In my 6/27/12 blog entry (#26 true grit), I wrote about the Olympic trials. I still am astonished at how late in the process athletes are chosen and dreams are made/crushed depending on just the performance in the qualifying events.
For me, heartache was taken to a new level in this year's track team trials. Two women vying for the final spot on the team achieved a virtual tie. Jeneba Tarmoh's time was originally recorded as one second faster. She took the victory lap with the other members of the team. But then the USA Track and Field reviewed the race and could not distinguish a winner.
The organization has no tiebreaking procedures and left it to the women themselves to figure out how to select the qualifier. Officials suggested choosing the team member based upon the flip of a coin. Thus one of the women, who ran a 100m dash in 11.068 seconds, would not be going to the Olympics because of heads or tails! Instead the parties initially agreed to a runoff race (in spite of exhaustion and risk of injury) before Tarmoh decided that she would not contest the tie.
To me, the mental endurance required to move beyond such a finish is even more admirable than the physical stamina required to run with lightning speed. Every day people are required to bear emotional burdens that are caused by unalterable forces. Make every effort that people in your care don't suffer like this because you weren't clear about the rules or process for resolving them.
-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com
(Source: Boston Herald.com, Monte Poole column, 7/3/12)
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