There's something in the air this time of year, in this year- an Olympic year. We get back on the ice on October 1 here in Lake Placid, but even now there's a certain electricity in the air and its mesmerizing. It's hard to describe what it feels like, but the source is not to hard to determine- it's potential energy.
What do I mean when I say potential energy you ask? Well all summer each and every athlete has spent so much time, poured in so much sweat, blood, and tears, into the effort of making the Olympic team or winning an Olympic medal. It's this time- right before we hit the ice- that all athletes believe that anything is possible and history tells them that anything can happen. There is the potential for dreams to come true, for records to be broken, and medals to be won, and at this time everyone believes that they individually have the potential to make their dream a reality.
That's the thing about an Olympic year and the Olympics. Everyone believes they have the potential to reach their goals, regardless of how far fetched they may seem. The athlete who's won Olympic gold dreams of repeating, the athlete who's never won a race dreams of Olympic victory, and the athlete who's never made a national team dreams of walking into opening ceremonies. Despite what has happened before, it is this year that matters and potentially anything can happen.
Sure, most of the time the top ranked competitors continue to be top ranked and a lot of time those who are supposed to win the medals do indeed win, but there's always upsets that prove that anything can happen. For all athletes competing for a spot on the Olympic team, it's that potential that keeps us going, it's the potential that makes us believe we have a fighting chance, regardless of how high the odds may be stacked against us.
Even companies and the media hedge their bets on this potential. Companies sponsor athletes with the hope of seeing Olympic medals around their necks and media outlets rush to compile stories about America's champions. The companies and media don't see the past, they see the potential in athletes and tag along for the journey. Regardless of where athletes have ranked previously, companies and the media believe that anything can happen, and further spread the potential energy.
Right before we hit the ice, the results from the past have been erased. Each athlete is eager to see what the future holds and what rewards result from all their hard work. No one is dwelling on what happened last year or the past 3 seasons, each is looking forward and focusing on February 2014. Before we hit the ice and reality starts to set for some that dreams will not be accomplished- as teams will be named and athletes will be cut- the potential that anything can happen creates an energy in the air that is hard to describe, but it feels like hope and promise. Soon the potential energy will disappear and the fight for the few Olympic spots will turn the energy madly competitive, where one must be defeated in order for another to accomplish their dreams. For now though, the energy is positive and intoxicating, as everyone believes they are the next gold medalist. The truth of the matter is, some will win gold medals and others will fail to make the team, but right now we all live in a world where anything can happen. The potential for dreams to be made is here, making this the most wonderful time of the year- the calm before the storm.
What do I mean when I say potential energy you ask? Well all summer each and every athlete has spent so much time, poured in so much sweat, blood, and tears, into the effort of making the Olympic team or winning an Olympic medal. It's this time- right before we hit the ice- that all athletes believe that anything is possible and history tells them that anything can happen. There is the potential for dreams to come true, for records to be broken, and medals to be won, and at this time everyone believes that they individually have the potential to make their dream a reality.
That's the thing about an Olympic year and the Olympics. Everyone believes they have the potential to reach their goals, regardless of how far fetched they may seem. The athlete who's won Olympic gold dreams of repeating, the athlete who's never won a race dreams of Olympic victory, and the athlete who's never made a national team dreams of walking into opening ceremonies. Despite what has happened before, it is this year that matters and potentially anything can happen.
Sure, most of the time the top ranked competitors continue to be top ranked and a lot of time those who are supposed to win the medals do indeed win, but there's always upsets that prove that anything can happen. For all athletes competing for a spot on the Olympic team, it's that potential that keeps us going, it's the potential that makes us believe we have a fighting chance, regardless of how high the odds may be stacked against us.
Even companies and the media hedge their bets on this potential. Companies sponsor athletes with the hope of seeing Olympic medals around their necks and media outlets rush to compile stories about America's champions. The companies and media don't see the past, they see the potential in athletes and tag along for the journey. Regardless of where athletes have ranked previously, companies and the media believe that anything can happen, and further spread the potential energy.
Right before we hit the ice, the results from the past have been erased. Each athlete is eager to see what the future holds and what rewards result from all their hard work. No one is dwelling on what happened last year or the past 3 seasons, each is looking forward and focusing on February 2014. Before we hit the ice and reality starts to set for some that dreams will not be accomplished- as teams will be named and athletes will be cut- the potential that anything can happen creates an energy in the air that is hard to describe, but it feels like hope and promise. Soon the potential energy will disappear and the fight for the few Olympic spots will turn the energy madly competitive, where one must be defeated in order for another to accomplish their dreams. For now though, the energy is positive and intoxicating, as everyone believes they are the next gold medalist. The truth of the matter is, some will win gold medals and others will fail to make the team, but right now we all live in a world where anything can happen. The potential for dreams to be made is here, making this the most wonderful time of the year- the calm before the storm.
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