Plain Dealer | July 1999
Amateur means ‘one who loves’
By Betsy Mitchell
I was growing cynical about sports, but a 7-year-old opened my heart again.
After a winter of International Olympic Committee scandal, after a decade of increasing drug use and skyrocketing prize money, after a summer of articles in national magazines critical of pushy sports parents, I had plenty to be cynical about.
Ten years ago, I retired from a swimming career that included two Olympiads, a world record and countless hours of practice and competition. Recently, I returned to a pool and handed out approximately 200 medals at the AAU Junior Olympic Swimming Championships. More than any event I have attended in adulthood, this swimming meet reminded me why I chose athletics as my “grown-up” career. This swimming meet was fun.
Parents cheered proudly for their kids and their kids’ teammates. Coaches and athletes spoke earnestly about technique. Teenagers clustered at the ends of the lanes, screaming and shimmying to urge on the small swimmers in the pool. Volunteers hurried everywhere, organizing, orchestrating and providing this competitive opportunity. And athletes did what athletes do: compete against one another to improve themselves.
I saw some really good performances. I saw some that were clearly devastating to the athletes.
I saw a second-place finisher cry because he felt his time stunk. I saw dozens of all-consuming smiles. I saw winners and losers congratulating and consoling each other — cheering, clapping, picture-taking and hand-shaking. I saw hundreds of people enjoying the thrill of competition. The thrill is that the result is unknown; the degree of personal risk involved makes each race an incredibly valuable experience.
As the award presenter, I feel it is most important to celebrate and reward the athletes receiving the medal. As the night wore on, however, word spread about my own accomplishments. Kids and parents began to ask questions about my experience as an Olympic swimmer. The ones asked most frequently were, “How did you stay motivated?” and “Did you ever hate it?”
Many look surprised when I answered. My motivation came from loving every second of every practice and meet. I just loved the whole thing. No one made me swim. No one yelled at me. No one put unrealistic demands on me. Everyone just taught me and surrounded me with a positive environment. The experience was mind, not that of my parents, or my coaches or teammates. I just loved it.
Then came Louisa. Louisa is 7 and that night she broke four minutes for the 200 meter individual medley to earn a 16th place, red-white-and-blue ribbon. She stood there behind block No. 1 before her race, blue Speedo cap on, goggles down, shivering from an utter lack of body fat in the 80-degree chlorinated air. Her arms and legs were perfectly shaped, taut and buff, rounded and symmetrical. When she dove in, I thought my heart would break. I wasn’t at all sure she would surface.
She competed against a bunch of 9-year olds and two 10-year-olds How was this wonderful little creature going to swim four, long metric laps in a row, one of which is butterfly?
Superbly — that’s how. Louisa was fabulous, swimming perfect little strokes, a furious kick and hitting the wall with a strong finish. Best of all, she came out of the water smiling!
She had ignored me prior to her race but afterwards came over and said hello, asking for an autograph on her ribbon. Her eyes shone and her smile was infectious. I was drawn to her spirit. We chatted for a few minutes, and she told me how much she enjoyed swimming.
It was hard to imagine that I had begun my swimming career at 6, a year younger than Louisa. That seemed so long ago. But thanks to Louisa and 200 other young athletes, I have the joy of remembering why swimming was such a big part of the first 30 years of my life and why athletics will be such an important part of the next 30.
Mitchell is the athletic director at Laurel School in Shaker Heights.
Amateur Means ‘One Who Loves’ (Plain Dealer)
Sanya| July 26, 1999| Publications+Commentary
Plain Dealer | July 1999
Amateur means ‘one who loves’
By Betsy Mitchell
I was growing cynical about sports, but a 7-year-old opened my heart again.
After a winter of International Olympic Committee scandal, after a decade of increasing drug use and skyrocketing prize money, after a summer of articles in national magazines critical of pushy sports parents, I had plenty to be cynical about.
Ten years ago, I retired from a swimming career that included two Olympiads, a world record and countless hours of practice and competition. Recently, I returned to a pool and handed out approximately 200 medals at the AAU Junior Olympic Swimming Championships. More than any event I have attended in adulthood, this swimming meet reminded me why I chose athletics as my “grown-up” career. This swimming meet was fun.
Parents cheered proudly for their kids and their kids’ teammates. Coaches and athletes spoke earnestly about technique. Teenagers clustered at the ends of the lanes, screaming and shimmying to urge on the small swimmers in the pool. Volunteers hurried everywhere, organizing, orchestrating and providing this competitive opportunity. And athletes did what athletes do: compete against one another to improve themselves.
I saw some really good performances. I saw some that were clearly devastating to the athletes.
I saw a second-place finisher cry because he felt his time stunk. I saw dozens of all-consuming smiles. I saw winners and losers congratulating and consoling each other — cheering, clapping, picture-taking and hand-shaking. I saw hundreds of people enjoying the thrill of competition. The thrill is that the result is unknown; the degree of personal risk involved makes each race an incredibly valuable experience.
As the award presenter, I feel it is most important to celebrate and reward the athletes receiving the medal. As the night wore on, however, word spread about my own accomplishments. Kids and parents began to ask questions about my experience as an Olympic swimmer. The ones asked most frequently were, “How did you stay motivated?” and “Did you ever hate it?”
Many look surprised when I answered. My motivation came from loving every second of every practice and meet. I just loved the whole thing. No one made me swim. No one yelled at me. No one put unrealistic demands on me. Everyone just taught me and surrounded me with a positive environment. The experience was mind, not that of my parents, or my coaches or teammates. I just loved it.
Then came Louisa. Louisa is 7 and that night she broke four minutes for the 200 meter individual medley to earn a 16th place, red-white-and-blue ribbon. She stood there behind block No. 1 before her race, blue Speedo cap on, goggles down, shivering from an utter lack of body fat in the 80-degree chlorinated air. Her arms and legs were perfectly shaped, taut and buff, rounded and symmetrical. When she dove in, I thought my heart would break. I wasn’t at all sure she would surface.
She competed against a bunch of 9-year olds and two 10-year-olds How was this wonderful little creature going to swim four, long metric laps in a row, one of which is butterfly?
Superbly — that’s how. Louisa was fabulous, swimming perfect little strokes, a furious kick and hitting the wall with a strong finish. Best of all, she came out of the water smiling!
She had ignored me prior to her race but afterwards came over and said hello, asking for an autograph on her ribbon. Her eyes shone and her smile was infectious. I was drawn to her spirit. We chatted for a few minutes, and she told me how much she enjoyed swimming.
It was hard to imagine that I had begun my swimming career at 6, a year younger than Louisa. That seemed so long ago. But thanks to Louisa and 200 other young athletes, I have the joy of remembering why swimming was such a big part of the first 30 years of my life and why athletics will be such an important part of the next 30.
Mitchell is the athletic director at Laurel School in Shaker Heights.
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