Let the Games Begin
After several months of anticipation, the long-awaited Olympics are less than two weeks away. Several athletes from the Westlake area such as Lenny Krayzelburg are preparing to compete in this year’s Olympics.
In addition to the 2012 London Olympics, the Junior Olympics have already passed for many young athletes. Taylor Foley, an Oaks Christian sophomore who played the opposite position, recently competed in the Junior Olympics (or JO’s) with her club, LAVA (Los Angeles Volleyball Academy) South. Taylor competed with her 15-1 Brad (players aged 15 and below) teammates this year in Columbus, Ohio, and finished in the top 25 within the 15-American division. Her team won 7 matches over the course of 4 days in Columbus, while providing valuable experience for her and her teammates as they prepare to move to the “16’s” level next year.
These Junior Olympics have a characteristic that is unlike the regular Olympics, as they are played every single year during the first week of July. Taylor was only one of many athletes that come from the Westlake area to compete in the Junior Olympics, as she was joined by her fellow Oaks Christian teammates, Veronica Sams and Madison Kousi.
On a final note, these Junior Olympics force individuals who may see themselves as opponents when they play for their schools, be it Westlake or Oaks Christian, to put aside their differences and play together as a team. In a sense, that is truly what the Olympics should be about, making new connections while competing with integrity and honor to better instead of trying to impress others who may have been an opponent in the past. Truly, Taylor and other Junior Olympians have shown that this is how a sport should be played and exhibit characteristics of what it takes to be an Olympic athlete.
