“For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.” (1 Timothy 5:18)
Traditionally among the most under appreciated athletes in the world are track and field competitors. These people are not your “Average Joe athletes”. Unlike other sports, where there are many people in the world who can compete at the same level as them, top track athletes are incomparable. Only the very best of the very best even make it onto the professional scene. They train for years and years, with very minimal financial incentive, and then they have one chance every 4 years to make a name for themselves and finally get recognized for their superb performance. Generally speaking, only those who really love the sport pay any attention to their plight though, except during the Olympic year. Of course, there are reasons for this sad neglect, and I won’t get into those now, but things began to change for these very talented and hard-working people this past weekend.
Michael Johnson, a track hero in his own right, decided to create a venue that would better celebrate and compensate track athletes. It’s called Grand Slam Track. Unlike other venues that stick to the basic format you see in all track meets, and that offer only token rewards to the very top competitors, Johnson’s vision was to help these athletes stretch their skill levels by putting them in events they don’t usually compete in and pay them substantially just for showing up and giving it their all. The hope is that by doing something different it will draw more attention to the sport and generate more income for everyone involved.
Simply put, I am a big fan of all of this! This development means more opportunities to watch these amazing athletes compete, and more incentive for others who would like to do it, but can’t afford to take the time to train to break onto the scene. I think what excites me the most about this effort to grow the sport, though, is the way it is being done. Not by elite committees that make silly rules, like the one that says sprinters cannot leave their blocks until one tenth of a second after the gun goes off, because they don’t believe someone can respond to a gun firing that fast. Or by corporate sponsors who chose only “fan favorites” to dole their dollars out to. Rather, the focus is on fair distribution of rewards to those who have truly earned it. Women will make the same as their men counterparts and distance runners will make the same as sprinters. It will also be meritorious for those who excel beyond the others, and yet not punitive for those who are not able to perform quite as well.
Because of this effort, some of the fastest and most fit athletes on the planet will finally get their due. And not just financially, but in terms of public recognition. To me, this is important not just in terms of fairness but in terms of real world influence. Not every middle school kid can play baseball or basketball. Most don’t have enough talent to even make the team! But any kid, anywhere, who wants to run can join the track team and work hard, and set PRs and enjoy the process of growing in strength and agility, and general health. And the people who most inspire the next generation to do these healthy activities are the professionals who most excel at them.
Thank you Michael Johnson! And those who have financially backed this effort! Because of this movement, the world is not only a better place, but is inspiring others to do the same!
Here is a video from one of my favorite track and field commentators, Coach Rob. If you want to hear more about the significance of this new development you will enjoy this.
Through Spiritual Eyes 