Olympic Inspiration for Sport and Recreation
Wheel Life column - October 07, 2000
by Todd Litman and Suzanne Kort - Victoria Transport Policy Institute

It's been wonderful to see the tremendous enthusiasm for this year's Summer Olympics. Now that it's over, it's time to take stock of the experience and consider its implications for us, individually and nationally.

We heard too many people complain that Canadian athletes didn't earn enough medals. What an awful attitude!

Sports in general, and the Olympics in particular, should not be judged based on who takes first, second and third place. They provide physical excellence, enjoyment of developing skills, the thrill of competition, community-building, and pride in playing fair. Everybody who participates is a winner, regardless of where they rank in the final score. These find goals are spoiled when anybody implies that participants who fail to place first should be ashamed.

People have suggested that the "message" of this Olympics is that Canada is doing too little to cultivate elite athletes, as if sports were a type of agriculture. (It's worth noting that much of this criticism is based on comparisons with Australia, which had the home-team advantage, and is geographically much more suited to summer sports. Canada tends to do better in winter sports.)

A more positive message is that sports are enjoyable and rewarding for those who PARTICIPATE. Rather than focusing more resources on a small number of select athletes to entertain a nation of couch potatoes, we'd rather that average Canadians get out and play more. We can derive inspiration from the late Pierre Elliott Trudeau who loved canoeing and dancing, and walked daily to his office in Montreal.

A participation-oriented sports program encourages everybody to be physically active, regardless of his or her competitive potential. For most people, the ideal is to participate in about half an hour a day of moderate physical activity, such as cycling, jogging, walking, swimming and dancing. That's your basic foundation for lifelong health.

To this you can add stretching, muscle training, and skill development that enhances your competitive abilities. Playing a variety of sports is better than focusing on just one. And the worst thing you can do is to become so serious about a sport that you burn out, or give up just because you don't always win.

Today's recommended bike ride is an ideal way to work out the kinks you developed watching other people exercise for the last two weeks. It explores Central Saanich, which is particularly lovely this time of year. You can ride there from Victoria on the Lochside Trail (stop for an energizing snack at Mattick's Farm), and take a short detour to the Saanich Historical Artifact Society. Bring a pack or pannier for carrying home fresh produce from farms along the way.

Have a great time, regardless of your Olympian potential.