Athletics Column

By Lisa Miller, Athletic Director

I can’t say I’m a big fan of canoe slalom, breaking, or archery, but you best believe that come Aug. 11 — the final day of the 2024 Olympic Games — I will most likely be an expert in all of them. The Olympics has that effect on me. The first day of the Games, I’m a pretty passive fan, just trying to decipher the basic rules of the lesser-known sports. Then, sure enough, two weeks later I’m a fully-fledged canoe slalom fanatic.

“No way he should have won gold with that technique!”

“Did the commentator really say that about the finish?”

“Can you believe the world record holder missed the podium?”

As a former Division I athlete, current athletic administrator, and everyday sports lover, I have long been enamored by the Olympic Games, regardless of the sport. If you have been involved in athletics at any level, you understand that the chances of earning a spot on any Olympic team is staggeringly slight. This year, less than 0.0001% of people will call themselves an Olympian. That’s why every single sport and every single athlete is uniquely inspiring. It’s also why I want to encourage each and every one of you reading this column to turn on the Games — to get inspired.

The Olympic Games are the pinnacle, the mountaintop, the crown jewel of sporting events. It’s the ultimate showcase not just of sheer athleticism, but of the enduring power of sports to unite people year after year.

The city of Athens, Greece, hosted the first edition of the modern Olympic Games in 1896. That first event attracted just 245 competitors representing only 14 countries. At the time, it was the first international event of that magnitude ever organized. Perhaps more noteworthy though, women were not allowed to compete. In contrast, at the current Olympic Games in Paris, France, the field of athletes has grown to more than 15,000, and those 15,000 athletes represent 206 countries and are competing in 32 sports. How could we not be inspired by that impressive scale, that astounding excellence, and that diverse community?

The Olympic magic reaches far beyond Paris 2024. It reaches around the globe right here to Goose Hollow in Portland, Oregon. Historically, our MAC athletic programs see a participation spike in Olympic years. Eight of our nine junior competitive programs are Olympic-sponsored sports — artistic swimming, basketball, climbing, girls gymnastics, boys gymnastics, swimming, volleyball, and ski. This means our junior members can participate and compete in Olympic sports right here at the club. Our competitive seasons kick off in the fall every year, and our Team MAC website (themac.com/gomac) showcases the many opportunities.

Perhaps you’re not interested in competing, but you’re interested in trying something new. Or maybe you’re curious if you can attempt to swirl like an Olympic artistic swimmer in the pool? Our various classes, camps, and lessons teach members developmental skills in 21 of the 32 Olympic sports — and, if it’s your goal, also prepare you to advance to competitive sports. Fall registration opens during the Olympic Games on Thursday, Aug. 8, at themac.com/registration. I encourage you to explore and consider these opportunities right now while you’re inspired by the world’s best in Paris.

To that end, I’m sometimes asked by members and staff, “Are we trying to produce Olympians at MAC?” My answer: We are not. But, much like the Olympics, we are trying to inspire a love of sport. We are trying to create a united community, and we are trying to encourage a commitment to health. I like to think these are the most important Olympic themes and are also the most important goals for MAC Athletics! And you never know — as we consistently strive toward these everyday goals, maybe, just maybe, one of our members catches lighting in a bottle and joins the 0.0001% at the Olympics. And if they do, they will have the entire MAC community behind them inspired by a love of sport!

Until then, for my fellow Olympic fanatics, I checked the Olympic schedule, and the canoe slalom finals begin at 7:43 a.m. PST on Monday, Aug. 5.