Winter Olympics in LA 2/20

Hopefully your family has enjoyed the Winter Olympics in Sochi Russia: a bit of Ice Dancing, Figure Skating, Skiing, Snowboarding, Bobsledding, and maybe the elusive game of Curling. Even in 85 degree Los Angeles, we competed! Click on the images to see footage of the fun and grand sportsmanship.

The Olympics are filled with so many wonderful “family” opportunities to discuss healthy competition, healthy lifestyles, passion, commitment, playing fair, honorable loss and prideful win (which doesn’t always include a medal).

I invite you to discuss these Three Olympic quotes with your family at the dinner table or driving around town.

1. “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered, but to have fought well.” Olympic Creed

2. The Olympic motto
“Citius, Altius, Fortius.”, which is Latin for “Swifter, Higher, Stronger”

3. Every four years the world celebrates “In the name of all competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules that govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honour of our teams.” And so the games begin.

Check out our blog from four years ago at M&B Parkday, when the Winter Olympics took place in Vancouver. To emphasize the unity and teamwork aspect of the Olympics, we all joined hands like the Who’s from Whooville. Without letting go of our hands, we passed a hula hoop completely around the circle forcing us to climb in and out and pull the hands of our neighbors along for the moves. Sometimes we had to come in tighter to help lend an extra hand or two. But not as often as I would have thought. Pretty agile group of kids and parents!!

With a map in front of the TV at our home, we match flags and outfits to the countries around the globe. We also discuss the hardships their families overcome and the pride that comes with to competing for their country, their families, and their communities.

The Olympics is about Pride, and not just for a home Country, but the places our Ancestors came from as well. I encourage families to discuss the different levels of Nationalism particular to their family ahead of time. A great time to make and discuss the elements of your ancestors flags.

We will spend time discussing the “Spirit of the Olympics” and recreating events. True to my style, Participation is the Goal, not winning. And Curiosity, Endurance & Ethics! More Olympic learning! curling1 Here is an official curling stone quarried near Scotland compared to our Curling Ice Stone made in my freezer.

Accepted into the Winter Olympic Games in 2006 (along with trick Snowboarding made popular by American Ace Shawn White) Curling was a fun sport to exhibit at our parkday. And Since we didn’t have access to a frozen ice-skating rink or a 44 pound curling stone, I switched the properties and used a homemade curling stone made out of ice on a concrete skating rink.

A sport that has it’s origins in Scotland in the 1500’s, it sure took a long time to get to the Olympics. With a few brooms, a heavy stone with a handle and alot of yelling and screaming we were up on the game in not time. A tutorial from Amy sure made it alot more fun! Thanks Amy! Here is an online tutorial.

And when the curling was done – the fun was amplified as we took on CROSS COUNTRY SKIING!