VIEWPOINT MAGAZINE Volume 5.1 October 2016 | Page 15

“Johnny Smith: Belonging” Feature “Worthy of Worth?” by Josiah Watanabe Aftermath of the Olympics by Sarah Lee -Pg. 17 -Pg. 16 By James Kwak ost Olympians struggle more than ever after achieving medals in the Olympics. The athletes are praised and M admired at the center of people’s attention during the tournament, but people’s interests fade afterwards. The VIEWPOINT athletes realize that their lives have not changed as dramatically as they expected; they are still part of the society and have to work to earn a living. However, after sacrificing everything they have for 4 years to achieve just one goal, to win medals in the Olympics, it is extremely difficult to adjust their life back to normal, CBC News stated. For example, athletes are used to getting yelled at by their coaches for doing something wrong, but normal people do not communicate in such a way, so athletes frequently experience difficulties communicating in daily life, CNN Volume 5.1 October reported. Inevitably, many athletes have tough times giving up what they love so much, sport. According to CNN, they undergo hardships making the transition to new lives, because their love for sport is so deeply rooted in them that the sport itself became their identity. Moreover, after acquiring such a prodigious ambition, athletes are often unable to find the next destination of their lives, Daily Muse reported. They fail to picture themselves as someone other than a contestant. Consequently, many athletes think that they are only good at physical activities and unable to do any other works, so they fall into despair. In fact, according to CNN, many olympians, whether they won medals or not, go through severe depression after the competition. CBC News reported that many people have a wrong idea that their roads end after finishing the Olympics. Fortunately, there are numerous people who help these olympians get through these struggles. Although a transition from an athlete's life to a normal citizen’s may be difficult, many experts are at Olympic training centers to help them to successfully transit, CNN reported. Actually, according to CBC News, these athletes have incredible skills to become good businessmen; they have impressive goal-setting skills and endurance through sufferings. Consequently, the readaptation programs help the Olympians to apply what they have learned from the training programs to their new jobs, Daily Muse reported. Although it is difficult to start a new career, it can be easier if they work with other professionals running the program, CBC reported. Most importantly, athletes can find their new identities through these programs, because they have to figure out who they are outside of athletics an athlete, according to CNN. Like Helen Keller said, “a bend in the road is not the end of the road… Unless you fail to make a turn.” Their road did not end just because the Olympics ended; they just have make a turn: a brave turn to the new phase of life. Rising From the after-the-olympics/article31601982/>. Rubble” Sources: “Italy: “A New Friend” by Amanda Angeles Charles, Ron. "After Olympic Glory, Retiring Athletes Often Need Help Finding Their Way." CBC News. CBC/Radio-Canada, 27 Aug. 2016. Web. 12 Sept. 2016. . Duhatschek, Eric. "Life after the Olympics: Athletes Struggle with what to do next." The Globe and Mail. The Globe and Mail Inc., 29 Aug. 2016. Web. 12 Sept. 2016. . Fan, Pan Pan. "When the Road Ends: What Athletes Do After the Olympics." The Muse. Daily Muse Inc., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2016. . by Gen Ha Park -Pg. 10 Layout by Gauri Bhrigu 14