I am really looking forward to the Summer Olympics this year. I have been tracking the swimming trials and showing my kids how to swim using the different strokes, including the butterfly, breaststroke and backstroke.
We’ve been practicing diving, too. I think it’s great for children to see professional athletes and hear their stories of training, then to have kids try what the athletes are doing. It gives another perspective of the games, especially to children, who may not realize how difficult some sporting events are.
Running track and field is a prime example. There are not many people who can’t run, but to do it in the time the athletes do is amazing. I can remember trying to jump over hurdles in gym class in high school and failing miserably, though people who run hurdles make it look like a piece of cake.
The long jump always fascinates me as well. To see athletes wind-milling their arms to gain a little distance, spraying sand up with their feet as they drop to the pit, sliding in sideways to avoid injury piques my curiosity as to how much training and how many broken bones athletes endure before they get to that level of competition.
One of my favorite Olympic sports to watch is diving, with all of the twists and turns. I don’t think I have ever seen a diving competition outside that venue, and I can honestly say I personally have never attempted anything more than a standard dive and when I was younger, a back flip or a jackknife dive.
I feel the same way about gymnastics and ice skating, they are so beautiful to watch and then out of nowhere, there are flips and jumps and the human body doing things normal people wouldn’t consider without years of training.
I can appreciate the dedication it takes for these people to accomplish what they have and I like to think they got into it because they like the sport and found out they were good at it.
The Olympics also give countries the opportunity to be proud of their accomplishments, no matter what else is going on at the time. I am not sure how sporting events were chosen as the way countries compete with each other over more intellectual pursuits but who am I to complain about games that have been around for so long? It’s just nice to have something that your country is the best at, I guess.
Aside from the physical aspect of the games, I also enjoy hearing the stories of how people ended up where they are. Take Dara Torres, for example. She started swimming at a young age, took some time off, had a child, and returned to the Olympic trials as a 41-year-old mother.
Did I mention during her qualifying races, she broke a couple of World Records? I think the media covering the Olympics does a great job finding back-stories of athletes and sharing what the country needs to hear for inspiration and to support the athletes.

— Stephanie Grinnell