Countdown Beijing - 35 days to go

Last Wednesday was one of the toughest nights I have experienced as the Olympic Team coach. After we played the Hungarians to a close 7 – 6 loss, I had to go back to the hotel and make our final two cuts. It was very difficult. All of these guys have put so much time into the program. They have all sacrificed a great deal to make it this far. In most all athletic competitions there is very little that separates the winners from second place. In a similar way, there is very little that separates the players that made the final team and the two alternates. In was a painful process for me. I met with the two players and told them why I had made my choices. Both were near tears and I could see there pain. I know that this can be a life changing event. I sincerely hope that for both of these players that have been cut (John Mann and Brian Alexander) that it changes their lives in a positive way. I know that may be hard to understand but honestly for me (in my life) some of my biggest defeats and disappointments have done more to change my life in a positive way then any of my successes. Regardless, I had to get outside and take a walk. I spent about an hour on my own just walking and thinking. My heart hurt but I knew that even though it was very difficult - I made the right decision.

On Monday morning, we held a press conference at the Los Angeles Athletic Club to formally announce our team. It was a nice event and there was a good amount of press in attendance. Immediately after the press conference, we left for the airport for 5 days of training and team building at the USA Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. We trained for a day and then went up to the mountains (Lake George area) to spend some good quality time together. We spent about 5 hours on Tuesday doing a ropes course and listening to Dr. Guy Reikeman talk to us about leadership, our belief system and becoming a closer team. All of us, picked up a good deal of information. That evening we built a nice fire and spent about 2 hours discussing things that we have learned about ourselves and our team over the past six months. One of the most important questions that I brought up was “Do we really believe that we can win the Gold Medal?” Most of the guys spoke up and once again I could sense that we had come to a new level. Sure there are doubts –that is a normal – but these guys now believe that we can win. They all recommitted to do everything possible to give us the best chance to win in Beijing. No one wants to get to the Olympic Games and have any regrets!

We spent the night at the ranch where we actually slept in authentic Indian teepees. None of us are used to sleeping out in the woods so I think that we all slept a little rough. Never the less, it was pretty cool. The following morning we drove to a town called Buena Vista where we went white water rafting. The guys all enjoyed it and I think that it was a very good team building activity.

It is time to get back to work and focus on preparing these guys so that they are ready. We have 19 more days of practice (counting today) before we leave for Beijing. It is a little nerve racking that we have so little time left. However, I am confident that we are coming together at the right time. We have to work on some tactics and improve in certain areas of the game but there is no reason that we can not win a Gold Medal. Our collective belief is stronger now that it has ever been!
See you at the pool!

Coach