Thanks for Inspiring the Kiddos, Paris
A sprinkling of athletes who are seizing the Olympic platform with inspiring messages for young athletes.
Good Game is a 1-2x/week publication aimed at educating youth sports parents and coaches so they can best empower athletes.
Within hours of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship cascading from rumor to real, ‘New Heights,’ a podcast hosted by the Kelce brothers surged from semi-obscure to top of the charts. That was last July. This July (and August), Olympic athletes and organizers are hoping to have an impact of their own. For some it’s growing individual star power but so many others see the Olympic as an opportunity to inspire widespread and healthier participation in sports. Especially among our youth. This Olympiad saw the debut of breakdancing (!!!), and the return of skateboarding and surfing, all of which should appeal to the younger sect.
A case study following the 2012 London Olympics showed an increase in participation for the lesser known sports of fencing and judo. But it wasn’t as organic as, say, America’s youth grabbing a soccer ball after one of the many examples of the USWNT’s dominance on the international stage over the past couple of decades (before the rest of the world caught up). Of course that dominance traces back to the very intentional passing of Title IX in which participation - and the subsequent talent pool - skyrocketed.
In the case of judo and fencing, it was really the relationship between the NGB (national governing body) and the local clubs that fueled the participation. Local grassroots efforts are great but resources and relationships with the rainmakers are key. PlayLA has been a shining beacon. In partnership with the IOC and LA28, the massive youth sports initiative has been infused with $160 million. This has allowed the parks and dec department to not only massively grow its offering of traditional and adaptive sports but make them affordable as well. PlayLA hopes to serve 1 million kids ahead of the 2028 Olympics. There’s a strong blueprint for other regions.
Back to the current Olympics where time will tell how sharp an increase these particular games inspires. But the most special (and hopefully still impactful) form of inspiration is from the athletes themselves. Many have incredible stories of perseverance that speak for themselves like Pakistani javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, who won the nation’s first gold medal since 1984 with an Olympic record to boot (!) all while training in a humble gym with no air-conditioning. Other athletes are using their platform to directly speak to current or potential aspiring athletes. A few examples:
Shalalaya Valenzuela (Canada, Rugby) Valenzuela from Tseshaht First Nation on Vancouver Island is the first indigenous Canadian to earn a medal in the rugby 7s at the Olympics. The 25-year-old silver medalist is determined not to be the last.
"Being Indigenous myself, being from a small town and also being a youth in [foster care], I think I can relate to a lot of youth," Valenzuela told CBC. "Now having this title just gives me way more leadership opportunities. Especially for Indigenous youth, I can be such a big role model for my people.”
Ashleigh Johnson (USA, Water Polo) There aren’t many water polo players who look like Johnson, the first Black woman on the US water polo team. Paris marks the third Olympics for Johnson, the team’s goalie. As she’s grown in the sport so to has her desire to inspire more kids of color to take up water polo.
“I remember when I was young on this national team and just starting to find my footing, I didn’t understand why it was important for me to be here,” Johnson told NBC News. “But I understand now. As a Black woman of Caribbean descent in this sport, I definitely feel a special obligation to be a light for little Black and brown girls and boys who may be interested in swimming and water polo. That’s really special and is a priority for me.”
Julien Alfred (St. Lucia, Track & Field) Alfred, who upset Sha’Carri Richardson to win gold in the women’s 100 m dash is hoping her home country invests in future athletes. As a kid in St. Lucia, Alfred struggled to find training facilities and is calling on the St. Lucian government to build a stadium so the sport can grow.
Joshua Cheptegei (Uganda, Track and Field) Like Alfred, the 10000 m gold medalist had to train in meager facilities. But he made it and wants Ugandan youth to make it too even with some inherent disadvantages.
“You can achieve it; believe in yourself because when you don’t believe in yourself, you can’t make it in life,” Cheptegei said.
Scottie Scheffler (USA, Golf) Most of Scheffler’s opponents listed their "Paris Goal” as winning gold. Nothing wrong with that. But Scheffler offered a refreshing perspective.
No better message to kids no matter the level or activity
The inspiring messages are endless from Simone Biles’ well-documented struggles with mental health to the “Clark Kent of pommel horse” Stephen Nedoroscik making glasses cool. God, I love the Olympics!