gearing up

Once every four years, people around the world gear up for the Olympics.  Sports enthusiast or not, you cannot ignore the commercials and advertisements that continually use Olympic athletes to promote their brands during this exciting time.

It’s only this one time in each quad that the world comes together to celebrate, not just sport but also humanity.

I can clearly remember sitting on the family sofa with goose bumps filling my extremities as I watched the USA delegation march into the Open Ceremonies.  The truth is that I didn’t fully understand why I was so excited as a child during this moment but I could feel the power through the television screen.

I believe that you have to give some credit to the broadcasters, who do impeccable work creating energy around the event and telling the stories of so many amazing athletes.

Olympians come in all different sizes and colors.  They come from all kinds of social backgrounds with many diverse shapes.  But, one thing is certain!  They compete for their homeland and with all their heart.

From my couch in small town Pennsylvania, it was hard to truly understand what went on behind the scenes of all those athletes dressed in their tailored suits and marching behind their country’s flag.  Fast-forward twenty-years and now that person is me.  I will once again put on the tailored attire and gear up to represent the United States of America.

The journey to my second Olympics has been very eventful, as has the journey for every since member or our 16-player roster. With only 20 days away from the Opening Ceremonies, the road to London is becoming a true reality.

The team is back in Chula Vista putting the finishing touches on our sticks, with our sites set on winning a medal in London.  I promise to take you all on this journey with me.  As the team marches behind the flag on July 27th, I hope you can better understand the rode our team took to London and all the work that went into that one special moment.

You can also follow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KeliSmith13 

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