Did you see Sydney McLaughlin set a world record in the 400m hurdles? Or Armand Duplantis reach 6.21 meters in the pole vault final? How about Haruka Kitaguchi throw a javelin 66.00 m to a bronze medal, making her the first Japanese woman to medal in a throwing event at this level of competition?
If you did, you joined a large audience watching the 2022 World Track and Field championships held earlier this summer in Eugene, Oregon. In some ways it proved more entertaining than last summer’s Olympics that unfortunately were held in largely empty arenas and venues. Fans were in the stands in Eugene adding an energy and excitement that was truly missed last summer in Tokyo.
The highlight for me had to be the final of the 4 x 100m men’s relay. On paper, the American team of sprinters were less than 40 seconds away from an assured gold medal. Runner for runner, no other nation could send four athletes to the track with such impressive individual split times. But what might appear to be a done deal on paper can be overturned in real time—as the team from Canada was about to demonstrate.
Four Canadian runners; Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney and Andre De Grasse, were the ones chosen to carry the colors for the red and white in a race that most in the stadium were preparing to coronate the pre-race favorite. But 37.48 seconds after the starting gun went off, it was the Canadian team that crossed the line first, capturing the gold medal.
The key to the win? The Canadian team had better transitions as the baton moved quickly from one runner to the next, and with a brilliant final leg by Andre De Grasse, they edged out the rest of the field. On paper, the favorites seemed to be a lock on the gold, but with the right team anything is possible. When each team member does exactly what they have worked hard to achieve, the results can be something far greater than some might imagine.
When we take a look around we can see there are a lot of challenges and problems we are facing, as well as projects and opportunities that are presenting themselves. What might be too much for one individual is something the right team just might be able to achieve. It’s all about putting together the people who can bring the right combination of skill, adaptability and creativity to the venture.
Last week I toured a basilica built by immigrants who began arriving in the Wisconsin area by the thousands in the late 1800s. The desire to build a place of worship to house its growing community led to the construction of what was in essence a smaller version of St. Peter’s in Rome. Ground was broken in 1896 and the church was completed in 1901. St. Josaphat Church in Milwaukee was named the third basilica in the United States, a status reserved for the largest, more beautiful, and most historically important Catholic Churches.
What might have seemed a task too large for a group of immigrants to undertake is exactly what they did. Yet that is the story of many, many places—including where I live today. Those that arrived in a new country certainly had enough to do in clearing land and constructing a home for their family, but they did so much more than that. Churches and schools were first on the priority list because they felt building for the community was such an important task. Huge undertakings were accomplished when people came together and formed an effective, hardworking team. Others may have had more money, better raw materials or more experience in achieving those goals. On paper they may have been the better bet, but never underestimate the spirit of the right team of people.
The examples that came before us are plentiful and inspirational. With a lot on the line, it’s pretty remarkable what can be accomplished when a dedicated group of people come together. That knowledge can motivate each one of us to choose our venture, build our team and go out and get the job down. So find your team and choose your project. There will be many standing on the sidelines. Some will be shaking their heads or wagging their fingers saying it can’t be done. But shut it out. Because there will be many others excitedly waiting to celebrate with you as you cross the finish line. That’s my outlook.
