Columbus Sports Council...

As a family, we all volunteered to be participants in welcoming the Olympics to middle Georgia, when Atlanta won the 'bid' back in 1996. Looking back (and I wish I could really look, as I expect there are some amusing photos), I recall that we were there in Memorial Stadium on Victory Drive for the local version of Opening Ceremonies when the Softball competition was held here. Teams from all over the globe were playing, right here, at the riverfront stadium: Historic Golden Park. It was probably pretty cheezy by today's standards - but for us who will likely never again particpate in welcoming the Olympic Games to town, it was a pretty big deal.

The organizers of the Softball venue was the forerunner to today's Columbus Sports Council. A group that with a small paid staff manages to recruit volunteer labor to pull off some major sporting events here in our town. Recently Columbus hosted a state-wide High school Girls' Softball competition at the South Commons Softball Complex, built to provide the practice space for the International Olympic teams in 1996. And this weekend, in the Columbus Civic Center, the GA Highschool Cheerleaders are competeting for the state championship in various school divisions.

I spent most of the day down in a cold entrance way near a back door of the Civic Center, as a volunteer. Our 'door' was the entry point for the staffers and judges for the event. I had never been, never been interested, never been invited, thought I would not care at all about seeing it. Those girls are Amazing. I can see some real skill, major athletic ability, and years of devotion to gymnastics practice. I believe some of the talents demonstrated today are on par with what you would see at any state level gym. competition. Flipping and twirling and cartwheeling and flying through the air, and lifting and balancing, and leaping in a manner that makes it difficult to believe what your eyes know you are witnessing. I wondered to another observer if those teenaged girls had been taking gymnastics classes since they started walking.

I cannot imagine the hours of practice and devotion it takes to reach this level of ability. They were wow. I know in an event like this there can be only one champion team for any specific 'class', but when I think of how long they work at getting to this point, I'm thinking they are All Winners.