Although I would not consider myself tremendously drawn to athletic participation, I have dabbled in several sports. My parents insisted that my sister and I take swimming lessons from the time we were toddlers, and that just naturally led to becoming members of the swim team at our local Jewish Community Center. We both swam competitively for years, and once we moved from the East Coast to Arizona, we swam 12 months out of the year. I fenced for a while during middle school, challenged by the uniqueness of the sport, but had to quit because of transportation issues. I golfed on my high school team, not necessarily thrilled with the game. But I was prompted by my father and sister, both of whom love it so much that they played a full round on Father’s Day this summer when the mercury hit 115 degrees in Tucson.
I am also not much of a sports enthusiast. While friends will religiously watch baseball or football -- or at the very least follow March Madness -- I have sat myself down in front of a television for a sporting event on rare occasions. There is one exception. Since I spent several of my childhood years living in Pittsburgh, and returned there for my freshman year of college, the Steelers are near and dear to my heart and get my support when they make it to the Super Bowl.
I am, however, an enormous fan of the Olympics, and I am eagerly awaiting the Summer Games. Perhaps this is because the Olympics are not simply a showcase of athleticism. The Olympic Games transcend mere sports competition. Watching the Olympics becomes an opportunity not only to root for particular athletes in various events, but also to stand tall as an American. I am sure that I am not the only person who feels proudly patriotic when one of our home grown men or women leans down to have a gold medal placed around his or her neck, as the “Star Spangled Banner” plays.
The Olympic Games are also particularly appealing because of the variety of sports from which to choose. When it comes to the Summer Games, I will watch with bated breath as the five young women who will represent our nation on the 2016 US Women’s Gymnastics Team twist and tumble and fly through the air. As a former swimmer myself, I also won’t miss the likes of Michael Phelps, Missy Franklin, Katie Ledecky and Ryan Lochte as they tear through the water. My favorites aside, however, I won’t hesitate to watch any event.
There is apparently an ongoing debate among people as to whether the Winter Games or the Summer Games are better. Some insist that the Winter Games are tougher, with events that risk lives, such as luge and bobsled. On the other hand, those who prefer sports to be objective with clear-cut winners and losers will prefer the Summer Olympics, where the winners are decided by who crosses the finish line or touches the wall first. Gymnastics events are among the few summer events that require judges, while medalists in the winter figure skating, snowboarding, and freestyle skiing events are all determined by voting. I have little concern about this debate. I simply love to watch both the Summer and Winter Games.
Finally, unlike any other sporting event, the Olympics come complete with the spectacle of the opening ceremony and the torch lighting, the Parade of Nations an opportunity for pageantry and ceremony.
Go, USA!
