limerickman said:
Brian,
You've stumbled on to a subject which has fascinated me for years.
Aussie success at sport.
It seems to me that we now live in an Australian era - Cricket, Swimming, Rugby, Cycling.
In these sports alone, the Aussies are totally dominant.
What is the secret ?
I have read about the Aussie Institute of Sport and how it was set up in the early 1970's.
Some people apportion the subsequent sporting success to this initiative but Australia was always successful even before this was setup. (Can't recall Rod Laver or Dawn Fraser or Herb Elliot having such facilities).
So what, in your estimation, is the reason for all this sporting success ?
G'day Limerickman, Like a true politicain I'll answer your question with another question. "How Long Is A Piece Of string", only kidding.
I will attempt to encapsulate in a couple of paragraphs my opinion for what it's worth.
Australia is a dominant factor for sure, in so many arena's, mateship, the team, who knows what drives them, the wearing of the "Baggy Green Cap" on the cricket field, the "Green and Gold' on other occasions, it's what every kid that has seen his hero do, like the old fashioned comic hero superman, children relate to this prowess and want to be able to emulate their hero/hero's.
Yes not only do we have the "AIS" (Australian Institute Of Sport) but also State run academy's too, this enables those who show promise at an earlier age to get the essential coaching to encourage their talents in the various sports.
Having said that, we have I suppose what could be refered to as an underlying passion for any sporting activity, and being the "Great Outdoor Country" this comes to the fore in so many different ways.
The schol children are encouraged to participate in all sorts of sporting activity from Cricket, Football (Rugby, three codes, and the true Football, Round Ball Game as you know the most popular in the world today), swimming, athletics, gymnastics, the list is endless. These games are encouraged because of the team activity of the school ground.
As for swimming, we are a Sun and Surf culture too, most Australians apart from those who live a long way inland, spend a lot of time on the beach and also participate in the associated activities, Surfing, Swimming, Lifesaving, Iron Man and Women, Beach Volley Ball etc.
While a lot of people have a swimming pool in the back yard it is essential for the obvious safety reasons, to learn to swim, most every parent want's a "Thorpedo" in the family, most wouldn't mind and the swimming clubs are very proud of their particular champions. My three sons were State representatives, but attained the age of mid teens and found the glamour of the black line couldn't compare with the tanned line of the female form?
It was of course their choice and I didn't push them any further as they started to swim competitively at five years of age and with ten years of competition they deserved a rest.
As far as Cycling sports, Australia has always had good competitors, since the days of "Danny Clarke" (Excellent European Six Day Rider) who incidentally, can still kick **** big time and he's in his fifty's. I seem to remember reading just recently he's hanging up his competitive wheels, a lot of guys sighed a sigh of releif too, when they heard that.
The other "Gitanes" take off to try their luck abroad, and it was guys like, "Phil Anderson" who kicked it off so as to speak, followed by the current crop of talent plying their trade in Europe.
Both Male and Female Riders are good on the world stage as the results of the Olympics show and it doesn't stop there as there are another bunch always coming through, this applies not only in cycling but across all sports.
Young "Ryan Bailey" the "Kentucky Fried King" loves to do his customary wheelies on the track and it's exciting to watch him in action, he started in BMX, so did Robbie McEwan, what is it that drives these young men.
I personally think it's the will and passion that comes from inside, the heart, the dogged determination to get out there and show 'em. Incidentally Ryan Bailey has been touted, because he advocated the type of fuel he consumes, being fast food, (that's why he's so quick) he may be signing to be sponsored by one of the leaders in that field, at the moment it's a big secret and I can only guess but "KFC" might be on his suit of lights?
Australians have always had a "Larakin Image" Hard Drinking, Hard Playing, image, Irreverent to a degree, some might say almost irresponsible, but deep down they are extremely patriotic, they love their country with a passion, just see the tear in the eye as they stand on the dais and listen to the National Anthem.
All this born out of a "Multicultural Society' with a "Fantastic Gene Pool" that is prepared to stand up and be counted at any time.
The Heart, is what possibly gives us the edge, I say "US" with the "Utmost Humility and Respecrt" of course, as I too like to ride the coattails of their success.
I'm a proud Australian although only a recent import, I've only had my knees brown for Fourty Years, but I'm one of the lucky bastards, and I don't mind admitting it either.
I'm sorry if that seems a long couple of paragraphs, but it really is a very complex subject, let's hope that in the season 2005 we'll see a lot more winning by the boys from down under. I will go out on a limb here to say watch out for Brad McGee during "Le Tour" for the "Overall Gong", sorry "Lance"?
Just before closing my other tip is "Mark Webber" in the GP season starting in March, sorry Michael?
Keep the wheels in motion, and don't look back unles it's to see who you dropped on that last climb? TBC
