I don’t know about you, but the Olympics are easily one of my top five favorite things in the whole world. Winter or Summer, it doesn’t matter. I enjoy watching everything from snowboard cross to figure skating to soccer to beach volleyball. We’re only five days in to the 2016 games, and I’ve spent an immodest amount of time glued to my television.
Swimming. Gymnastics. Rugby. Volleyball. Soccer (I’m watching right now!). Water Polo. Basketball. Field Hockey.
I don’t discriminate. I love it all. And in this year’s current political climate, I love it even more because the Olympics gives us (or me, at least) a reminder of what pride feels like. It gives us the opportunity to come together and cheer for a common goal – it gives us something to be excited and happy about.
But enough about THAT.
Watching the Olympics also makes me want to try (or go back to) like, 6 different sports. Watching volleyball reminds me of high school and summers spent at camp with my teammates. Gymnastics reminds me of tumbling and swinging around the gym as an 8 year old, pretending I was Dominque Moceanu. Swimming makes me want to go jump in a pool and track and field has me wishing I was a speed demon sprinter.
And this year? Despite all of the latent sexism in the commentary and coverage (I’m looking at you, Dan Hicks), this year’s games are about girl power. More than 50 percent of the US team are women, and a record 45 percent of the total competitors are women! And those ladies are badass.
I was supposed to write about yoga today, but instead I’m camped in front of the USWNT playing Colombia while I wait for the primetime coverage of the women’s gymnastics and swimming – all of these women are inspirational in their own ways. Whether it’s Mallory Pugh scoring goals, Simone Biles crushing everyone in the gym or Katie Ledecky smashing records in the pool, I’m on board with the ladies of Team USA.