“Mommy, look, I can do the same thing as them!” Five-year-old Olivia Adams said those words to her mother as they watched the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team compete in the final during the 2012 Summer Olympics. Every time one of the American gymnasts performed a skill with multiple twists or consecutive flips, Olivia followed suit, copying the same movement from her living room couch.
With a summer of sports events ahead, many U-High students are excited to relive childhood nostalgia and build new memories with family and friends. Beginning in mid-June and mid-July are major continental soccer tournaments like the 2024 European Championships, or the Euros, and the 2024 Copa America, South America’s championship. Of course, the Olympic Games will take place in Paris July 26 to Aug. 11.
Olivia, now a junior who has closely followed every Summer Olympics since 2012, said the Olympics are central to her passion for gymnastics, a sport in which she competes.
“I think the Olympics really brings back nostalgia of when I first fell in love with gymnastics,” Olivia said. “The whole reason I enrolled in classes in the first place was because I wanted to go to the Olympics and win gold just like Gabby Douglas did in London 2012. Without the 2012 Olympics, I may not have ever started gymnastics.”
Olivia also said watching the Olympics has become a family tradition.
“I’m also looking forward to watching other summer Olympic sports with my parents,” Olivia said, “because it’s something we bond on every time.”
The 2012 London Games were also influential for 4-year-old Jonah Austen, as he stood atop a barstool at a restaurant among family in order to get a proper glimpse of the games running on a television, creating a tradition of watching the event alongside loved ones. Now a sophomore, Jonah said the Olympics have become a way to bond with family and relax over the summer.
“The hype is kicking in for sure,” Jonah said. “For me, the Olympics can either be a time to commune and connect with others, or it can be something to put on the TV and unwind and chill.”
While on a German exchange trip this summer, ninth grader Ian Benert will be attending a Euros elimination game with his father in Munich on July 2. Ian is anticipating the exciting sights and sounds of the European soccer culture.
“I have seen the atmosphere of European soccer games, and they are incredible,” Ian said. “I would regret not going and taking advantage of this opportunity — watching a soccer game is a part of the German cultural experience.”
Ian said he cannot wait to embrace the environment and bring back stories to share.
“I am less interested in who will be winning, but more in creating the memory of being there,” Ian said. “I want to experience the feeling of belonging among the fans and the game.”
