Jack Sherner

Going for Gold By Jack Sherner

It was winter of 1979. Less than a year from the start of the 1980 Summer Olympic Games. Will, a 17 year old boy, had been dreaming of being an Olympic athlete his entire life. Ever since he got to watch an Olympic swimming race when he was little, he had worked resiliently to achieve this goal. Will was determined, and there was nothing that would get in his way. He had been swimming most of his life, and still greatly enjoyed it. Swimming gave him a feeling that nothing else did. While also training for swimming, Will was a good student, who focused on his academics, but not nearly as much as his swimming. He still made sure to focus on school, since he knew it was just as important.

His parents told him, “Just because you are a great athlete, doesn’t mean school doesn’t matter.” As a great student and incredible athlete, his parents were always extremely proud, especially his mom. Will’s mom had grown up swimming, and was the one who first introduced it to him. His success in swimming created a special bond between the two, since they both shared a great love for the sport. However, Will’s brother, Kevin, was not the same. Kevin, also a swimmer, was quite good, but not nearly as good as Will. The two had a close relationship, but issues always arose, as Kevin constantly felt jealous of Will. He saw the way that Will seamlessly glided through the water, almost as if he was flying. He wanted to be like Will, but knew it would be hard to get to his level. It was apparent that Will was special, as he had heard people talk about him before.

People said things like, “That kid’s got talent”, or “He is special!”

Kevin never heard that about himself, and was obviously disappointed by it. Even though Will was preparing to be an Olympic athlete, he still had to pay attention to school. He was constantly bored by his classes, and was always looking forward to the end of the day. After a while, Will would lose focus, and not even hear his teachers speaking. His math teacher, who was known for being grumpy, would always yell at him. By now, Will knew what he would say.

“Will! Pay attention! This is extremely important.”

As startling as it was, it’s effects only lasted for a few minutes, as Will would again have trouble listening to the boring class. His best friend

was in this class, which did not make it any easier to listen. The two would always sit together, which made this dreaded class slightly more enjoyable. This was something that happened in the majority of his classes, and began to get tiring to each of his teachers. However, there was one class Will was always interested in. History. He loved learning about people and the way of life from the past. It was the only part of school he looked forward to. There was something about it that consistently held his attention, and made him eager to learn. His teacher had a huge part in this. Mr. Smith’s energetic personality and interactive class made a huge difference to everyone, not just Will. Almost everyone that took his class loved it. Now, they were learning about current events. The current topic was the Soviet Union. This was especially interesting to Will, since the Olympics he had been training for were going to be held in Moscow. John, a close friend of Will’s, reminded the class of this.

He said, “That’s where Will is going to swim in the Olympics!”

John knew this would annoy Will, and it greatly embarrassed him since he never liked the extra attention that came from being a star athlete.

Mr. Smith responded, “That is true! With everything going on there, I hope they still go on.”

When Will heard this, he was slightly surprised, and didn’t exactly know what he meant. The class was learning about growing tension between the Soviets and Afghanistan, and it looked like there might be a war. After Will realized this, he was startled, and very worried. He hadn’t even thought about what the current situation with the Soviet Union could mean for the Olympics only a few short months away! Will knew there wasn’t anything for him to do, so he tried to continue with his normal life.

When Will went home that day, he told his parents what Mr. Smith had said, and asked them what it could mean for the Olympics. His dad began to tell him more about what was going on.

“It seems that the Soviet Union may be…”

Will immediately stopped listening, as he was thinking of other things. All he could think about was how much work he had put into swimming, and what he would do without it. It angered him even thinking about it. As the days went on, it became more and more apparent what might happen.

When Will went on Christmas break, it was his last time to rest before the Olympics. After break, he was going to lock in, and focus on 59

what mattered to him most. Until then, he was going to enjoy his time off. Will, and especially his brother, were both getting excited for Christmas, as was everyone else. It was their favorite holiday of the year.

“Will! Will! What did you get me?” asked Kevin.

Will replied, “I can’t tell you! It’s a surprise. ”

Kevin was filled with excitement, and Will laughed. While the presents were exciting, Will loved looking out the window and seeing the clean, powdery, snow, falling through the air, covering everything in sight. He loved the soft and chilling feel it gave. As he went to bed on Christmas Eve, he saw a tiny bit of snow begin to fall, and was filled with joy, looking forward to the winter scene when he woke up the next morning.

The next morning, they both were delighted by their gifts, and the large amount of snow. After opening the presents and playing forever out in the snow, Will and Kevin decided to come inside, and relax by watching a movie. When they turned on the TV, Will was stunned by what he saw.

The TV read, “On December 24th, 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.”

This was the last thing Will wanted to hear. Immediately, the first thing he thought of was what it meant for the Olympics. Since Mr. Smith had said that, it was all Will could think about. As the news continued to play, it was apparent that the US was against this decision by the Soviet Union. This immediately ruined the great start to Will’s Christmas Day. Although this greatly upset Will, he knew it was out of control, and nothing had happened to the olympics. Yet. Even though he realized the effect the political situation could have on the Olympics, he was determined to work harder and harder, and get faster and faster. This determination is part of what made Will so good, and helped him get to where he was today.

He told himself, “Everything is still okay. You still have to go out there, and show everyone how hard you have worked for this moment.”

In the days following the invasion, there were more and more countries that opposed the Afghanistan invasion. Some countries, including the US were so against it, that there was talk of boycotting the Moscow Olympics with the intent of showing their support of Afghanistan against the Soviet Union. Will knew what this meant, and didn’t even know what to think. Each day, it was looking more like Will’s worst nightmare. He could not even imagine what he would feel if he didn’t participate in the Olympics. This continued for days, until March 21st, 60

1980, when Will heard possibly some of the worst news he had ever heard.

“Following the Soviet invasion on Afghanistan, Jimmy Carter has declared that the US will be boycotting the 1980 Moscow Olympics.”

When Will heard this, he was crushed. In one simple moment, all his hard work, gone. Being an Olympian was a dream of his for as long as he could remember, and now it may never come true. Again, he didn’t know what to do. Suddenly, the tears began to fall. Just like the snowflakes did on Christmas morning, not too long ago. He didn’t understand how boycotting the Olympics would have any effect on the invasion, which made him even more upset. After the US, other countries began to follow, and also boycotted. The whole thing felt like a waste for every athlete involved. Will said to his parents, “Why?! I’ve worked so hard for this race. Now my chance at being an olympian is gone, and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it.”

They tried their best to comfort him. “Will, we are so sorry. We all know how much you have wanted this, and how dedicated you have been. Sometimes things just don’t go your way. However, there is one thing we can do.”

When they said this, Will perked up, intrigued by what they had to say.

They continued, “If you really want to, it is possible for athletes to compete individually, without representing a country.”

Will was delighted to hear this, as there may be a chance he can compete. Even without the US behind him.

Will said, “It would not be the same, but it would allow me to accomplish my lifelong dream!”

He was thrilled. His family was excited. And everything was coming together…

A few weeks later, there he was. Standing on top of the podium after his first Olympic race, with his first ever gold medal, and a giant smile across his face. A dream come true.