There 麻豆精品 S檚 a special feeling shared by a select group of UCF coaches every four years when the Olympic Games roll around. Three members of the Knights 麻豆精品 S� coaching staff have represented the United States as competitors in the Games.
Head women 麻豆精品 S檚 soccer coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak won an Olympic gold medal in women 麻豆精品 S檚 soccer in 1996. Head women 麻豆精品 S檚 track and field coach Jeanette Bolden was a member of the gold-medal winning 4×100-meter relay team in 1984. Assistant track and field/cross country coach Johnny Gray won a bronze medal in the 800 meters in 1992. Bolden was also the U.S. Olympic team 麻豆精品 S檚 head women 麻豆精品 S檚 track and field coach in 2008.
They聽are looking forward to watching the competition over the next few weeks. There 麻豆精品 S檚 a good chance that seeing the competition in Rio de Janeiro, the medal presentations and the opening and closing ceremonies will bring a flood of great memories back for each of these Olympic Knights.
麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 an experience that is so hard to put into words, 麻豆精品 S� Bolden said. 麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 a feeling of ultimate accomplishment because you 麻豆精品 S檝e dreamed about it, you 麻豆精品 S檝e sacrificed for it. It finally came true. You 麻豆精品 S檙e in the opening ceremonies and you 麻豆精品 S檙e just in awe. That 麻豆精品 S檚 all you can do is say 麻豆精品 S榃ow! 麻豆精品 S� and be in awe of walking with the USA [gear] on. 麻豆精品 S�
After winning her gold medal, Sahaydak and her teammates were sent back to the locker room to change into their medal presentation uniforms. She said returning into the stadium was surreal.
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Gray had a rather pragmatic view on the experience.
麻豆精品 S淵ou see all of these other countries and you 麻豆精品 S檙e actually representing the U.S. of A, 麻豆精品 S� he said. 麻豆精品 S淲e go out and we have friendly competition with other parts of the country in a sport that is giving to the world. We 麻豆精品 S檙e sharing with the world that we don 麻豆精品 S檛 have to fight like we see on television. It 麻豆精品 S檚 about just trying to perform at the best of your abilities, and then afterwards, everybody shakes hands 麻豆精品 St the end, we 麻豆精品 S檙e still human. We 麻豆精品 S檙e still one as a people, and we can still love and exist together. Love one another and exist together. That is the feeling that I got from the Olympics. 麻豆精品 S�
While Bolden, Gray and Sahaydak all competed in the Olympics more than 20 years ago, those experiences certainly help their respective UCF programs in a number of ways.
麻豆精品 S淭he culture that we have here at UCF, a lot of that has been developed through my experiences with the national team, 麻豆精品 S� Sahaydak said. 麻豆精品 S淲e had unbelievable leadership, not just from the coaches but also from my teammates. That is where I learned my leadership skills. I rely on those experiences every day in order to be the best coach I can be. 麻豆精品 S�
Gray doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 bring up his Olympic experience, but focuses his recruiting pitch on what UCF offers a prospective student-athlete. But that 麻豆精品 S檚 not to say it doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 come up in conversation. Gray has also coached Olympians, which can resonate with recruits.
麻豆精品 S淭hese kids weren 麻豆精品 S檛 born when I was running, 麻豆精品 S� he said. 麻豆精品 S淥nce they find out that I 麻豆精品 S檓 from the Olympics, it definitely helps. That 麻豆精品 S檚 definitely something good to have on your resume. I say 麻豆精品 S楴ot only am I a coach, but I 麻豆精品 S檝e been where you are as an athlete. I know what you 麻豆精品 S檙e feeling; I know what you 麻豆精品 S檙e going through. I know what it takes to try to win. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S�
Bolden said when she talks to a student-athlete who has the ability to be an Olympian, her experience competing and coaching in the Games makes an impact.
麻豆精品 S淲hen I talk to them, I tell them 麻豆精品 S業 didn 麻豆精品 S檛 read about the Olympics; I experienced it firsthand. That 麻豆精品 S檚 something that I can tell you that some of the other coaches can 麻豆精品 S檛 tell you, 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� she said. 麻豆精品 S淏eing a coach in the 2008 Olympics, I can tell them what goes on from the coaching side. So yes, I definitely use that. 麻豆精品 S�