock gym. I felt the almost certain plunge of my tears out of their secret place. (Because, as I realized today, rock-climbing is so much more mental than it is physical.) I paused for a moment and took a deep breath. I heard the encouraging words from my friends and husband below me. I lifted my foot once more. I pressed into that cold and solid rock, and I trusted myself. I trusted that my mind could tell my foot to stay where it should and to tell my muscle to pull me up. Only a few minutes after that, I reached the top. My goal achieved, I repelled down the rock face as confidently as if it were natural to walk down backward and parallel to a rock.

We had a blast out on the mountain today. David has quite a natural ability, and he definitely impressed me. To be honest, I just couldn’t get over how hot his calve muscles were as he climbed. :) And I look forward to doing more rock-climbing this year. It’s now another word I can use to describe me.

Christie Drozdowski: rock climber.

Beijing 2008.

I really get into the Olympics. Every major sport. Every major athlete. Ever major country. Pretty huge. Anyway, my favorite sport to watch is gymnastics. I’ve been following the world gymnastics circuit since around late August of last year. If you don’t know much about the US National Team, you should know that on both sides of the spectrum (men and women) our talent flows deep, especially on the Women’s team. We could probably send a B or a C team to the Olympics and win team gold. Seriously. So today, I want to share with you a video of my favorite gymnast, Nastia Liukin. It’s her balance beam performance from the recent Pacific Rim Championships. It’s amazing.

I would love to go to the Olympics in the future. They will be in London in 2012, so that’s a huge goal of mine. Don’t you think it’d be cool to be a part of the crowd of something so big?