Have you ever asked a child what they want to be when they grow up? If you haven’t, please do, the answers are delightful. I just paused writing this to ask my 6-year-old what he wants to be when he grows up… “President”. It's safe to say that most adults today would agree that being President is the last thing they would want, however, the world of a child is so optimistic and full of hope. To be clear, this is not a political article. This is a story about being a dreamer and with enough hard work and dedication, an accomplisher.
Whether you're interested in the arts, athletics, academia, or something in between, there is something magical about witnessing people accomplish their goals. Every four years, each Olympic qualifying country worldwide rallies around its athletes. It’s as though the world slows down and celebrates the greatness that each athlete brings. I grew up playing volleyball and was once a dreamer of representing our country at the Olympic level. For my sport, there is no honor larger than wearing those three letters on your chest and going for gold! Our Valley is fortunate to have one of volleyball's living legends call the SYV home. Todd Rogers is an Olympic Gold Medalist (Beijing) and FIVB World Champion. Even earning the nickname, “God of the Beach”. The best in the world at his craft - can you imagine?
What is even more amazing than this accomplishment is how he got there. “I think it's important to understand – and I understood this after the Olympics and winning gold - it wasn’t so much about the Olympics themselves, it was the process of getting there. It stands out in my mind: how often we went to the track, the weekly plyometric workouts, the road trips, sitting in the hotels and shooting the breeze about life and whatnot. Those things are the fondest of memories: the process to get to that point. Winning gold was just an addition to that process”, noted Rogers. In recent years David Goggins has popularized the phrase, “embrace the suck”. For those who think they can magically wake up one day and win an Olympic Gold medal, keep dreaming. The day-to-day grind and hard work, the reps that happen behind closed doors, and the literal blood, sweat, and tears are what separate the champions from the spectators. These are just a few things that make the Olympics so special. Most participants have worked their entire lives to compete in this arena.
As Todd reminisces on the opening ceremonies, “You get the American Spirit when you walk into the opening ceremony. I remember walking in and thinking to myself, wow, there are all these countries here. We have 500-600 athletes and the other countries are here and everyone is celebrating being here. I think Russia and Georgia were at war at the time, but the athletes didn’t care. They are just happy to be there competing.”
One differentiator between American athletes and the rest is that our athletes expect themselves to be on the podium. On countless occasions, they have visualized the American Flag flying higher than the other flags and hold themselves to the highest standard to accomplish this. “When we won the gold medal and we’re standing on the podium and the American flag is the highest one, the Star Spangled Banner starts playing. It gives me chills every time... raising that flag and the gold medal is something not a lot of people get to do” explained Rogers. “I have always been someone who visualizes things. Growing up, people thought I was just daydreaming, but I put myself in certain situations and it helps me prepare for these big moments in championship games”, Todd added.
The Rogers family has been in the SYV since 2002. “I was familiar with the Valley because I was born and raised in Santa Barbara. I met my wife, Mel, in ’93 and we started dating. She was from the Paradise Road area and went to SYHS." Todd has been involved in both the boys' and girl's beach volleyball teams at SYHS. Melissa is the current head coach of the girls' beach team which boasts a 2nd place finish in CIF this past season.
Currently, as the head coach for Cal Poly’s Women’s Beach program, Todd is proud of finishing last year as the #3 team in the country, but, his competitive spirit is focused on winning a National Title.
You get the American Spirit when you walk into the opening ceremony.
I have always been someone who visualizes things.