 History
proves that it is never too early or too late to start preparing
for the Olympic games and winning Olympic medals, especially
in a sport such as target shooting. There have been many medalists,
even Olympic Gold Medalists in target shooting who were over
50 years old when they won their medals. Remember, the
oldest Olympic medalist was a Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn at
72 years old! For more information on Oscar Swahn, visit
this page.
The following information
is based on the FabJob Guide to Becoming an Olympic Athlete.
You can view the original
version here. Here
are 10 steps you can take towards living your dream of becoming
an Olympic Athlete.
1. Assess
your physical condition
The
first step is to determine what shape you are currently in. This
will help you to select the best sport for you, as well as the
training program you will need to follow.
If you are 35 years
old and your favorite activity is sitting on the couch with
a six pack and a bag of chips, you probably aren’t cut
out to become an Olympic gymnast. However, if you are willing
to make a few lifestyle changes, there are a number of sports
you could successfully compete in. You can get an assessment
of your current level of fitness by visiting a local gym and
consulting a trainer.
2. Choose
a sport
Many
athletes select a sport based on what they enjoy doing and what
they are good at. If you already have an athletic hobby, such
as target shooting or judo, you are already one step ahead.
If you
are an older athlete, you are more likely to achieve success
in a sport that focuses on “mental” rather than
purely “physical” strength. Some examples
of mental sports include Archery and International
Target Shooting.
3. Find
a place to train
Once
you decide which sport to pursue, you need to start developing
your skills. Join a local athletic club or visit a recreation
center so you can practice and take classes (visit www.midwestshootingacademy.com if
your choice is International Target Shooting in ISSF Program).
Another good place to train, depending on your sport, is your
local high school or university.
4. Join
your National Governing Body
A crucial step that will take you to the next level
is to join your National Governing Body (NGB).
The NGB conducts National Championships, maintains a National
Team, and often supports various developmental programs for athletes.
You can find the website for your NGB by going to http://www.usolympicteam.com.
5. Start
competing
If
you haven’t already started competing at the club stage,
now is the time to do it. Your NGB hosts a variety of tournaments
that start on the local level. It is important in many sports
to build a national rating by competing at certain competitions.
Your NGB will be able to tell you when and where you should be
competing.
6. Get
a coach
This step should be taken at the same time as you start
competing. A coach can help you develop your skills, so you can
progress to the next level of your sport. A good place to start
looking for a coach is your local training facility. The people
who teach classes at the facility can recommend someone to coach
you, or they may be able to coach you themselves.
7. Visualize
your success
A training technique used by top athletes is visualization. According
to one theory, if you see a perfect golf swing 1,000 times in your mind,
it’s better practice than actually swinging the golf club 10,000
times.
If you're a diver,
you can play out the entire sequence of a perfect dive in your
mind. Imagine yourself climbing up the ladder, taking each
step toward the end of the platform, launching yourself in
the air, performing each flip and twist perfectly, and entering
the water without a splash. Then see yourself coming out of
the water to a roaring crowd, toweling off, flashbulbs popping. The
more detail you can add to your visualizations – including
imagining any sounds, smells, and physical sensations – the
better your visualizations will prepare you to achieve the
result you want.
8. Find
financing
At some point you may be ready to start training full-time,
which means you will have to find a way to support yourself financially. Elite
level athletes have several options including: attend college
on an athletic scholarship, become a resident athlete at an Olympic
Training Center, or obtain corporate sponsorships. Your NGB can
give you information about becoming a resident athlete.
You may
be able to obtain corporate sponsorships through your employer,
by contacting the marketing department of other companies,
or by having a sports marketing agency contact companies
for you.
9. Attend
the national championships
Most
NGBs run their National Championships in a similar format to
the Olympic Games so it will be good practice for you. Often,
the National Team coach is present at the National Championships,
and will be able to tell you what you need to do to make the
Olympic Team in your sport.
Many individual
sports open their National Championships to any competitor
who has achieved some minimum qualification at the local or
regional level so you may have a better chance of competing
than you think.
10. Qualify
for the Olympics
Each
sport has a different process for qualifying for the national
Olympic Team. Athletes in team sports (such as basketball or
soccer) tend to be chosen by the national coaching squad via
their national reputation, national ranking or through results
at previous competitions. Some team sports also have an Olympic
try-out.
Athletes in individual
sports (such as track and field or tennis) compete for a spot
on the Olympic Team through qualifying tournaments or their
national rankings.
By John Bickar
Now
enjoy the experience and go for the gold!
If
you would like to purchase the complete
FabJob Guide to Becoming an Olympic Athlete, you can visit this
page.
|
