Countdown Beijing - Time to go!
Wow – unbelievable! I can’t believe that we get on a flight today and head out of town for one month. Looking behind us it is amazing to think about how fast 7 months of full time training have gone. It has been an incredible journey so far. I can also look at it from another perspective and say that in less than one month (August 24th) we will be playing for a gold medal.
Audley Harrison came and talked with our team this past week. He was awesome. Audley is a local resident who won a gold medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games in the Super heavyweight division in boxing. He was representing Great Briton at the time. He talked to the guys about visualizing winning. He said that when he arrived in Sydney he had already won the gold medal hundreds of time in his mind so he was totally prepared for the experience. He had us all close our eyes and than he played our national anthem as he talked to us about what it felt like to stand up on the victory podium. It was a great visualization and I believe the team really benefited from it.
I feel that same sense of anticipation I had a few weeks before the Olympic Games in Los Angeles (my first as a player). Now as I prepare for my first as an Olympic coach I can honestly say that I am ready. There is one person who I really wish were around to reassure me and tell me that everything is going to be alright. That is my Dad. He would always tell me that no matter what happened at the Olympics he was proud of me and that he would love me just as much when I returned. Those words were always so calming to me.
Dad passed away over two years ago and I have certainly gone through phases where I missed him more than other times. This week has been one of the worst. I am sure it is because I know how much my dad would have loved to see this all happening. He was always my biggest fan and kind of a “rock of strength” in my life. I know he is watching me from up in heaven but I sure do miss picking up the phone and just hearing his reassuring voice telling me that he is proud of me. He taught me so much and I am thankful for all of his love and support through the years. They have helped to get me to this point. I can still feel his presence in my life.
Perhaps those are the words that I need to tell the team today. I am proud of them. They have come a long way as a team and I will love them no matter what happens in Beijing. Although, I am quite confident that something special is going to happen with this team. Anyway, we are off to the airport. We will spend two days in San Jose (getting our credentials and outfitting) before we leave for Beijing on Monday morning.
See you at the pool.
Coach
Audley Harrison came and talked with our team this past week. He was awesome. Audley is a local resident who won a gold medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games in the Super heavyweight division in boxing. He was representing Great Briton at the time. He talked to the guys about visualizing winning. He said that when he arrived in Sydney he had already won the gold medal hundreds of time in his mind so he was totally prepared for the experience. He had us all close our eyes and than he played our national anthem as he talked to us about what it felt like to stand up on the victory podium. It was a great visualization and I believe the team really benefited from it.
I feel that same sense of anticipation I had a few weeks before the Olympic Games in Los Angeles (my first as a player). Now as I prepare for my first as an Olympic coach I can honestly say that I am ready. There is one person who I really wish were around to reassure me and tell me that everything is going to be alright. That is my Dad. He would always tell me that no matter what happened at the Olympics he was proud of me and that he would love me just as much when I returned. Those words were always so calming to me.
Dad passed away over two years ago and I have certainly gone through phases where I missed him more than other times. This week has been one of the worst. I am sure it is because I know how much my dad would have loved to see this all happening. He was always my biggest fan and kind of a “rock of strength” in my life. I know he is watching me from up in heaven but I sure do miss picking up the phone and just hearing his reassuring voice telling me that he is proud of me. He taught me so much and I am thankful for all of his love and support through the years. They have helped to get me to this point. I can still feel his presence in my life.
Perhaps those are the words that I need to tell the team today. I am proud of them. They have come a long way as a team and I will love them no matter what happens in Beijing. Although, I am quite confident that something special is going to happen with this team. Anyway, we are off to the airport. We will spend two days in San Jose (getting our credentials and outfitting) before we leave for Beijing on Monday morning.
See you at the pool.
Coach
posted by Dr. Terry Schroeder at
10:31 AM
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