I know without a doubt I’m not the only one with a very heavy heart for Jordyn Wieber. There just aren’t words to describe how sad I am for her about what’s happened.
There are so many facets to this story. One is the age of our gymnasts and the incredible pressure they’re under. The only pressure most girls their age are under is deciding what dress to buy for prom or passing their drivers license test. Here these young ladies are on an International stage under the hugest of microscopes before most of them are yet to reach “legal” age in our country.
The feeling of responsibility can be huge. They’re representing not only their country, but their gyms, hometowns, family, friends and every young aspiring Olympian in a leotard. They know how many people are watching and they don’t want to disappoint. That’s a lot of weight to carry on their young shoulders as they attempt to fly through the air and flip and twist on a 4 inch wide balance beam. Especially when everyone has told you that you’re the favorite to win gold.
Yet as an athlete at that level, it’s their job to handle the pressure. That’s just part of the game. Anyone can do it in practice. Champions are the ones who do it repeatedly in practice and then execute when it counts in competition. So did Jordyn handle the pressure and execute? She had some small mistakes, maybe competing a little cautiously. But she didn’t fall. She hit four for four as we say, and as a coach that’s what you ask for.
But her fate was not completely in her own hands. In swimming and track, the stopwatch is the judge. Jordyn had to rely on the opinions of the several judges evaluating her routine. Being awarded points or not for certain elements and connections were all in their hands. Nothing new in gymnastics, we’re used to it. But how crucial were those opinions in this situation? Did the judgment of one official keep Jordyn from her dream? We’ll never know the answer.
After her session she was third in the all around. Yet a rule that I’ve argued was grossly unfair for YEARS has kept her out of the all-around finals. Only two athletes from each country can advance to the finals. Tell me, what other governing body denies the best athletes in their sport an opportunity to compete for the Olympic Gold? Absolutely RIDICULOUS.
There will be many “what ifs” discussed. Uneducated and unfair conjecture, speculation and conspiracy theories will continue for months. What happened? Did she choke? Did the judges conspire against her? Was the media attention too much for her to handle. Should she have been last on floor to help her score? Was she over trained?
Even if we knew the answers, they wouldn’t change the fact that a very mature, talented, hard working, beautiful, energetic and accomplished young athlete did all the right things. Yet she’s “failed” to make the finals and must live with it for the rest of her life.
And now to add salt to the wound, she’ll have no opportunity to start processing all that’s happened. She has to suck it up, put on a smile and go out and compete in the team final where the Americans are also expected to take gold. No pressure there.
Even with all my years as a competitive athlete, a coach, a mental coach, a gymnastics fan and a sports enthusiast, I can’t begin to imagine how you go about doing that. As a mental coach, I understand it intellectually. I know what I would counsel her to do. But how does an eighteen year old find the strength and resiliency to actually go out and do it?
Will she be OK? Absolutely. She’s a tough young woman with wonderful supportive people around her. My money is on her to go out and compete as the strong willed, determined champion she is. But the real question is, should she have to? Or did the rules of her sport discriminate against her and Team USA for being good at what they do?
In Celebration of Sport
Well,said!!! Go Jordyn!