Lessons from the Sochi Winter Olympic Games

Every Olympic Games offers an opportunity for those of us watching at home to learn from world athletes. Win, lose, or draw, the Sochi Olympic Games are no different, offering podium-worthy lessons in athleticism, humility, and strength from athletes in every sport. If you pay attention, you can even learn a little about chemistry when learning about how to make snow stay frozen with the use of salt and fertilizer. Here are lessons learned from the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games.

Pavel Golovkin/AP
2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games: Moritz Geisreiter of Germany, left, and Shane Dobbin of New Zealand compete in the men's 10,000-meter speedskating race at the Adler Arena Skating Center in Sochi, Russia, Tuesday, Feb. 18.

1. Olympians are Olympians, on and off the course

Mike Groll/AP/FILE
Olympian Heidi Kloser, who was injured in a training run at the Sochi Olympics and unable to compete, skis in the women's freestyle World Cup moguls event in Wilmington, N.Y., on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

We’ve heard it too many times in reference to sport, “Quitters never win and winners never quit.” That line, often meant to motivate, doesn’t always relate to the Olympics. Sometimes, stepping aside is the smart and safe option, which still sets a good example for budding athletes everywhere. 

The US moguls skier Heidi Kloser was injured and out before the opening ceremonies. Russian figure skating favorite Evgeni Plushenko stepped aside after injuring his back during a warm-up routine. Despite their early exits from the Games, they are still Olympians and their hard work and perseverance to make the team should always be recognized.

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