The World Games - both on and off the field
I'm in Azmir, Turkey at the World University Games. 9,000 athletes from 130 countries are participating. Student athletes up to the age of 28 are eligible; so many Olympians are here, including medalists.
I competed at this event in 1981 (I was 24) when they were held in Bucharest, Romania, which was then part of the Soviet bloc. It was a gray and dreary place back then, as you can imagine. The food was awful and the living conditions were dreadful. Of course, that was no big deal, as I was so thrilled to qualify for this Olympic-level event and even more proud to represent my country.
Now, at 48, it just doesn't seem possible that it was half my life ago that I participated in this wonderful event!
My return to the World University Games is not as a wide-eyed young athlete looking to compete against the world's best, but rather as the Team Captain. Now my job is to help prepare the current crop of wide-eyed American fencers to compete at their best.
When I walk around the newly-constructed Athletes Village, spectacularly constructed on the side of a steep mountain overlooking the bay, it is striking to see the amazing array of athletes from all over the world. Regardless of their country, the athletes appear to have been cut right out of cookie-cutter. While they come in all sizes and shapes, most of the athletes are lean, muscular and tan. In 1981 in Bucharest, I know I was just tan!
Everyone is running around the practice track or lifting weights in the tent on the infield. This starts early in the morning and goes until around midnight. Of course, these world-class athletes work up quite an appetite, and inevitably head for the adjacent and gigantic dining hall. The amount of food consumed is staggering, and the hall is bustling all day. There's plenty of fruit, vegetables, and local fare. There are many plasma TV's around the dining hall, which has either been showing the World Track and Field Championships from Helsinki or some version of MTV.
Yesterday, we heard that two terrorists were found in Azmir with a large cache of deadly explosives. Although they were 'earmarked' for Israeli cruise ships, let's just say that was cause for some concern amongst the team. As a Jewish American, it sent shivers down my spine.
We almost didn't come to Azmir due to security concerns. I'm glad we didn't cave in and let the terrorists win. If we change our way of life, especially in cases like these, we've basically lost the battle.
Of course, discretion is the better part of valor, as the saying goes. When the team takes a day trip today, we will be very careful not to wear USA clothing, stay as a group, and not be too loud so as to draw attention to ourselves.
From speaking with many Turkish people, I've gotten the impression that they do not hate Americans. Quite the contrary. But, I was taken aback when one 32 year old university teacher commented to me that many people don't like President Bush. Then again, that's just what I'd expect to hear from 90% of college professors in the United States!
I'm proud to represent my country. My job is to make sure that my athletes compete with honor and dignity. If they like us or hate us, I couldn't care less. No matter what anyone says, we can never forget for even one second that we are the good guys, not the bad guys. If anyone doesn't 'get it,' even in our own country, that's just too damn bad for them.