The 2012 Olympics garnered excellent television viewership ratings. Apparently, Americans were really drawn to this year’s games.
The Olympics are a distraction from some of the economic and political unrest that seem to dominate the news most of the time. The Olympic Games also give rise to a feeling of pride and nationalism among fans and spectators around the world.
The variety of sports at this year’s games was mind-boggling. Where else can you see athletes from around the world competing in sports like beach volleyball, boxing, cycling, pole vault, high jump, diving, archery, soccer, field hockey, wrestling, taekwondo, fencing , handball, kayak, weight? lifting, fencing, rowing, gymnastics and others?
And there were certainly a lot of rumors about the games here in America. People were tweeting, blogging, and sharing Olympic moments in conversations with friends, family, and colleagues.
My cohorts at my tennis club seemed to be fascinated by the London games. People came out of the tennis courts to watch basketball, tennis, and track and field events. As always, there were some surprises, some drama, some controversy, some new records, as well as a host of fascinating human-interest stories.
NBC uses a lot of airtime to bring these looks of athletes closer to the viewing public. And the network did a good job communicating the nature of the sacrifice of time, money and energy that athletes and their families must make to reach this elite level of sport.
Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to coach a number of Olympians, including four gold medal winners. These athletes belonged to a variety of sports including gymnastics, weight lifting, boxing, skiing, and rowing.
This year, two clients of mine brought home gold medals. Due to client confidentiality regulations, I cannot share much about them. However, it was very exciting to see the people who sat in my office on the gold medal platform. I have also interviewed three or four previous gold medal winners for my weekly column.
Not surprisingly, these athletes have great discipline, focus, and endurance. They also have a great passion for their sport and their teammates. They also have strong feelings about representing their country.
Like the rest of us, they also have fear, anxiety, and interpersonal conflicts with the people in their lives.
However, what really amazes me is the fact that, to one person, all of these notable athletes are quite humble, soft-spoken, and very respectful.
None of them were arrogant or grandiose. Rather, they were all quite genuine and down-to-earth.
While there is a lot of press about runaway athletes making poor decisions, breaking the law, and being poor role models for our children, it was a real pleasure meeting and working with this group of competitors. They all embody the best of sports.