Goodwill

The United States Olympic Committee has asked me and six other athletes to take a trip to Beijing to promote the olympics and good will between the Chinese and Americans. The tour has been aptly named the "Beijing Goodwill Tour".

I am leaving on the 31st of this month for the tour and returning on the 5th of August. The athletes will be doing various press events and might perhaps have the opportunity to meet with the American ambassador. I'm excited to visit the site of the Olympics as I have heard that most of the venues have been built and almost all the preparations have been completed. What I'm really hoping for is the chance to check out the fencing venue-primarly as a boost but also as a tool for visualization.

When I was first asked to do this tour I wasn't thinking much about goodwill but more about a free trip to China. However, after hearing some recent stories from the Pan-American Games in Rio de Janeiro, it has become apparent to me that a Goodwill Tour is necessary.

The Pan-American Games are similar to the Olympics as it is a multi-sport event held every four years, but the Games only include the nations of the Americas. It's a fun event but it doesn't count for points towards qualifying for the Olympic Games-at least for the sport of fencing.

I have been told by some athletes and coaches that the US team wasn't always welcome in Rio. Many spectators would hold anti-American signs up including signs about getting rid of Bush. Although I am not a supporter of Bush, it's one thing for Americans to do it in their own country, but it's another to see foreigners holding up negative signs about your country during a sporting event. The athletes and coaches got along just fine but it was the spectators that made it into a political forum.

In a way I understand why they would use the Pan-American Games in this fashion. Not because this is a large public venue but also because the United States comes in as a tour de force. We are a large unit and the USOC provides a lot for the American athletes-we usually have a lot of details and matters taken care of for us. We often look like the big, rich, insensitive, bully. However, this being said, the Canadians also spend a lot of money to provide their athletes with everything they need in order to perform. So what's the difference? The United States is the most powerful country in the world and our every move is scrutinized-even at the Pan-American Games.

And so, the USOC is taking some initiative with Beijing-starting with the Goodwill Tour. Seven athletes are going to Beijing to represent the United States to show the Chinese (or at least whomever shows up to the press events) that we aren't so bad after all. The situation is a bit different as well-mainly because political policy towards China and political policy towards South America is very different. But all that aside-I think this is a nice gesture by the USOC.

As for this week-I am off to Colorado to visit with Felicia, work with a physical therapist out there, and meet with my sports psychologist at the US Olympic Training Center.

Until next time...

Howdy stranger

So, it's been a while since I last posted and I only hope I didn't lose everybody that has been following the blog.

The truth is I have been having a great few weeks since Nationals. I took second at National Championships. I wonder if it had something to do with my new found relationship with my Dad? It's always nice to know that you have your family in your corner-so it definitely did help in some way.

After National Championships was over I took the opportunity to take a break. I spent a few days in Miami with some fencing friends of mine-we spent a wonderful fourth of July there. I didn't realize that fireworks were legal in Maimi, but a lot of people were setting them off on the beach. I am still not entirely sure it was so safe but it was interesting at the very least.

Where have I been after that? Well, I finally came home and had some time with my parents and with my sister. She came in on Friday this week to spend a few days and for our induction to the Walk of Fame at Frontier Field in Rochester. The Monroe County Sports Commission and committee of VIPs in Rochester decided that Felicia and I deserved to get a 6" by 6" brick with our names on it on the "Walk of Fame" at Rochester's Frontier Field. It was a great day-really sunny out and there were tons of people in attendance to watch us and a group of ten others get inducted. The tons of people were due to Cal Ripken Jr. Jersey day at the baseball game. I didn't realize that Cal Ripken Jr. played on the triple A Red Wings team before he went into the major leagues. As for the Red Wings today, they had their worst EVER game at Frontier Field. Oh well-you can't win everything.

So, it's been an eventful and restful two weeks since I last posted. I'm actually spending the month of July just cross training and resting up for the next big competition at the end of August. I have a lot to work on outside of fencing and I don't plan on picking up a fencing weapon until the beginning of August when I get back from the Beijing Goodwill Tour. (I will talk about going to Beijing in the next blog-I promise I won't take two weeks to post.)

As for the near future-I am going to Denver, CO this week to visit my sister for the weekend. I am looking forward to hiking in the mountains and visiting Colorado Springs where one of the US Olympic Training Centers is located.

I hope all is well with everyone and big apologies for not blogging sooner.