Diary From Qingdao
August 27, 2006
Olympic Sailing Committee Chairman Dean Brenner writes:
Building a Team, Building a Program
Hello everyone –
It is late here in China, after another long, hot and light-air day. I arrived late last night in time for the last five days of the event. So I am wide awake – equal parts jet lag and adrenaline.
I’d like to take a few moments and share with you some thoughts about what I see here from our US Sailing Team, and what it tells me about the state of our program. This morning I got to spend some good time with many members of our team during a postponement on shore.
We have a great team of athletes, coaches and support staff here in China. There is a great spirit among our team. The athletes are working well together, supporting and cheering for each other. Our coaches and staff are also doing a great job, best exemplified by something I heard several times today. Several athletes pulled me aside and told me that they felt that everyone here was totally dedicated to helping them succeed. The athletes wanted me to know that they felt it and appreciated it.
I share this with you for a few reasons. First, it proves to me that our staff has brought the perfect, professional attitude to this event. But secondly, and more importantly, it tells me a great deal about the state of our US Olympic Sailing Program.
Two years ago, the Olympic Sailing Committee publicly committed itself to four major goals for the Quadrennium, one of which was an improved team dynamic within the program. We wanted to foster a sense of common goals among our athletes and our staff, and reinforce the notion that we are all on the same team. This trip has already, after 24 hours, demonstrated to me that we are making big progress on this goal.
Eventually, every individual athlete or individual team goes out on the water and has to compete on their own. Eventually, each athlete or team is out on the water alone, making their own decisions, sailing their own boat. But I can tell you with absolute certainty that all those things you have to do on your own to succeed get easier when you know -- you just know -- there are people out there cheering for you and supporting you in the best ways possible. And it is even more powerful when you are surrounded by a team of athletes and coaches, friends and mentors, who are there to help you get better, give you what you need, congratulate you when you succeed and console you when you don’t.
This is what has struck me most strongly in the 24 hours since I arrived in China. This team’s spirit is infectious.
Why am I sharing this with you? Simple. There are many ways to gauge the progress of the US Olympic Sailing Program over the last two years. But now, today, I can see clearly that perhaps our best improvements have occurred among us as a group and as teammates.
All of at US SAILING should be proud of the members of the US Sailing Team – our athletes, coaches and staff. I know I am.
Good night from Qingdao!