Neo-Beatniks & Elitist Bones
Andrew Love had an interesting exchange with Eddy “the cannibal”- see Note to Eddy- and also the comments from $30 + free beer.
Here are my Friday night home-work questions for you; Can/ do elite & non-elite athletes…
- …co-exist in a mutually beneficial environment?
- …get along?
- …have similar needs? Or are their needs different?
- …have complimentary strengths?
- …exist without each other?
- …have a sub-culture?
I think elite & non-elite athletes have different training needs & performance goals. Elite athletes require intensive support and as a result, they tend to spend a lot of time with each other seeking & receiving support.
Because elite athletes spend a lot of time together- in training camps, as room-mates, traveling to many competitions & training across the world, in regular training sessions, as team-mates & as rivals, and suffering through heavy sacrifice and celebrating in wonderful joys- a unique culture of excellence and performance develops.
Elite athletes tend to carry a part of that culture with them and within them. While they are participating or immersed in a culture of excellence and performance, some elite athletes maintain a connection with their home or non-elite club/ team.
Where or how elite athletes connect with non-elite club/ teams & the general public is the place where a sense of elitism will surface. Sometimes the perception of elitism is accurate, sometimes it is not.
I just painted a very simplified version of what I think is a very complex dynamic. What makes this dynamic ever more multi-faceted and complicated and difficult to pin-down is that it is dependent on regional factors and on the sport & the discipline that is practiced. Most importantly, it is dependent on an individual or smaller group within a myriad of group setttings.
wow peter, that is a lot of good food for thought…
here are your questions, and my thoughts interspersed on this chilly, salt lake friday night
You ask: Can/ do elite & non-elite athletes…
co-exist in a mutually beneficial environment?
absolutely, although there will be moments of training that will be 100% one group or the other, and there are obvious safety concerns when the truly fast start ripping..
I guess the deeper question is “can they train together..” on carefully selected days, its a great thing, but not more than 25% of the time..
…get along?
People are people no matter the size of their heart or legs, if they don’t get along, that is a human fault..
…have similar needs? Or are their needs different?
they have radically different needs, and worldviews, not from ability level, but as peter says, to be an elite athlete means that is the majority of what you think about, spend energy on, and do.. is skating..
this makes elites really boring, and they need the non-elite to remind them what normal life is like, and to cushion the eventual inevitable transition back into polite society.. because no-one is elite forever..
just kidding about the boring part.. but there is a grain of truth to that..
…have complimentary strengths?
hard question…. but without non-elites, most elite men would never get a date, since there are so many fewer elite women around..
…exist without each other?
the groups absolutely cannot exist without each other, there is a mutually beneficial loop of feedback involved…
The average athlete looks at the elite, and says “wow, that’s/you’re amazing” and that gives the average athlete impetus the try harder & see what’s possible..
the Elite feels this vibe of “wow, that’s/you’re amazing” and it makes all that horrid sacrifice feel worthwhile.. and makes them try harder..
both groups are better for this feedback loop..
…have a sub-culture?
Elites have a total crazy sub-culture that has no rigid rules, it’s just by association and shared hardship… non-elite’s have club culture… and that is a great thing.. and is the true bedrock of the sport..
whoa, gotta run… but this was a great homework assignment…