///
The difficult journey to Olympic success
For Jessica Morgan, a young athlete New Zealand, a typical day starts early. Most mornings, she gets up 4:30 a.m., while her family is still bed, and trains before school. As an elite rower, she is one the best in her country, and she aims to compete in the next Olympic Games.
Jessica’s weekly schedule is grueling. She trains twice
a day, six days a week, and competes in rowing events
on the weekends. However, she’s also a normal
schoolgirl, and like every other sixteen-year-old at
high school, she regularly does her homework, too.
Jessica’s motivation is impressive. She never hangs
out with friends or takes a vacation. She isn’t only an
amazing athlete – she usually gets good grades in
school, too. Of course, it isn’t easy to become successful. Being the best at your sport requires hard work,
determination, and the help of family and coaches.
Young athletes’ relationships with their family and
coaches can influence their success in the future. Jessica’s parents usually spend hours every week taking
her to training and competitions, and they help her
to eat a healthy diet. Her coach plans her training
and enters her for competitions. But both parents
and coach must offer emotional support, too – for
example, when Jessica loses a competition or she gets
an injury. Luckily for Jessica, she has a good relationship with both her coach and family. But in other cases,
these relationships can place too much pressure on
young athletes. For this reason, some of them lose
their motivation to do well.
For Jessica, the most important factor in her future
success is her own desire to win. “I know talented
young athletes who give up because they feel lonely
without their friends,” she says. “But I prefer not to
think negatively.” Jessica believes she is responsible
for securing her future success. “It’s my decision to
train every morning and go back to it again every
afternoon. It’s my decision not to have a social life, and
never to take a vacation.” Not everyone can cope with
this kind of lifestyle. But each day Jessica moves one
step closer to achieving her Olympic dream.