Day 9: Sat. 7/30. Starting to watch events!

Even though it was Saturday, this didn’t mean that we get a day off. Our presentation is every single morning for 12 straight days. And sometimes twice a day. It would have been nice for them to at least schedule one day in the middle where we had an afternoon presentation or something. Having to be working for all these days in a row does get wearing. Even if we wouldn’t have to work a full day today, it’s far from a day off. By this time, I don’t bring up my cheat sheet of notes. And I don’t get nervous. I’m on auto-pilot and just get up there and recite what I have been reciting over and over and I’ve accepted that the content of my presentation might not be the most favorable, but I’m at ease that I know I am presenting it the best that I can.

 We went swimming after the presentation and happened to chat with another guy swimming laps next to us. He told us that he was a reporter, and here to watch and report on the Team USA Water Polo game that night. I love how we are working here with the USOC for our USA teams, and found out about this from a random guy while working out. Katie knows all the PR people from all the sports, so she sent a quick email over to Water Polo and immediately scored us tickets. And, the fact that we said we were with Gail Devers didn’t hurt. And, they even wanted Gail Devers to do the ball drop. A perfect escape for a Saturday early evening.

 The game was awesome. I played a little water polo in high school (I was quite terrible), but then became an avid fan in college. It was an exhibition game at the University of Houston: USA vs. Montenegro. Despite it being an “exhibition” game, USA and Montenegro are in the same group pairing down in Rio to compete against each other. So, this game means more than just whatever, they are facing their competition. And they showed it. They played hard. Both teams. It was close the entire time. In the forth it was 8-7 USA, then 8-8, then 9-8 Montenegro, then 9-9, then 10-9 USA within the last minute. This is better than any reality TV because it’s real. You can’t write endings like that, or in any sport competition. There is no guarantee of what it going to happen. Although it was a meaningless game in the scheme of everything, those athletes still went out there and gave all their effort because in sport, you always play to win, no matter the stage.