An Olympic Gift

I have always been in awe of Olympians who accomplish super human feats, beating out competitors in fractions of a second. I met some of my heroes as former director of administration for the U.S. Olympic Museum in Colorado Springs. Olympians who were seemingly normal individuals, giving back to their communities and leading non-profits, their stash of medals hidden away in shoeboxes. Last weekend, my daughter and I had the privilege of meeting Carolyn Wood, Olympic gold medalist in swimming and author of TOUGH GIRL: An Olympian's Journey. An 'inspirational opportunity of a lifetime' my daughter shared on Instagram afterwards. Carolyn Wood, Olympian, educator and author is a true heroine and her visit was 'An Olympic Gift' to my family.

I credit my daughter with uniting Carolyn and our family, having discovered Carolyn's 'Tough Girl' memoir in her 9th grade English classroom. Proud she chose a book with such an intriguing title, I scanned the back cover detailing Carolyn's journey from Olympian to writer in Portland, our new hometown, and was immediately hooked. Enthralled by her journey and history outlined in the book, I was compelled to connect with Carolyn to describe her profound impact on my daughter in high school and the U.S. Olympic Museum, in which she'd be recognized in Colorado Springs.  Coincidence or fate, Carpé Diem, I thought as I reached out to Carolyn via her website with nothing to lose!

Carolyn was most generous in her quick response I read aloud to my four children. "We all know tough girls, don't we?" she stated. "Working in Colorado Springs you were in touch with the athletes, but those 'tough girls' exist everywhere." I love this woman I thought to myself! She not only offered to be interviewed by my daughter, she provided her personal email address in response. "A retired high school English teacher, Carolyn clearly cares about nurturing students and the Olympians I've met are no different in their inspiration of others," I explained to my children. A thrilling opportunity she couldn't refuse, my daughter expeditiously obtained her English teacher's approval for a final semester project. 

Arriving promptly at 9am last Saturday, with only a few days notice, Carolyn was immediately recognizable from pictures in her book when she won the gold medal in 1960. Meeting an Olympian who had accomplished such a feat at age 14 was surreal to my 14-year-old daughter. Carolyn immediately put her at ease, alleviating most of her teenage nerves with a bright smile and engaging presence. Regaling stories of her experience at the Rome 1960 Olympic Games, I was fascinated watching Carolyn and my daughter interact at our family table. Leaning back in awe, I marveled when Carolyn turned to face her with undivided attention and respect, equating swim team training to my daughter's musical practice and relating the equivalent diligence and practice required to achieve a goal. "Swim to the end of the lane and touch the wall; never give up," a mantra from her coach that Carolyn remembers and follows in life, whether to the trail's end or finish line. Joking about swim team strokes and sharing stories of working as a swim instructor and lifeguard, Carolyn had much in common with my daughter, a 'swim teamer' herself who aspires employment at the local pool this summer. I observed renewed confidence in my daughter that morning and belief that anything is possible when you put your mind to it.

I've heard Olympian's stories of training for four grueling years, only to be painstakingly defeated by fractions of a second at the Olympic Games. Carolyn's book details such an upset in the 100-meter butterfly she was favored to win at the Rome 1960 Olympic Games. Nevertheless, she persisted to triumph on the gold medal winning women's 4x100-meter freestyle team. Rather than sacrifice college for "no guaranty of success" at the 1964 Olympics, her passion for a college degree led Carolyn into a teaching career. She mentioned how women couldn't even compete at a collegiate level in sports at that time until Title IX was approved in 1974! I beamed as I witnessed my daughter processing Carolyn's authenticity, personal struggles as a female, and value she placed on college education. How far we have come as women in her lifetime and empowered as a result! 

A resilient multi-talented woman, Carolyn translated her life journey into her fascinating memoir Tough Girl. This path of success was equally intriguing to me, an aspiring author myself. My courageous daughter asked Carolyn to autograph her English teacher's book (which may alone earn her an 'A') and Carolyn gifted my daughter her own autographed copy, signed "to another tough girl with appreciation, Carolyn Wood." I shared my U.S. Olympic Museum literature and explained the virtual experience in which she will be recognized. Inquiring about my own memoir and its premise of resilience, Carolyn promptly gave me a fist bump in shared appreciation. Just what this mother needed to boost my confidence as well!

My daughter's English final project is due next week and Carolyn expects a copy. Nothing worth doing is every easy! Carolyn recalled her coach stating, "It takes guts to be an Olympian." It also takes guts to be a tough girl as my daughter is learning along the way. I am grateful to Carolyn for her kindness to my family, mentorship and inspiration. She's truly 'An Olympic Gift' and dream come true!