It’s not just about the big five American sports anymore—football, basketball, baseball/softball, soccer and ice hockey—it’s time to get more of our youth more involved in more Olympic sports and pave the way to bring home the gold. America’s number of gold medals is declining, and many of our athletes are taking fourth places, just short of winning medals.
“Our objective is to get podium-capable athletes to achieve their dreams,” said Alan Ashely, chief of sport performance for the USOC.
USOC Executive Officer Scott Blackmun speaks at USOC General Address.
Consider Incorporating New Olympic Sports into Events
New sports to come in the 2016 Rio Olympics are golf and rugby, and canoe and triathlon in the Paralympics. Other Olympic and Paralympic sports event planners could consider include archery, badminton, beach volleyball, canoeing, rowing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, handball, judo, rugby, sailing, table tennis, water polo and curling.
Offering these sports on recreational or extracurricular levels provides a wider range of athletic options for our youth and all their interests, skills and abilities.
USOC Panel: Creation and Delivery of Sports Events.
What Sports Event Planners Can Do
If you’re interested in club/recreation, here are two examples of what Chicago is doing to promote two sports and get the area’s youth involved.
World Sport Chicago launched the Premier Skills soccer program during the same month as 2014 FIFA World Cup. Aside from being strategically planned around the World Cup, the program gives opportunities to young people through a year-round, after-school soccer- and sports-based youth development program.
“We want to generate excitement in our youth so they can have athlete mentors, get inspired and get involved,” said Bill Scherr, chairman of World Sport Chicago.
A huge rugby game is set to take place at Chicago’s Soldier Field November 1, where the New Zealand All Blacks will play the USA Eagles. Illinois Youth Rugby coordinated this event through the Chicago Sports Commission, and is expecting about 60,000 in attendance in addition to NBC televised coverage.
“Rugby is somewhat an ambiguous sport—this will help us showcase and grow,” said Roy Hayes, treasurer and representative for Illinois Youth Rugby.
Following the match between the Eagles and All Blacks, the Illinois Youth Rugby Association will continue to drive the initiative to create additional rugby clubs for IYRA league play. The IYRA will also look to develop a Rookie Rugby league using clubs formed through the Chicago Park District, while clubs will be able to use the American International Group (AIG) Rugby in a Box as a sales tool to generate revenue and a state-wide developmental league.
National Governing Bodies Council.
If you’re interested in adding a sport to your school/university, here’s how the USOC can help:
Did you know 1/3 of Team USA in Sochi competed in college athletics? However, not many Olympic sports are offered in colleges. The Olympics Committee is leading the charge for Olympic sport involvement and is happy to help growth in youth sports.
“USOC is committed to working with athletic directors and creating partnerships,” said USOC Executive Officer Scott Blackmun.
Offering the same sports as the Olympics will not only result in a higher number of and more successful Olympians in our future, but it will also generate more Olympic fandom. When children and young adults have a wider range of sports to choose from, there are more opportunities for different abilities and interests; there would be a sport for everyone. But this movement isn’t just about winning medals—it’s about helping our younger generations become great leaders and have healthier, happier lives.
