The Road to Success

GB seems to have gone Olympic mad and rightly so. When I see and hear how hard these athletes have worked for this once in a four year opportunity to compete at the very top of their sport it makes me realise what total dedication means.

There are many reasons why Team GB are doing so well this year. 

• Total dedication
• Home crowd is definitely an advantage
• Lottery investment in sport over the last 5 years
• Focus on what we're already good at - good to great
• Quality of coaching

I'm sure there are other reason too, I'd like to focus this blog on my last bullet point.

I've heard it a number of times now that Team GB's success at these Olympics started more than ten years ago, in fact in rowing over 15 years ago. It was this recognition that something needed to change, we need to do something differently that set them on the journey to this years success.

A very well used quote from Einstein springs to mind:

 "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Did someone decided in order to take British sports forward something different needed to be done. 

There's been some fascinating stories of the rowing team coach who 20 years ago set out his plans for the team. The Equestrian coach refusing to let certain riders compete in the event they thought they were best at - he didn't. And the gymnastic coaches who set out to achieve medals in areas we traditionally only dreamt of.

I believe London 2012 will have a profound effect on British sports. You may say it doesn't take an Einstein to work that out! No I mean deeper than the obvious. The knowledge and the amazing experience gained by these athletes will passed on and inspire others for generations. The learning by the coaches will be developed to the next generation of up and coming stars. And most importantly, the eye opening and moving experiences from spectators, TV viewers, Games Makers, and much of the nation will motivate people to get involved with a sport in some shape or form to feel part of this new found success and, to bring their own unique skills and talent to British sports.

We all want to feel that 'moment' in our sports whether it's dog agility, rowing, cycling or long jumping. Hopefully, we'll ask ourselves "am I doing the same thing over and over agin and expecting different results?" 

I'm sure that was the question these coaches asked themselves 15 - 20 years ago which set them on the journey to this years successes.