Winning and Losing?

Hey folks!

After writing about learning from each other and the amazing team spirit in the Youth Olympic Team Austria, I'd like to write something that has not yet fully landed in peoples' heads. I will pick up the topic of the YOG and media Fergus has started earlier. However, instead of turning it into a more global issue, I would like to take a different approach and describe it "from the inside". Because after all, I think that the inaugural YOG in Singapore did a far too great job as to be covered by the same approaches as the traditional Games.

One of Ferg's key point was that no story of the YOG seemed to be complete if it was not about a shiny piece of metal dangling from somebody's neck. To a certain point, that's fair play - after all, we are talking about sports and even though it should not only be about winning, doing better than somebody else is just the crucial element. However, it was definitely a disappointment to see that the media would just apply the same techniques, e.g. in storytelling, they use with every other major sports event, including the traditional Olympics. And that's a pity! Because, although being not the only player in this, the media for me is a crucial factor in reducing the image of sports to glorious winners and beaten losers.

Our Youth Olympic Team Austria accumulated a total of 6 medals - I think that's an incredible number for 16 athletes. And I can guarantee you: The atmosphere, as also described yesterday, was always filled with excitement when one of our guys or girls won a medal. First of all, we were of course really happy that one of our team mates, one of our friends, did so well in his/her competition. And on the other hand, I'd even say that we felt a little proud, because I tend to think that the encouragement and motivation from within the team also amounted a tiny little bit to the success.

However, it would be absolutely wrong to think that the medals were the only events the atmosphere was like this. I vividly remember how excited everybody was about our gymnast reaching the final and becoming an excellent 12th overall. Of course, who would care about becoming 12th in traditional story telling? But not only for us, the achievement our girl made that day was tremendous and definitely worth sharing with the world.

Or take the example of our shooter. He made a stupid mistake in his qualification round - something he told me happens every four years at best. I only heard it from someone else and expected to find him really devastated when coming home to the village at night. Far from it! He said to me: "Yeah, it was a stupid mistake and it's a pity it happened today. But life goes on and I will continue to work hard for the next competition." I think that those are remarkably wise and clever words coming from such a young athlete. And I totally believe that somebody handling a defeat like that would deserve to be reported about!

Those were just two of the countless examples I'd have. Bottom line is that there are so many stories worth telling, aside from the first three ranks. And I think that there is no better ground to take new approaches in journalism and reporting than the YOG. This is in line with something I've already written about in April:

"You might be a winner, but to be a champion, you need to show friendship, excellence and respect."

I am not saying that all the winners are no champions - absolutely not! They are great athletes and they have worked very hard for their success. But please: Let us also read and watch stories about the other champions out there. After all, they are not always marked by shiny objects dangling from their neck...

Team Spirit Austria

Hey folks,

Yesterday, I wrote about the many different things that the people in Team Austria (and I am convinced in other teams as well!) have learned from each other, even outside the CEP's guiding frame. Today, I was looking through some questionnaires we gave our athletes and coaches on the flight back home. We had asked them to share their experience and also to be so kind as to give us permission to use their statements.

The questionnaire had six different phrases that people should complete, e.g. "My favorite moment of the Games was...". And one thing is rather interesting and remarkable about this very question. As you might know, we only had so-called individual sports, i.e. people not competing as a team, in our delegation. However, nearly everybody, both coaches and athletes, completed the phrase as follows:

"My favorite moment of the Games was...supporting and being supported by Team Austria!"

When we were in Singapore, everybody of course had a tight schedule: Going to venues, practicing, going back to the YOV, doing CEP activities, competing...Nonetheless, people would always ask me for tickets to go watch other sports. And although we only had 16 athletes, it was quite often that 10 or even more of us would be at a venue, screaming our lungs out (or maybe that was only me? Anyways!) for our guys. This led to some really memorable situations, like when we handed out Austrian flags to Singaporean school kids and suddenly, the whole block was branded in red-white-red. Or when we went to cheer for our table tennis player, who would later say that being cheered on by us was one of his favorite moments of the Games.

In psychology, there is often a differentiation between intrinsic (from within) and extrinsic (from the outside) motivation. Needless to say, all the athletes going to Singapore are very motivated from within - otherwise they would not be that good. However, I think for every young athlete, it's a very good feeling to know that your talent and achievements are also appreciated by other people. And that your team mates, no matter how busy their schedule is, take a one hour bus ride just to watch you compete.

When I think back of our time in Singapore (which I still do a lot), this is one of the first things that comes to my mind. And it will also be one of the first things we will work on for our Youth Olympic Team Austria in Innsbruck 2012!

Learning from each other

Hey folks,

So approximately one week after our amazing experience in Singapore has ended, I feel ready to write another blog entry. Apart from the usual physical fatigue after such an event (hours were long and sleep was short), I also experienced this kind of mental fatigue. Experts might call it reverse culture shock - the kind of shock you get when you go back to your culture of origin. Anyways, it was just a little bizarre to be back home after the nearly three weeks in Singapore.

In the following updates to this blog, I would like to write about certain things that will live on from the Games. Those might be more global things (speaking of which: Fergus has written a masterpiece on the YOG and media with an excellent capital model!), however, since I can only speak for myself, those might as well be more personal insights. If you allow, I'd like to be selfish and start with one of these stories.

In Singapore, the Austrian delegation comprised of 16 athletes and my job was to promote the Culture and Education Program (CEP) to them. This particularly meant to tell them about the various activities going on, signing them up for stuff taking place outside the village and actively motivating them to get involved. However, over the course of time, it was interesting to see that we initiated our own education program - by teaching and learning from ourselves!

Let me explain: In our team, we had ten girls and six boys competing in 12 different sports. They came from all Austrian regions and all had made different experiences in their lives. Of course, the CEP was a great initiative to teach them things they would maybe not have such an easy access to if it wasn't for the Games. However, I personally believe that they also hugely profited from being together with their peers and learning from them. And although I can't point my finger at it (after all, we are talking about teenagers, who are not too much into openly showing that they have learned something ;)), I could really see that every single one of them has grown during their time in Singapore.

However, it would be foolish to say that only the athletes have learned something. I personally have to admit that I learned a million new things.

• From our shooter, I learned how to take defeat like a real champion.
  
• From our gymnast, I learned what it means to sacrifice, e.g. by controlling your diet, for your sport.
  
• From our canoeist and ringer, I learned how to clench your teeth and go for that medal.
• From our triathlete, I learned that even after taking a gold medal, the next day starts with another training session
• From our sailor, I learned what dedication it takes to make it to the top
  
• And from our rower I learned the importance of mastering foreign languages.

Bottom line is that in only 18 days, we all made so many valuable experiences, from which we can extensively draw in our futures. I already feel the effects: In Singapore, I realized that also in the future, I want to accompany youngsters on their way to sporting excellence. That's way I will work even harder to finish my education and thus be able to, hopefully, help them even more. I also would love to try out rowing, because I think it's a real fascinating sport, not only because of the great abs it gives you. And last but not least, I restarted working out and playing handball. And guess what: It feels good and rewarding. I might would have done these things even without Singapore, however, it would definitely would not have been with the same motivation and satisfaction.

Unfortunately, I can only talk from my personal experience, since I can not look into anybody else's head (yet). However, I am convinced that my athletes will feel similar effects. Maybe not now, in the immediate aftermath. But they will. And they will realize that their experiences from Singapore will tremendously help them in their future. Not only in sports, but with everything they want to achieve in life.

Report from Singapore 6

Hey folks,

This is going to be the last update from the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. The last days of the Games have been pretty busy, so please understand why I did not update this blog more often.

With Christine taking bronze both in the Judo individual and the medley event, Viki paddling to bronze and Lara winning gold in sailing, our team accumulated a total of 6 medals. As you can imagine, the atmosphere with Team Austria at the Youth Olympic Village was amazing! However, as all good things come to an end, it was time to leave for us shortly afterward. Since the whole situation was kind of overwhelming, I can just point out a few things that made the Games such an incredible experience:

• The team spirit within Team Austria, where all the athletes and coaches supported each other and formed friendships to last.
• The warmhearted and welcoming people in Singapore, inviting us to their marvelous city and hosting excellent games.
• The multicultural atmosphere at the Youth Olympic Village, where 205 nations could live next to each other without any problem.
• The activities of the culture and education program, trying to help athletes to grow and advance in their development
• The performances of the athletes with every single one giving his best
• The Cook Islands all smiles and just having fun, despite being crushed by the French
• The Young Ambassadors, whose presence and inspiration I already miss
• The chance of being part in something great

However, there is not much time to cherish my nostalgia. The next Games are only 16 months away and I somehow have the feeling that I will find a way or two to occupy myself until then...

So long,
Florian

Report from Singapore 5

Hey folks,

Another rare update from Singapore. Although I'd love to update this blog more frequently, I just find it so hard to find the time to. A day just passes so quickly when you are watching competitions, organizing CEP activities, attend meetings, go eating, sleep, take a shower and so on. Plus, the fact that I have never been the most reliable guy in the blog-o-sphere does not make this task any easier. Anyways, what have we been up to recently? Well, a lot I'd say:

-) We have a Gold medal! After finishing 3rd in the singles, Luis Knabl claimed victory in the Mixed team relay event. Entering as the last contender, he managed to beat Olympic Champion Aaron Barclay from New Zealand in the final run, which is said to be his weakest discipline. It might be hard to understand, but I really do have the impression that Luis' gold medal boosted the already great team spirit even more. Because although it is his (and his colleagues') personal achievement, everybody is deeply enjoying it, because a group member is successful.

-) Speaking of great team spirit: As you can probably imagine, the athletes are really busy here in Singapore: They have long journeys to the venues, practice hard, need to rest, attend CEP activities and of course compete. So it is really touching to see that 16 (i.e. half of our delegation!) made their way to the Bishan Sports Hall to see our youngest team member, Elisa, compete in the women's all-around final. And Elisa thanked us by increasing her personal best by another .5 points!

-) Our athletes are actively engaging in the CEP. Since it's my duty to promote it, I am really happy to see them taking the initiative.

-) A last entry, which has nothing to do with our delegation, but illustrates quite well what the Olympics are about: Today, I went to the International Convention Center to see France playing the Cook Islands. As I already wrote on Facebook, this is not David vs. Goliath, but rather the Napoleonic Army against a tree. Without any surprise, the French easily swept the Cook Islands 58 to 4. However, what is remarkable that instead of shouting at each other or losing their spirits (what losing teams frequently do), the underdogs had fun. Great fun! They were doing some tricks they've learned, interacted with the audience and never gave up trying. And after the Game was over, they had a blast in the mixed interview zone. Of course nobody likes to lose. However, if you can take a bad defeat and still enjoy the game to the max, then you have understood what it is all about.

All the best from Singapore and please check out our Facebook group!
Best
Flo

Report from Singapore 4

Hey folks!

It is now the third day of the Games and our team has already written history: Luis Knabl won bronze in the Triathlon competition and thus became the first ever Austrian to win a Youth Olympic medal. However, what is even more enjoyable than Luis' medal is that it revealed the great team spirit our delegation has going on. For instance, a group of ten went to his big race, although we had to get up at 6 in the morning for it and people are always busy with practice and so on. It is really very satisfying to see how all those athletes coming from different sporting backgrounds have been transformed into a unit in what was only a matter of days (if not hours).

Apart from Luis' historic achievements, also the other athletes did quite well: Martina got fifth in women's wrestling, despite her injury. Kira and Ivona qualified for the A-finals today and are now going for a medal. Lara became fifth in her first race and won the second one and is now second overall. Last but not least, Elisa landed a big sensation by qualifying for the women's all-around gymnastics, a deed that has never been achieved in Austrian gymnastics history.

Also off the track, lots of great stuff is going on: Our athletes are heavily engaged in the CEP program, we attended a party thrown by Innsbruck 2012 in downtown Singapore the other day (Tyroler Knödel!!) and we got a marvellous picture presented to us by the pupils who designed the Austria booth in the World Culture Village. So all in all: Good times!

At this point, I would like to thank all our Facebook fans, who are really amazing in the way they support our athletes. So thank you and keep it up! Please also check out the page for pictures of our time here in Singapore.

So long,
Flo

Report from Singapore 3

Hey folks!

Yesterday, the first ever Youth Olympic Games were declared open by what was probably the best event I have ever experienced. Although I my undergraduate degree included several lectures on event management, it's only in my wildest dreams that I would have thought of an event like this.

The Opening Ceremony took place on a floating stage in Marina Bay, right in the heart of Singapore. Already at the gathering point, the atmosphere was fabulous. All the different countries were singing their local tunes (of course, we were chanting "Immer wieder, immer wieder, immer wieder Österreich"), exchanged pins and took photos with each other.

After all the 204 delegations had arrived, it was time to march towards the stadium. We all caught a very good glimpse at the Singapore skyline, before it was showtime. We entered the stadium where 27,000 people enthusiastically welcomed us to Singapore. I was definitely not the only one to have goose bumps!

And then we took our seats and experienced one of the best Opening Ceremonies in the history of the Olympic Games. There was music, dancers, exotic costumes, acrobats, pyrotechnic, laser, visual effects...to cut a long story short: EVERYTHING! Sometimes it was really hard to focus, because there was so much going on: On stage, in the ranks, on the water, everywhere. Speaking of the stage: Besides the "normal" stage, they also had a stage on the water and a 30 meter high backdrop.

At about 10PM, the climax was approaching. First, Ng Ser Miang, chairman of SYOGOC, welcomed everybody to the beautiful city of Singapore and wished them a great experience. Then, IOC president Jacques Rogge highlighted his vision of the Games: To not only make winners, but champions, who abide to the Olympic Values of friendship, excellence and respect.
And then the moment everybody has been waiting for arrived: S.R. Nathan, president of the Republic of Singapore, declared 1. Youth Olympic Games open.

Unfortunately, I can't give you any pictures of the ceremony, however, I kindly invite you to watch this gallery on Flickr. I believe it gives you a very good impression of what a great experience we had!!

Let the Games begin!

Report from Singapore 2

Hey folks!

Next update from sunny Singapore! We've been here now for four days and so far, it's been going great. The atmosphere is really inspiring and although I've been to quite a few events, hardly any of these were organized as perfectly as this one.

So what have we been up to in those four days? Maybe you know the feeling when you move to a different place: The first few days, you feel kind of lost, because you don't know the most simple things: Where is the supermarket? Where can I do my laundry? Where is the bus stop? The same is true with us (although unfortunately we are only moving here for two weeks). Basically, we just got accustomed with the surrounding, tried to find our way to the dining hall and the diverse training facilities and just get into the Games mindset. Oh, and of course we also started to neatly decorating our two floors, as you can see in the picture.

Yesterday, the village was officially opened with, in the truest sense of the word, a big bang. When we were in Singapore in March for the Young Ambassador seminar, we had a drum workshop. (Btw: The same drumming session is a part of the CEP and will be open for athletes!) . And yesterday, we got the YA and CEP champs back together to act as the opening act for the Village's opening ceremony.

After spending the day getting back into the groove (1-2-3-BANANA!), we hit the stage at half past eight. And I tell you what: Going out on this stage, where several hundred people were watching the show, really gave us chills, despite outside temperatures of 30° C. Our performance was really nice and people seemed to enjoy it very much.Some when in the show, I got really carried away and I banged my drum so hard that my hand started to bleed. It was just a small bruise, however, now I can genuinely say that I am spending blood and sweat on the Games (I think I'll skip the tears on this one).

Today, the first ever Youth Olympic Games will be officially opened and we are all really excited what the Opening Ceremony is going to be like. I went by the stage the other day while running some errands in the city and it's just massive. I have a very good feeling that this is going to be a very special night. So make sure to follow it LIVE via the web stream you can access HERE (Channel 1).

As always, you can also check out our official Facebook fanpage, where we always love to receive your comments.

So long,
Florian

Picture 2, 3 © Callum Ng, Pictrure 4 © Erin Kennedy

Report from Singapore 1

Hey folks!

Welcome to the first update to this blog from sunny Singapore! The Austrian delegation, comprising of 16 athletes, their coaches, a physio therapist and the Young Ambassador arrived at Changi Airport on time at 4pm yesterday. Everything was really well organized, so from the airport, we went straight to the Youth Olympic Village (YOV). By the way: The have an own lane for YOG buses during games time - how cool is that? (Well, I guess it's only cool when you are the one on the bus)

At the YOV, we had our accreditation (the plastic tags everybody wears around his/her neck, indicating where you should and should not go) validated and also received the first highlight of the Games: Our very own Digital Concierge, loaded onto a Samsung Smartphone. With those nifty gadgets, we can update you in real time from the Games via Facebook and other platforms. I think that's really a cool thing, since there are so many funny, extraordinary and special stories you want to share with people throughout the day, however, it just takes too long until you reach the next computer.

We also had two meals at the huge (i.e. comfortably fitting 1,600 people) dining hall. Depending on who you ask, the food is "very good" (I tend to support this fraction) or "absolutely awful". However, I really enjoyed having a nice chicken curry for breakfast :). Oh, and sitting on the same table with people from Aruba, the Vanuatu and the Bahamas (I'm very impressed if you can find those on a map within 5 seconds) for lunch just gives you a very good impression what the atmosphere here is like: Colorful, friendly, international.

Speaking of nations: We spent this morning with appropriately decorating our two floors. Please refer to our Facebook group "Youth Olympic Team Austria" for the pictures. NB: Since there are so many information channels, I will solely upload any picture or video material on Facebook, so please check there, thanks.

That's all for the moment from Team Austria in Singapore. We are always happy to hear your feedback and would like to thank you for supporting us!

Best

Between the switch of the light...

Hey folks!

...and the start of the dream - that's the chorus of one of my favorite songs. Right now, sitting in my bed, going over some last itinerary details before leaving for Singapore tomorrow evening, I feel exactly like this.

Some when in the last week, for the first time I got a little nervous because of the Youth Olympic Games. Up to this point, I thought that I have seen a bit and been around quite a bit, so feeling nervous for a sports event was definitely nothing to consider. However, now with constant reports and bulletins coming from Singapore, for the first time I grasp the magnitude of this project. I mean, if you take even the most basic facts, they got something like this:

I will be representing my country at the first new Olympic event since 1924, working with 16 of the most promising Austrian athletes. Period. So yeah, I hope you can somehow understand why I get some goosebumps thinking about it.

So here we are. Seven months have passed since I was named "Young Ambassador", five months since I have been to Singapore to be prepared to the challenge ahead. I've been waiting long enough for this moment, I've been working hard to live up to my role as a Young Ambassador and now it is time for the Games to start. The light's been switched of - so let the dream begin.

Latest news

Hey folks!

It's been way too long since I updated this blog for the last time. It's just that there has been lots of stuff going on, especially with the YOG that prevented me from writing. So here are, at a glance, the most important things that have happened recently.

1) The inaugural YOG in Singapore are less than 30 DAYS away!

2) Daniel Gruber, a very talented 18-year old guy from Tyrol has been named Young Reporter for the YOG. Great job, Daniel!

3) 3-times Olympic champion Usain Bolt has signed up as a Youth Olympic Games ambassador. Unfortunately, he and fellow ambassador Michael Phelps won't make it to Singapore due to their competition schedule.

4) The Austrian delegation for Singapore has been nominated! The following 16 promising youngsters will give their best at the Games:

Alexandra Mathis (Badminton)
Kira Grünberg (Track and field)
Ivona Dadic (Track and field)
Michael Greiter (Judo)
Christine Huck (Judo)
Jakub Malý (Swimming)
Alois Knabl (Triathlon)
Lara Vadlau (Sailing)
Stefan Rumpler (Shooting)
Cornelia Enser (Shooting)
Elisa Hämmerle (Gymnastics)
Paul Sieber (Rowing)
Jana Hausberger (Rowing)
Stefan Leitgeb (Table Tennis)
Martina Kuenz (Ringen)
Viktoria Wolffhardt (Canoe)

We will have a kick-off event with our athletes at the end of July, including presentations about the CEP, multimedia etc... as well as fun team-building activities outdoors. I'll post a review following the event at this blog.


That's all for the moment. In the remaining three weeks until Singapore, I will try to keep you updated with stories about and around the YOG.

Have a good day and hopefully see you all in Singapore!

Team sports

Hey folks!

Today marks the last entry about the Olympic Day celebration one week ago. I wrote about my chat with Paul and Christopher about the importance of school. Then, I also took up Mr. Schauer's opening words about how taking part in the Olympics and taking part in the Olympiad are actually two different things. So what's left today, is a little retrospective about Peter Seisenbacher's short presentation at the celebrations.

Peter Seisenbacher is an Austrian icon when it comes to (summer sports). He was the first (and I believe up to today the only) heavy weight judoka to defend his title at two consecutive Olympic Games. And while my country is used to such heroes when it comes to winter sports, it's rather uncommon that we have such dominant athletes in the summer. When asked about his success, Mr. Seisenbacher picked this up and said:

"I think what made me successful during my career was that I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by a dedicated team, where everybody knew his place and was fighting for a common goal. That's neither the easiest nor the most comfortable way, however, that's in my opinion the way to be successful."

Being given this quote, I think it's funny that one classification still differentiates between "individual sports" and "team sports". While this was true maybe some decades ago (I doubt that Jesse Owens was supported by a nutritionist or mental coach), I think that it is hopelessly outdated nowadays. Like Mr. Seisenbacher said: To be successful, you need a dedicated and competent team. So I guess the only difference between so-called individual and team sports is that with a team sport, there is at least one other guy competing. However, behind the scenes, all athletes have to rely on their coaches, physiotherapists, sport psychologists etc... to be successful. I wonder how long it will take for them to be recognized with a shiny medal as well... ;)

Taking part

Hey folks!

It's 11:10AM here in Austria, the weather is nice and I should actually be studying for two exams (contemporary history, statistics II) - in short, the perfect time and condition for another follow up of the Olympic Day celebrations on Wednesday.

As I wrote in my review, I was one of the guest speakers at this event, presenting the key facts of the YOG. Not an easy assignment, being given the fact that I had only 5 minutes to do so. (You know, when it comes to talking/presenting/writing, I keep with Mark Twain who allegedly once wrote: "I don't have time to write you a short note, so I'll write a long letter instead.") The other speakers were Peter Wittmann (president of the Austrian federations organization), Peter Seisenbacher (Olympic champion; I intend to write about him later), Hans Holdaus (director of the IMSB) and Paul Schauer (president of the Austrian Swimming Federation, vice-president of tie AOC). I'd like to write about the latter today.

In his role as the AOC's vice-president, it was Mr. Schauer's job and privilege to welcome the guests to the Olympic Day celebration. Below, there is an excerpt from his speech, quoted by memory. In advance, I guess I need to explain that the unofficial motto of the Olympic Games is "Dabei sein ist alles" - "It's all about taking part". The source of this slogan is disputed, nevertheless, it's widely used in German speaking countries.

"You know, when it comes to the Olympic Games, it's all about taking part. However, this quote is very often misinterpreted. People believe that it is all about taking part in the Games. However, it is rather about taking part in the Olympiad - the four years leading to the Games. It is about working hard on yourself and your skills in those four years in order to be a world class athlete."

I have to admit that I never thought about it in that much detail, however, when hearing Mr. Schauer's point of view, it was kind of a light bulb moment. Because if you think about it closely, he is absolutely right! Of course taking part in the Olympics is amazing - the greatest thing you can achieve as an athlete. However, what is even more important, is being in the middle of things during the Olympiad. It is in those four years that you can determine whether you are good enough for the Games or not. And instead of having one competition or maybe two weeks of competitions, you have to be on top of your game constantly, 24/7 for four years!

And I guess looking at it from this perspective, the whole philosophy of this saying become much more appealing.
"It's all about taking part in the Olympics" can be understood as a cheap excuse à la "At least I took part".
"It's all about taking part in the Olympiad" however is like saying: "Yes, I am taking part and I am on my way to Innsbruck/London/Sochi/Nanjing/Rio..." So what might appear as a semantic difference at first glance, is actually a huge difference in real life.

What it takes to be successful...

Hey folks!

As I promised the other day, I will pick up some themes from Olympic Day and write about it in this blog.

At the Olympic Day, one of the activities we had in store for the youngsters was a training session with Paul Sieber, a rower representing Austria in the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. During the session, I got the chance to chat a little bit with Paul, as well as with his coach, Christoph. I noticed that Paul was reading "Der Process" by Franz Kafka, one of the main works in Austrian literature and (unfortunately) key element to the higher education curriculum.

So when I asked Paul which school he attended, he told me that he went to an "ordinary" high school in Vienna. Ordinary meaning that the school does not have a varsity program, providing aid for athletic performance. Christoph then said something quite interesting:

"Personally, I prefer an athlete that can handle both an athletic career as well as earning his academic degree. Because you definitely need the discipline and stamina it takes to obtain a high school degree to also have success with your sport."

For once, I have nothing more to add. Well, maybe one thing: It's a pleasure to meet people who embody this spirit in the first place!

Olympic Day

Hey folks!

As most of you probably know, there was a big birthday celebration going on all over the world yesterday. On June 23rd, 1894, Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee in Paris, France. Two years later, the Ancient Olympic games were revived in Athens and started to shape the world of sports as we know it.

Being the Young Ambassador of Austria, I had the chance and privilege to take part in the official celebrations in my home country. And what better place could there possibly be to celebrate Olympic Day than in an Olympic Training Center. Since there are four of them in Austria, we also had four celebrations going on. I took part in the celebrations at the Institute for Sports Medicine and Science (IMSB) in Maria Enzersdorf, Lower Austria. The center has been closely working with Austrian (Olympic) athletes for nearly 30 years and is one of the leading institutions in Europe.

In this blog entry, I will write a little review about the Olympic Day celebration. However, in the next couple of days, I will also pick up some of the themes that were discussed or just arose in the course of the festivities.

To celebrate Olympic Day, two classes (approx. 50 students) from a nearby high school focusing on sports were invited to the IMSB. They were welcomed by Paul Schauer, president of the Austrian Swimming Federation and vice president to the Austrian Olympic Committee. He gave a very inspiring speech about Olympism and what it means to live your life by the Olympic values and to give your best every single day. For me, it was very cool how the Olympic Values and the Olympic Spirits easily transcend generations. Because although I am some 40 years younger than Mr. Schauer, I share the same message with people out there.

Following Mr. Schauer, Peter Seisenbacher, two-times Olympic champion in Judo spoke about what it means to be a champion and, even more important, how to become one. And then it was my turn to give a presentation about the YOG. I was a little nervous, since I had to present after two exceptional personalities in Austrian sports, however, it all went very well and I think I could transport the YOG message. To wrap up the presentations, Prof. Holdaus, the IMSB's director, talked about the range of services his institute offers.

And then, it was time for action! At altogether six different check points, the kids could experience what professional training means.

• They went to the weight room and got a lecture on how weight training is done (and not done)
• They met with the Austrian fencing team preparing for London 2012 and Rio 2016 and learned some cool fencing moves.
• They tested their speed and reaction time at a fun performance diagnostics site
• They practiced on the beach volleyball court with two Austrian Olympians
• They tried out field hockey, coached by members of the Austrian team that won the European Championship
• They were introduced to rowing by no less than Paul Sieber, who will represent Austria in Singapore!!

All in all, it was an action packed day and the kids really enjoyed it. Besides giving a presentation to reach out to the kids, I also got the chance to talk to two of the athletes going to Singapore and get to know them a little. It goes without saying that they are very excited and looking forward to the Games. So after Olympic Day, there is only one thing left: Counting down the days until Singapore!

Tales from the Diplomatic Corps 13a

Hey folks!

So, as I announced yesterday, I have another memory with Shannon Andrew to share with you. Just a little side note before getting started: I know that I haven't written something about every Young Ambassador out there. This is of course in absolutely no way because I prefer some over others. It's just that with some guys, there was this one incident sticking out so I felt like writing about it.

I would like to use the second memory with Shannon to discuss a topic in its larger sense: On, I think it was, our last day in Singapore, we had a big feedback round with Pak Sing, the CCEO (Chief Culture and Education Officer). He asked us to give him some impressions and recommendations for the final CEP to be done in August. We were sitting around a long table in the impressive SYOGOC headquarter in Singapore and one after the other gave feedback.

As you might guess from my blog, most people were really pleased with the proposed CEP activities. However, there was one point criticized by several of us: Some of the CEP learning activities (i.e. career planning, nutrition, balancing your life...) deemed too immature to us. So we suggested to rethink them and make them more appropriate to a target group consisting of 14-18 year olds. The overall tenor was: Those activities will be too boring for the youngsters.

When it was Shannon's turn, be started out, like everyone else, by thanking the organizers for the awesome week we were allowed to spent in Singapore. However, next he stated something that made me think:

"I think the athletes and us, we should be happy and glad that we have the chance to be here in Singapore. For many people from my country, this is the first time ever they board a plane and visit such a big city. I think we should be much more grateful that we can make an experience like that."

In addition, the next day, Shannon took a subway to Chinatown...for the first time in his life! As you can see, this story puts many things into a whole different perspective. For me, it's nothing special to go to a big city (Well, Vienna) and I take the subway day in day out. Also, flying to another country, despite being the exception rather than the rule, is not much of a deal nowadays. So I'm very happy that stories like Shannon's put things in the right perspective. Of course having a CEP program with so many exciting activities is great. However, I think at the end of the day, we should already consider ourselves fortunate and very lucky to be given the chance to go to Singapore and meet with so many diverse people in the first place.

Tales from the Diplomatic Corps 13

Hey folks!

If I counted correctly, the Young Ambassador video portrait of Shannon Andrew is already the last one to be featured on the Olympic homepage. This suits me quite well since I not only have one, but two very special memories about Shannon to share with you. By the way, fun fact about Shannon: Being nicknamed "Nani" for his close resemblance with the Portuguese footballer, he is challenging Mansour for the Ambassador with the most given names ;)

As you can maybe see in his video, Shannon is wearing a beautiful necklace around his neck. During our week in Singapore, you could always see him wearing it. I noticed, because I am myself a big fan of necklaces, wearing a Celtic symbol of life my mom gave to me every day (Actually, not today since the lace broke a week ago. So anybody who has a spare leather lace will be showered with pins, stickers and thank yous!).

For most people, wearing a necklace is just a simple adornment to their outfit. They just wear them because they make them look and/or feel good. However, Shannon is definitely not one of those people. On our last day, we were sitting in the lobby of our hotel, ready to explore the city. Shannon was there as well and some when in the conversation, we were talking about family, brothers and sisters. From that topic, the following excellent story evolved:

"I have one younger sister. She is the Queen of my heart, I love her so much. Every time I travel abroad, she gives me her necklace, to protect me. It is a very valuable necklace. Where I come from, in Papua New-guinea, we believe that such a necklace protects you from evil things and demons. So people pay a lot of money for them. Like, where I come from, I could easily get an acre of land in return for my necklace. In other regions, people would trade it for a pig. You have to know that for them, pigs are the most precious things in the world. They are even more important than their wives! However, most likely, I wouldn't get anything for it. If I wore this necklace back home in the streets, just for fun, people might kill me, because it is so valuable."

I think it's remarkable how things can differ. Here in Austria, people are crazy about big houses, fancy cars or posh clothes. And if you saw somebody on the street wearing a necklace, you might think that it is pretty and suits the person well. However, where Shannon comes from, in PNG, people's biggest treasure might be a pig or a protecting accessory. And although it might appear bizarre at first glance, I don't think that it is at all. After all, I wouldn't trade in my mother's necklace either...not even for some land or a pig!

Tales from the Diplomatic Corps 12

Hey folks!

Since Paraguay just scored against Italy, one of my favorites, I thought it was time to work off some stuff I'm terribly late on. In this particular case, it really is a pity, since my memory with Sofia Irala is one of my most cherished ones from the six days in Singapore. And once again, it has nothing to do with breaking out of prison together, but rather with a very small, yet beautiful incident.

Although Singapore is a rather small state (it's ranked somewhere between Toronto and Hamburg), you can definitely spend a lot of time on the road. When being introduced to the various CEP activities Singapore has in store for the athletes in August, we drove all over town on our comfortable bus. And apart from the first trip, when the inimitable Jed got a new hairstyle, those trips weren't filled with too much action.

Coincidence (or maybe destiny? [Insert Danny Elfman-like musical theme here]) had it that on most trips, I was sitting next to or somewhere near Sofia. One thing you should know about me is that I always, always, ALWAYS have my mp3-player with me. It's just that nothing can beat the feeling moving in a bus or car and listening to some inspiring tunes. Except for one thing: Having somebody to listen to it with you!

So during our time in Singapore, Sofia and I would sit on the bus and just play music to each other and talk about God and his brother. On top of this site, you find a selection of five songs that I still remember listening to with her.

-) When listening to Tabaco y Chanel, she told me that I so have to learn to dance Salsa
-) When listening to Bella, I tried to translate the lyrics to her, always hoping Fabrizia wouldn't hear my embarrassing efforts.
-) When listening to Words on Logs, I showed her what my home town sounds like
-) When listening to Always, we remembered what being young sounded like
-) When listening to Mala Vida, I told her the story about saying: "Tu me estas dando mala vida" to a girl I fancied.

The whole time in Singapore, we continued having the most awesome conversations. Not about anything worldshaking. Just about stuff: About hobbies, about friends, about injured strikers and about dreams. In short: About what life is all about!

Career choices

Hey folks!

Today, I'd like to pick up another thought from Erin's blog entry about falling in love with her job every day anew. Yesterday I wrote about my inner flame (Btw: Feel free to post what's burning inside you! And don't you are to write 'that nasty chili from last night'), which is handball. However, Erin also described another important aspect:

"It is in this moment, as I place the medals around these athletes, that I fall in love all over again with my career."

Quite recently, I updated my CV, just in case some irresistible job offer would float in. When looking at the 2 pages document I'd produced, I had to smile. Since it is in a chronological order, the practical experience section reads:

• International Olympic Committee, Lausanne, Switzerland
  International sports governing body, right holder to the (Youth) Olympic Games
  Named Young Ambassador for Austria

• Union St. Poelten Team Handball, St. Poelten, Austria
  Austrian team handball club, currently playing in the 2nd league
  Project manager

I just think that it is a funny contrast, having the IOC, which is without a doubt the biggest, most influential and powerful sports governing out there, on the one side. And then, on the other side: Union St. Poelten team handball, playing in an Austrian amateur league. People frequently pick this fact up and say stuff like: "You must be so happy to do stuff with the IOC and to get away from the boring day-t0-day stuff you usually do."

Well, I have to say: They are wrong! Not about the being happy part - I haven't found a way yet to describe how happy I am to be involved with YOG. However, the last word coming to my mind when describing my duties with the handball club would be boring ("well-paid" would be runner up). For once, it is because the stuff is never boring. One day, I'm involved with planning a season closing and opening event in June and September respectively. The next, I am negotiating a new supplier deal with a sports company. And on the third day, I might be helping with putting together a budget for the next season.

However, apart from being quite diverse and thus interesting, I wouldn't necessarily agree on the fact that the IOC is so much cooler and better than my club. Of course you can't compare the two, that goes without saying. However, just because the IOC is bigger and global doesn't necessarily make it much more interesting. In fact, I discovered that when it comes to work, they are no wizards or the like. They haven't invented a secret program to do budget calculations. They haven't reinvented the wheel when they are promoting the different types of events there are. And from what I have heard, it's also a myth that days in Lausanne are 30 hours long, which is why they get more stuff done than us.

Don't get me wrong: The people at the IOC are amazing in their specific domains and so on top of their game that they don't need me to confirm this fact. However, at the end of the day, they do the same thing everybody around the globe involved with sports does: Work hard to promote the merits of sport. So no matter if I am giving presentations about the YOG or coaching my little league team: Both things involve what I love and thus chose as a career path. So the difference is only quantitatively, not qualitatively...as psychologists tend to say. And when talking about psychology, all I can say that the satisfaction I get from either one activity is just great!

Keeping the fire burning

Hey folks!

Yesterday, I wrote an entry about the diverse professional and educational backgrounds the Young Ambassadors have. What I didn't elaborate on too much was the immense pressure this puts on every single one of us. Just take this blog as an example: Sometimes, I have this great idea, a topic dealing with Olympism I'd love to write about (In case you haven't noted: 99% of all stories in this blog actually deal with the Olympic spirit). And then this: My dear colleague Erin Kennedy, marathon hero, inspiration for millions, whose masters degree makes me jealous everytime anew, just sits down and posts another amazing article on her blog! Just like that! Sometimes, life is just not fair (At this point, you can imagine the big irony sign accompanying these lines slowly fading out)

So in her blog entry, Erin was talking about falling in love every time anew with her amazing job working for an American sports governing body. At the end, she sets the stage for us to pick up her inspiring thoughts:

"As I have done before in my posts, I'd like to pose a challenge to everyone. Look at your own life - your job, your sport, your family, your life - why do you do it? What makes it all worth it? What makes you fall in love all over again, day after day?"

Even before reading her latest entry, I wanted to write a very similar experience. Last weekend, I accompanied one of our youth teams (Under 13 years) to the National Championships in Carinthia. It was the first time in years that I went to such a tournament. When I was still active, I competed at many of those competitions as a player and once I also went there as a referee, however, this was the first time I went there as a coach.

When coming back from the United States last September, I wasn't even sure if I wanted to get involved with handball again. I didn't have anything to do with the sport in two years and didn't have the feeling something was missing. Anyhow, I still got in touch with my old team and started helping them out with some stuff, e.g. as an assistant coach.

In Carinthia, our team played really well and you could see how excited they were to play against the best teams in the country. Unfortunately, two of our players got injured - nothing serious, but still, they couldn't play at their highest level. Still, they were fighting and hanging in as if they were playing for their lives. And while I was standing at the sideline, shouting words of encouragement and support or taking care of injured players, I felt it. I felt that from one moment to the next, the fire I believed to be extinguished was burning, as hot and all-consuming as ever. This might sound cheesy, but I don't really care. If you are involved in sports, you know what I mean and if you are not, you wouldn't understand anyway ;)

And this made me realize something: I might not be involved with handball constantly. I might not be working with my current club for all my life. I might not be playing the game anymore. I might won't have the time for handball once I got a full-time job. However, what I know for sure is that every time I go somewhere near a court, my pulse will accelerate and passion will get the best of me. Because all that matters is that special fire inside and that you just keep it burning...

Joining the Diplomatic Corps

Hey folks!

Yet another time, I have to apologize for cruelly neglecting this blog for...way too long. I actually kicked the habit of looking for excuses a while ago, but still: The reason I don't update this blog as frequently as I'd like to is that right now, I am really busy with my studies and work.

You might think: "What do you mean studies and work? Isn't being an Ambassador a full time job?" (Well, if you actually read only a line of this blog before, you most certainly would not think that. However, let's just keep the phrase as a nice leading-in) Anyhow: No, it is not! It's actually quite funny if you think about how diverse the Young Ambassadors' backgrounds are. So before getting back to a fascinating text about labor law, here is a non-comprehensive list of what the YAs are up to when they are not promoting the YOG:

• Studying, majoring in architecture, sports diplomacy, international relations, engineering, sport sciences, business, design, medicine and communication
• Working for sports governing bodies, such as National Olympic Committees and sport federations
• Running a sports marketing firm and an event management company
  
• Going for their pilot license
  
• Working as a design consultant
  
• Teaching foreign languages at high school
• Working with kids and teenagers as sports instructors and educators

That is only an ad-hoc list of all the amazing things the Young Ambassadors are doing. And guess what: It only comprises the stuff they do for a living, so all the voluntary work, side projects and just-for-fun activities are not even included in here!

Still, I promise (once again) that in the future I'll try to take some more time to update this blog. However, I hope that now you understand why sometimes things take a little while. So if anybody wants to leave some nice words of encouragement (Ranging from "Hang in there, champ!" to "Stop complaining and get up you lazy bas****!"), feel free to ;)

Tales from the Diplomatic Corps 11

Hey folks!

Wow, we have a world premiere here - today marks the first time I write two blog entries on one day, hooray! I just didn't have the heart to deprive you from my memory with the charming Alina Nyukthina, Young Ambassador from Russia. (Btw: Did you see her funny move at the end of the video? I start getting the impression that we should start a Young Ambassador cheer leading team!)

On our first evening in Singapore, we had this big get together with the CEP champs and all sorts of people. You might know that feeling when you come to a strange place to mingle with people, you feel kinda shy. Well, that was not very much the case with us! Still, the local organizers started out breaking the ice by inviting people on stage, asking them to present themselves. Alina was chosen as a Young Ambassador to introduce herself to the crowd. So Alina told us her name, her age and where she comes from. And of course what she was doing. That she was a teacher for foreign languages, going for her masters degree, being the editor-in-chief of a local newspaper and of course being an ambassador. Apparently, I was not the only one impressed by her account, because the MC's only comment was:

"Gosh, and I thought we only have 24 hours a day!"

When talking about the Young Ambassador role, people often ask me what you have to do to be named an Ambassador. Usually, I tell them some stuff every HR person would love to hear: That you have to excel academically, have a background in sports and education, are a team player, speak English fluently and so on. While this is all true, I guess this is not the real deal. So what I usually tell people is the quote from above: "Young Ambassadors are people, who's day has more than 24 hours!"

Of course I don't mean this literally (Despite some circulating rumors, we have not yet succeeded in breaking the space-time continuum). What I mean is that to be a Young Ambassador/CEP champion/champion in general, you have to take as much out of the time you have as possible. True, every one of us only has 24 hours a day. However, the difference lies in what we do in those 24 hours as well as how and if we make them count. And Alina definitely does make hers count...

John Wooden's Seven Point Creed

Hey folks!

Today, I did something fun. My handball team was invited to test a brand new laser tag arena in my hometown. Basically, laser tag is like paint ball, just with lasers instead of bullets. It's great fun and while playing, you really feel like being part of a Star Wars movie.

However, this blog is not about how much fun I had pretending to be Han Solo. At the wall of the new center, there is a quote by John Wooden, a very famous college basketball coach.

"It doesn't matter who starts the game, but who finishes it"

I admit that this is probably not the most stunning quote I had on this blog so far. Still, I was curious to find out who this John Wooden was and why somebody bothered to write his quote in big letters on the wall. While browsing through his biography (I admit that it was on Wikipedia...it's just so convenient ;)), I found some remarkable stuff. Apparently, John's father had given him a seven point creed upon graduation (and even if he did not, it's still an awesome creed!).

• Be true to yourself.
• Make each day your masterpiece.
• Help others.
• Drink deeply from good books.
• Make friendship a fine art.
• Build a shelter against a rainy day.
• Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.

I'll leave the last point up to everyone's personal religious views, however, I think if we all lived our lives by this creed, topped with some friendship, excellence and respect, we'd all be off pretty well.

Histoires du Corps Diplomatique 10

Bonjour à tous !

Comme vous avez probablement déjà réalisé, cette entrée de mon blog va parler d’un sujet francophone. Ben, vous avez bien sur raison. Aujourd’hui, j’aimerais bien raconter une histoire de mon cher ami Hamza, jeune ambassadeur du Maroc telegenique, et moi, qui s’est déroulé à Singapour.

Hamza et moi, nous avons partagé une chambre au début de la semaine au centre du congre. Nous sommes tout le deux arrivés au même jour, je crois que c’était un Samedi. Et comme le décalage de temps est presque pareil entre Singapour et Maroc/Autriche, nous étions vachement fatigues. Au début, c’était pas un grand problème, car nous nous sommes bavardés des trucs véritablement importants (le foot). Nous avons aussi écouté de la musique (« Aicha, Aicha, écoutez-moi » ).

Pourtant, après une heure, c’est devenu un peu ennuyeux. Alors, Hamza et moi, nous avons décidé de faire une petite promenade dans les jardins. Alors, nous nous sommes levés, ont mis nos chaussures et sont allés dehors. Le temps faisait très beau et chaud, même la nuit, et c’était donc très agréable de bouger un peu. Après quelque temps, nous voulons essayer de nouveau de dormir un peu et nous avons donc décidé de rentrer dans la chambre. Alors, nous sommes rentrés à notre bâtiment, nous avons monté les escaliers et j’étais en train d’ouvrir la porte quand j’ai réalisé – la clé ne marche pas ! J’ai essayé une deuxième fois – rien ! M**** !!! Il faisait trois heures le matin, nous étions crevés et la porte restait fermer.

Donc, nous sommes descendu (le centre est sur une colline, alors, il nous fallait descendre et monter pas mal de fois) pour informer la gardienne de nuit de notre misère. Malheureusement, elle ne savait pas non plus quoi faire, mais étant gentille comme tout le monde à Singapour, elle nous a accompagnés à notre chambre pour se renseigner de la situation.

A notre porte, j’ai dit à Madame : « Voici, j’utilise ma clé, mais la porte ne bouge….CLACK » (Le CLACK signifie le son d’une porte s’ouvrant). Sans changer quelquechose, notre porte avait tout à coup décidé de s’ouvrir et nous laisser entrer. Vous pouvez bien imaginer que la vigilante n’était pas aussi heureuse que Hamza et moi.

Alors, c’est l’aventure que Hamza et moi ont passé pendant notre première nuit à Singapour. Bien entendu, des histoires comme celle-ci soude les ambassadeurs ensemble à jamais ;).