The beginning of the road - CTV Olympics

Preparation. Preparation. Preparation.


Today, the journey began for my role as analyst for the 2012 London Olympic Games with CTV Olympics.


Rod Black and I had our first "rehearsal" today and it went pretty well. I wanted to nail it out of the park, but I left with a lot of really constructive things to work on. I am so excited about the next 8 months of prep and I realized today that I have a lot of work to do in order to get to where I want to be.

courtesy of @carolynwaldoCTV

This process is eerily comparable to the prep that I went through as an athlete. I found myself visualizing being in the O2 arena with the 10,000 people in the audience. I could feel the tension and the storyline's unfolding. I also felt thankful that we still have 8 months to go before the big show…


I don't want to just be a commentator. I want to bring excellence to the role. I want to have the viewers at home feel like they are out there on the floor with the athletes. I want them to have the butterflies and I want them to completely understand the sacrifice and dedication it took to get there. My role as an analyst is to explain the WHY's and the HOW's. Simple, right? Well, not so much…


But this is where my focus needs to be. And it's great to have a focal point.


Over the course of the next 8 months, I am going to be vigilantly watching hours and hours of gymnastics on VHS, DVD and youtube. I'll be playing with language. I am going to listen to the best of the best (any recommendations?) and see what they say. I am going to be constantly recording myself while explaining WHY an iron cross is difficult. I am going to make lists and lists of flavourful adjectives that describe certain characteristics of skills and routines. I have a goal of never being tongue tied…I want to be so 'ready' that I don't have to try.


In Athens and Beijing, I remember stepping on to the floor feeling like I couldn't have anything more to be more prepared. I want to feel this same way in London - I'll just be on the other side of the camera.


Today, this incredible role I have with CTV Olympics started to feel a little more real. I have a lot of work to do. But with that being said, I am so psyched about doing it!


Next stop: London. I'll be there in January for the final Olympic qualifier (Go Canada Go!). I apologize in advance to the person who has to sit next to me in the stands. They'll be getting a running commentary of the event whether they like it or not!

London Calling!

Today marks the one year countdown to the 2012 London Olympic Games. I wonder how many athletes are posting or commenting about this milestone? Tons, I'm sure. Twitter is probably all kinds of CRAZY!


There's a reason for that. The REAL countdown begins today.


The life of an Olympian is thought out in 4 year cycles. First is the year AFTER the Olympics. This is the year where you have some down time to experience the post-Olympic slump. Everyone gets it - even the casual viewer at home ;) There is always so much hype and build up towards a Games that it usually takes some time to decompress and re-focus…except for those who were on the cusp of making it - they are more motivated than ever!


Next comes the awkward 2nd year after an Olympics. New faces begin to emerge in sport and older experienced competitors are still recovering. Results can be misleading because the best often aren't at their best. They don't have to be for another 2 years. This time in the cycle is when you feel like you still have a lot of time left. There's not too much urgency. You're just trying to re-align with your "excellence" footing. It's kind of like Wednesday morning - 2 days of the week are done, but you still have 3 more to go. 


Wednesday afternoon however is when momentum starts to build…this is what the third year's like. This is when things start to get serious. You can see the Olympics over the horizon, but they are still pretty dim and blurry. You still sometimes put important things off until tomorrow. Celebrations are long over - focus becomes imperative. Results are important because you need to start re-establishing your reputation. Training become your main priority again. You start saying no to distractions. You start feeling the groove. Media starts to get interested in you (who?) again. Pressure begins to build.  


And finally, we come to where we are today - ONE year out!


At this point in an Olympians cycle, they turn the corner in their preparation. 366 days feels much different than the monumental 365! 364, 363, 362…it seems like you have a lot of time left and then it's 152, 151, 150…before you know it, the one month countdown is on! Mantras and mottos start to form. "No Regrets" is always a good one. So is "Today not tomorrow". You start to make the most of every moment. Each turn is an important turn. Physio, Chiro, Massage and visits to your Nutrionist seem even more important. Media starts calling ("Yo bitches, this is the MEDIA calling! You're important to us now. Answer the phone!"). I'm one of them now. You better not screen my calls! People start asking you if you're going to be ready. Those extra 2 lbs shave off, the journal starts to fill with plans, thoughts and victories. You start to notice the Olympic Rings everywhere you go. The big sponsors start kicking up their promotions - Have you had a coke or a cheeseburger today? You have a constant reminder of how close you are to the imminent deadline. Your heart pounds a little louder at night when you visualize the competition. You wake up in the morning and PURPOSE oozes from your pours. Your reason for pushing yourself beyond your point of comfort every single day is tattooed on your mind. You can't help but get excited when thinking about red Maple Leafs. You can't help but get a little scared when you think about everyone watching. You can taste success and your focus begins to narrow. Filmstrips of Olympic dreams coming true begin to play in your mind. You have a solid reason behind every decision you make in your life for the next year. And guess what? For the next year, this is your life. It needs to be. You are so much better off when you embrace it.







To every athlete preparing for the London 2012 Games, I wish you an amazing journey over the course of the next year. May it be filled with laughter, tears, sweat, joy, excitement, stress, pressure and brilliant lessons learned. This is YOUR time to turn on the switch and show yourself how great you can be!










  

I'm going to London with CTV!

I can remember being 10 years old in the summer of 1992 and watching my friend Jennifer Wood compete in the Barcelona Olympic Games. My memory vividly recalls me being glued to the TV screen watching in awe and imagining what that experience would have been like. I lived every moment of those Games vicariously through CTV's coverage with Larissa Lowing and Suneel Joshi being the commentary team. 


I can also remember the thought crossing my mind, "I would love to commentate at the Olympics one day"…


Well folks, I have some very exciting news!


Drum roll please…


I am officially going to be a part of CTV's Broadcast team for the London 2012 Olympic Games!!! I am so excited!


It's my hope that I can bring the stories to life and make viewers feel like they are right there in the gym. I want to educate Canadians on the sport of gymnastics and highlight all of the incredible athletes. I want to help viewers get a true sense of the pressure, the joy and the excitement of competition - all from the comfort of their local bars and living rooms. I want to help all of the young gymnasts in our country fall desperately in love with the Olympic Games. I want them to be obsessed with gymnastics and to know all of their favourite gymnasts names. Most importantly, I want them to lay in their beds at night after watching the coverage and dream of what it might be like to be an Olympian!


I will specifically be covering the Men's Artistic, Women's Artistic and Trampoline competitions. I will also be playing a role in the Opening Ceremonies coverage and of course, I will be blogging, tweeting and facebooking through out the Games for CTVOlympics.ca. 


I am totally psyched to be a part of the CTV Olympics Team! This is definitely a dream come true!


KS

6 am

There is something pretty surreal about getting up at 6am on a Saturday morning and driving to the gym when no one else is on the road. I guess it puts you in a weird state of mind because you know that most others in the city are sleeping in...or maybe just going to bed!

I have always been hugely inspired by and maybe a little envious of those who can wake up early and get an ambitious start on their day.

I have never been the type who likes waking up at the crack of dawn and going to the gym. This is maybe because our primary training has always been in the afternoon and morning training was just a wake up and warm up type of regime.

Not anymore though. Not for the past 2 months. Right after we received our draw for Worlds and learned that we would be competing in the 5th subdivision, first thing in the morning on the second day of men's qualification, we immediately changed our routine and started making the first training (8-10:30) the time when we do routines and get the bulk of our work done. I must say that I have adapted pretty well, but there are still the days when I feel a little sorry for myself and my body that I have to pound and swing just after the sun comes out!

I am proud of myself though because I have taken the high road and accepted (not like I had much of an option) the fact that I need to be energized and focused in the morning. I have been going to bed early (seriously, who goes to bed at 9pm?...me!) and I've been getting up ready to go. I have actually embraced the change, and I kind of like it now. I am able to get in to the gym, get my work done, leave and still have some time in the rest of the day to accomplish all of the other tasks that life throws my way. I guess that's the reward. When everyone else is just starting the grind, I am done with the hardest part of my day and I can just laugh at everyone else who still has major tasks to accomplish!

Maybe this draw was a blessing in disguise because it does cater to my work ethic. I am not one who likes to waste time and draw things out. I like to keep a fast pace and move from one event to another. "Get in, Get it done and get out!". That is one of the motto's I live by.

It's a pretty cool feeling when you have adopted a characteristic of a lifestyle you envy. For me, that is an early riser who embraces the day...even if everyone else is still in their cozy, warm beds catching up on sleep!


K.

Bloggin' It!

Hello and welcome to my blog! It has been a long time coming, but finally here it is.

I thought it would be appropriate to start this as the one year count down to the 2008 Beijing Olympics begins.

My goal is to share my thoughts and my journey as the games approach. I want this to be more than a "Gymnastics Journal". I want to keep everyone informed of what's going on in my world, but I also want to share some of the more intriguing views, insights and perceptions that I am continually gaining from life.

I hope you come by often. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Kyle