Tag Archives: Tokyo2020

The Value of Your Story – and Thank You

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<La version française suit>

How and what we reflect on an experience continues to evolve for years.

Holy moly. It’s mid October 2021!! We’ve been home from Tokyo for two months already and the 2022 Olympic Winter Games are less than four months away?!! How does time move so slowly and then whoosh… it just takes off?!!

It’s taken me longer than expected to write this (last) message to you. I’m sorry about that – but perhaps you understand. I had a great time coming home; getting caught up and reconnected mentally, physically and emotionally. But as happens after every major Games something was missing, and once again that affected me; but I’m coming through it now. Ah nee nah

My delay came from a waning feeling of purpose. Perhaps you’ve felt this too. Preparing for the Olympics has always made defining my daily why and what for my pre-Games days, weeks and months so easy. I’ll admit that I’ve come home from more than a few Games into a doldrums of purpose that could get dark at times. Dark…that’s the word my generation used for depressing. I would often get depressed after Games, but I was lucky – it rarely took much for me to refresh my purpose and spirit. I know that Game Plan advisors have reached out to you (all the athletes), and I took great comfort in that. They are still available to you, don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it. Ah nee nah

That five year cycle was a grind, and the next (if you’re hungry for more) – at only three years – will crank up quickly. Take the time you need to recover, get your physical and emotional battery back in the top half and determine what your new whats and whys are going to be; it’s important for your future physical and mental performance. 

I strongly believe in the message I sent as you left Japan; that everything that you gave there, your Olympic Everything, was far more than just your performance in Tokyo (or Sapporo). It was more than just your talents on the field of play.

I want to draw your attention to the value of you and the story that you have to share now. The skills that you gained from your Olympic campaign during a pandemic would stand up in any executive training environment. While the world is talking about the need for resilience, you and your team exemplified how to creatively adapt and roll with the roughest seas all while keeping your eyes on your prize. Talking about goal-setting is one thing, but a conversation with you on goal-achieving would be a master class. Please don’t forget that.

Your story – this adventure you’re living – has incredible worth. How you value things like 1cm, 1/100th of a second, a point or ½ kg is inspirational. Think about what you know about commitment, preparation, managing change and challenge, team work, communication, stress management, mental/physical health management, resetting after victory/resetting after loss, and of course – resilience. What you take for granted as common practice is mind-blowing to others.

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This is Your Story: Tokyo2020+1

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An Open Letter to Canada’s Tokyo 2020 hopefuls: This Is Your Story

One year to go – again. Tokyo 2020 is now Tokyo 2020+1

It was a summer no one expected. The Tokyo 2020 Games were postponed, athletes had to put a pause on training and the future seemed scary and uncertain.

With exactly one year to go before the start of the Games, I penned this letter to Tokyo 2020 hopefuls:

“I can’t help but wonder: What is today? Is it a recognition of a missed year? Or a celebration of one year out? Either way, it’s part of your story.

Everything that has (or hasn’t) happened in the last six months and what will happen in the coming year, is part of your story.

What story? Every Olympian has a story, it usually has a lesson in it, and they tell it in different ways:

1. Their VERY SHORT story is of a moment during the Games.

2. Their SHORT story spans the Opening to Closing Ceremony and includes both Olympic competition and the Olympic city. (A bit of sport, a bit of culture, a bit of a party).

3. Their REAL story is longer, much, much longer. It’s a detailed, behind the scenes tale of persistence, determination, effort and resilience. It happens in isolation as well as before crowds and includes tears, pain, joy and celebration.

Most (all?!) Olympic stories include tales about how solid plans got disrupted and then how they were assessed, recalculated and continued. Think of an athlete you know or even someone you only know of. Do you think they got through their journey on a direct path? Not a chance.

So here you are. You had a goal and a plan. You were sent home. Your plan was put on hold.

More accurately, your plan was thrown in the garbage but your goal was not. However, your story continues. You’ve come up with a plan and you, and your team, are figuring it out. This is what you have always done – figure things out and thrive.

How you figure this out IS YOUR STORY.

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Game ON! Seize the opportunity. Reconnect with play.

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A countdown clock displays the remaining days until the new start date for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The opening ceremony will be held July 23, 2021 after this year’s Games was postponed last week due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Jae C. Hong/Associated Press)

“And the clock is reset: when 116 days becomes 480. #Tokyo2020NE!”

– Yesterday’s tweet from Rosie MacLennan, two time Olympic Champion

So now we know when. The Tokyo Olympic Games have officially been rescheduled for July 23 – August  8, 2021. These Games will officially be known as the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games… but I’m a fan of the meme “Tokyo 202ONE”! (apologies that this doesn’t translate well).

la version français suite

Over the last week (has it only been 1 week?!) there have been many thoughtful interviews, social media and blog posts by Olympians; Olympic hopefuls, veterans and retired. It’s been a roller coaster. You’ve all expressed your heartfelt emotions; utter disappointment, anger, resilience, relief and through it all – understanding. You have all understood that as part of our bigger Team Canada, 37 million strong, we all need to be part of flattening the curve. 

“Instead of pushing back on what life has brought on all of us, I made the commitment to accept what is and cherish what lies ahead. Training is what keeps me focused and what makes me feel alive. I have found a way to stay in shape at a slower pace in the comfort of my home. Right now, that’s all I need.”

Jennifer Abel, Olympic Bronze Medalist, three-time Olympian in Diving

World Champion swimmer, Maggie MacNeil finds herself back in her parents’ (now heated!) backyard pool and posted “To the little pool that got me into swimming… now it’s helping to keep the dream alive during this crazy time”

Same for Sage Watson, Olympian in 400m hurdles, who is back on a family ranch in Medicine Hat. “This is where I first started running when I was 6 years old and it’s so fitting that I’m continuing my Olympic goals here at home.”

Lately, your creativity and humour are also shining through. 

Softball player Emma Carr has taken to bench pressing her sofa and Skylar Park, who has qualified for her first Olympics in Taekwondo, has her three brothers to use as sparring partners in her basement! Another athlete headed to his first Olympics, Sport Climber Sean McColl, has taken to posting a #dailychallenge – his push-ups done on cutting boards come with a warning! Olympic Champion in Big Air Snowboard and two-time Olympian, Sebastien Toutant’s posts seem to have inspired skateboarder Annie Guglia to have fun working on her in-home balance and agility.

As time passes this won’t be easy. The novelty of being creative and training in isolation will wear off. All of you face unique challenges in trying to stay in the world-class shape that you’ve worked so hard for. Facilities are scarce, to say the least, but there is an opportunity here. Reconnect with the joy and play that lit your fire for your sport.

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