The Big Mirror

This being the first Olympic Trials of the previous four in which I am not competing, I’ve been wondering what it is about these Olympic Trials that would appeal to spectators, internet users, or viewers of the MSNBC broadcast coming next month. Of course there’s the pure nature of a race, particularly a race of the magnitude where Olympic dreams either continue on or come to a close. There’s also the natural attraction to whitewater and the venue hosting this event, the U.S. National Whitewater Center.

But watching from the side of the river as opposed to being in it, I’ve come to see the Olympic Trials as that of a reflection of ourselves and our own lives. How do we identify with athletes and their competitive values? How do their athletic characteristics parallel our own life pursuits?

Watching a paddler like Benn Fraker gets you thinking about such things. More than any other single athlete in our program, Benn does not blink an eye at taking on challenges that are beyond him. Whether it’s the difficulty of his practice courses or the level of competitor he is chasing, his bar is set at the top. It is people like Benn who take on such challenges that put themselves in uncomfortable situations every day. They also know it is a special path to raising standards and performing better.

Maybe it has been a while since you’ve evaluated how effectively you throw yourself into your own “beyond reach” situations but watching Benn paddle makes you think about it. He and roughly 130 other athletes will be testing their competitive style here in Charlotte this weekend – against the river, themselves, and each other. For those of us watching, it’s like standing in front of a big mirror. Which reflection will you see?