Dear Women of the Olympics Past, Present, and Future:
Your medal does not define you. Your lack of medal does not define you.
As someone who appreciates you and your sport from a distance, you need to understand that your medal is just a symbol. A symbol of pride. A symbol of recognition. A product of years of hard work, sacrifice and determination. If you don't win, know the age old phrase that winning isn't everything and this is not the end of the world.
As someone who is already proud of all the athletes for making it this far, you made it. Congratulations. Understand you are already a role model to millions of women. Remember that your accomplishment is yours to keep. You keep your head up high. Don't let your head drop just because you feel you let your country down. You did not and will never let your country down. Just know you made it and be proud.
Be proud that you get to compete. Be proud you are passionate about something. Be proud you are an athlete. Be proud that as a woman, you are more than just physical strength.
Your muscles on your arms and legs are pillars. Pillars that stand tall even when you are not on a pedestal.
When you don't hear your country's anthem at the end of your final know that it is not because you are a loser. You won because you fought for a dream and succeeded. You are a winner for choosing to run full force for your dream. In this moment, you have to remember that life will move on if you win or lose.
At the end of the day, your scrapes and bruises from practice are marks to show you to push forward. Always look ahead never back.
It is the fight that everyone will remember. They will remember the fire burning in your eyes and rushing through your veins. They will remember your love and passion for the game.
When, and if, they interview you about your hair routine or who your celebrity crush is instead of complimenting you on the strength of your routine, answer with dignity. When they ask you if you feel that those muscles make you less attractive: answer with how sports are not meant to be or ever will be a beauty contest on what female athletes look the best in their swimsuit or how well they look in a leotard.Your sport is not meant to showcase your sex appeal.
Your worth is not weighted in gold, silver, or bronze. Your worth is not for the judges to rank on a weighted scale. Your score or time on a board should not be what you were aiming for, but you did it! You should not aim for a world record and be disappointed by the milliseconds. You should aim for the best you that you know you are.
When the interviewer asks you about, "the balance of being an athlete and a mother," ask them about how does a male athlete balance being a father, son, boyfriend, husband, friend and coworker while being an athlete.
When they pause remind them this is the same type of balance for you as a mother, daughter, girlfriend, wife, friend and coworker. Answer about how your sport, your passion, does not focus on trivial and often sexist things like make up routines or crushes.
Maybe even have the interviewer take a step back about how your intelligence, beauty, dignity, respect and determination is marked on and off the court, field, lane or course.
Remember to always have fun.
To the girls and boys who are just starting their first sport, you already won. Your trophy or medal does not define you. Your lack of trophy or medal does not define you.
Works cited: #CovertheAthlete; Youtube.com. 28 October 2015.
