It's been years and years (and years and years) since I was an athlete in high school, but there are some things I still remember vividly. I didn't know much of anything about the sport of track and field outside my very small bubble. I knew nobody who competed in college (and certainly not a professional) and all I was worried about was how to do the least amount of work at practice and win on Thursdays. Over the years I developed an appreciation for what I was doing and knowledge that would help me accomplish bigger and better goals. But I know that there are things I could have learned a lot sooner and goals I probably would have achieved a lot faster if I had just been better informed and knew a little more.
Yesterday I spent my afternoon talking with a local high school track team here in San Diego. One of my college teammates is the head coach and he asked me to come speak to his team and share my knowledge. I have no problem getting up in front of a group of people and giving a speech on all the important aspects of being a good athlete. I can talk all day about motivation, confidence, developing a good work ethic, etc, etc. And I suppose I did touch on those things a bit. But mostly I just let them ask me questions. Any questions they could think of. I remember being exactly where they are and all the stuff I just didn't know because there was really nobody to ask.
What workout do I hate doing the most?
Do I have a boyfriend and how do I balance my social life?
Do I ever cry after I don't do well?
What if your coach thinks you can do something you don't think you can?
What if you don't get along with your coach?
Do I eat well?
Is lifting going to make your arms all buff?
When did I know I wanted to be a professional?
How do I prepare for a meet?
...
After the first person was brave enough to speak up, the questions kept coming and coming. And I appreciated their curiosity and desire to know. I think back at all the things I didn't know back then and wish someone would have came by to drop just a little bit of knowledge on me. So, if you are a high schooler (or not) and you have a question, now is your time to ask. Fire away..
11 comments:
Sooooo, you just gonna leave us hanging without answers to the questions, slim?
Ms. Glenn,
1) When, then, did you begin to consciously think in terms of Professional?
2) How did you arrive at the idea that you really wanted to do this as a profession?
3) At what point did you feel you could make a success of it?
And … this one is by no means contentious in nature, but have you ever felt, even slightly, that you should have stuck with the 100 and/or the 200 longer? Remembering your sheer speed (in college even with questionable form at times), especially in the 200, I wonder!
Where do the birds go when it rains?
@nupe...those were high schooler's questions...i figured you may have different ones.
@daniel...
-the summer after my sophomore year of college, when i went to my first olympic trials.
-i decided after my junior year, which was my best year as a collegiate and i was achieving the same marks as the professionals and could be competitive at that level.
-still waiting for that..
-yes, i wonder that. it was basically a decision to try and be great at one thing or good at a couple events. i didn't have the right coaching situation after college to help me become a really elite level sprinter, and the u.s. is extremely deep in those events.
Awesome that you gave your time to speak to the young athletes
Ryan Mitchell
....ut um!
hello? am i invisible here?
you just don't know! ha!
Yeah, I know, but except for one they were good questions, and since you threw them out there our (ok, MY) curiosity was piqued. It's good, though.
You were a hit with the athletes, and as always the coach :) it was all he could talk about, and I know he was proud to introduce his kids to a new (and professional) perspective on track & field.
Thanks for your time -- I'm just sorry I missed it!
aww...i'm glad he thought i was a hit. that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Just curious, when did you first start running track? or know that you wanted to go pro? I'm a high school track & field athlete and i started my freshman year, which i found out is veryyyyy late. anyways, please answer :)
i didn't run track til high school either, but i played other sports before that.
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