Posted November 21, 2020
The "recipe" for having great Olympics teams might include:
* Have a lot of people to pick from. It makes sense, doesn't it, that a nation with more than 100 million would have a better chance of having, say, a freakishly good swimmer than would a nation one or two million!
easier to become a Winter Olympian, and having access to public track-and-field equipment, swimming pools, diving pools, or gymnastics equipment can make it easier to become a Summer Olympian.
* Have a lot of training in sports available for children, teens, and young adults.
* Have a lot of opportunities to compete in sports for children, teens, and young adults.
* Have a variety of ways that athletes can be sponsored or supported, so that they have a ton of time to train, practice, play, and compete, and so that they have the money to travel to competitions / games.
Some nations' governments pay athletes in an attempt to have winners on the global stage. But in many nations, athletes have to find private sponsors or work regular jobs while training and competing, at least until they good enough that their nation's Olympics team starts picking up the tab for training and travel expenses. Some athletes, of course, get money for endorsements and for appearing in advertisements - but many can only hope for this kind of income IF they get a medal at the Olympic Games!
The Canadian Olympic Foundation raised money to help athletes train and travel by selling red mittens to citizens. Apparently these red mittens are available in all sizes - even infant - and they are both collectable and practical, so they make great gifts AND they provide a feeling of national unity. The Olympians representing Canada in the Winter Olympics wear red mittens, and fans at the Olympics as well as at home can feel bonded to the team by wearing theirs as they watch the opening and closing ceremonies, or as they watch events!
Great idea, Canada!
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