Good Morning
Well yesterday I went to watch the Taekwondo Sparring at the Pan Am Games in Toronto with 4 of my students/friends. The athletes put on a good show of taekwondo footwork and kicking during their sparring matches. The first few matches started out a little show but then the matches started to get excited and the crowd really got behind the athletes. Amazingly but not surprisingly the crowd cheered for everyone and supported each single athlete. No matter what country they were from they were proudly supported by all in attendance. And quite frankly this is the way it should be. The athletes put everything into their training to get good enough to compete at the international/world level. They put pretty much everything on the line during each match. How can you do anything but cheer for them?
After each match the athletes would walk out by the crowd as they were leaving the arena and everyone cheered them whether they won or lose. Ultimately in the eyes everyone, all the athletes were winners that day. I can affirm that feeling as I have been in the same situation when I compete at the ISKA World Championships. All the athletes are cheered by everyone. They are all appreciated for their hard work, dedication, determination, sportsmanship, and etc,.
To watch an athlete at the top of the top do what they do is magical, very inspiring. To see someone that dedicated and passion about something and will do anything and everything to achieve their dreams. No challenges or obstacles will stand in their way. They understand that the ups and downs are all a part of the journey. They understand how hard you have to work to make big dreams come true. They know what it is like to make sacrifices. They know the feelings of when dreams come true.
You can observe all of this when you are there live. You can feel it. It’s a great feeling.
Master Jonathan Field