In U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movements, diversity is key to success

Students participate in a workshop at the USOC’s FLAME (Finding Leaders Among Minorities Everywhere) Program (2015). 

At the U.S. Olympic Committee and its sport governing bodies, promoting diversity is about more than doing the right thing.

It’s about achieving organizational success.

The USOC’s Diversity and Inclusion department operates with the vision that by harnessing the synergy of many diverse talents – at the athlete, staff and leadership levels – Team USA’s performance can only benefit.

Paralympic champion Andre Shelby, the first African American to represent Team USA in archery at the Paralympic Games, understands this concept on a personal level. A Navy veteran who was wounded in service, Shelby discovered the sport of archery during rehabilitation – and went on to win a gold medal in Rio.

“This was not the first time I was the only African American on a team, but to be the only African American on the Paralympic Archery Team was phenomenal,” Shelby said. “I just wish the awareness of archery was available to more minorities. I think different sport organizations should extend themselves to diverse backgrounds – it can and will benefit the sport and the athlete.”

For USOC Chief Executive Officer Scott Blackmun, valuing diversity among staff and leadership is a priority for many reasons – but importantly, such a culture allows the USOC to better cultivate its pipeline of high performance athletes.

“Diversity and inclusion are core values at the USOC because they make us better as an organization, ensuring that we’re capable of solving our complex business needs and equipped to provide the kind of support America’s athletes need,” Blackmun said.

“The more we include diverse perspectives and experiences in our work and thinking, the more likely we’ll be able to thrive in an incredibly competitive world.”

In fact, in a recent study, the USOC found that teams that won medals were more diverse throughout all levels of the organization than teams that did not medal. That held true for both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.

“The USOC embraces transparency in our D&I commitment,” said Jason Thompson, the USOC’s Directory of Diversity and Inclusion. “We know there are opportunities for improvement, and we have fully accepted the challenge. We appreciate the support we receive from Scott Blackmun and the USOC Board of Directors, and our department has continued to be empowered by their leadership and commitment.”

The USOC was honored with the No. 1 ranking for innovations in diversity by Diversity Journal in 2016, while Thompson was named individually as a 2017 Diversity Leader Award recipient.

In an effort to be proactive about diversity in the business of sport, the USOC runs an annual program called FLAME – Finding Leaders Among Minorities Everywhere. This program provides diverse college and graduate-level students with a unique look into the world of elite sport. Over eight days, students participate in personal and professional development workshops in preparation for a career in sports.

The program is based out of the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, a setting that offers the opportunity to meet Team USA athletes from diverse backgrounds and try a variety of Olympic and Paralympic sports.

Bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor, a two-time world champion and two-time Olympic medalist, participated in a Q&A panel and networking session with students during the 2015 FLAME Program.

“As a minority myself, it’s important that as young children we see people who look like us on prospective fields, so we know that we can achieve anything we want regardless of our race and/or gender,” Meyers Taylor said. “FLAME gives professionals in sport an opportunity to interact and share their experiences being a minority, but also brainstorm how to move forward and push through any glass ceilings that exist.  

“It’s important to have leaders in sports that represent the same races and genders as the athletes who participate in them, and FLAME helps build leaders from a variety of diverse backgrounds.”

Past FLAME participants, like Keck Graduate Institute student Alec Contag, have found value in learning about career opportunities, discussing diversity issues and connecting with like-minded individuals around the USOC’s mission.

“My favorite part about the FLAME Program was being in a place where high caliber athletics and really mission-based values come together,” Contag said, “and seeing how the Team Behind the Team can really help us reach our goals.”

FLAME, which has a 23-year history, is currently accepting applications for the 2017 program set for July 25 – Aug. 1 in Colorado Springs. Click here to learn more about participation guidelines and how to apply. The deadline to apply is Sunday, March 19, at 5 p.m. MDT.

Behind each of these initiatives is a common goal: to cultivate diverse talents, and in turn build a stronger Team USA. That’s a mission that anyone, regardless of background, can get behind.

Like the USOC itself, the Diversity and Inclusion programs are funded largely by private philanthropic support.

Drs. Tej and Simran Singh, who also serve as Trustees of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation, made a generous gift in 2016 that will help support initiatives like FLAME in the coming years.

“Diversity is important for any organization’s success, and we are so excited to see the USOC make this a priority at all levels from the introductory FLAME program all the way to our leadership,” the Singhs said. “Bringing diverse perspectives and people together always leads to a winning team.”

If you are interested in getting involved or making a gift to support the USOC’s Diversity & Inclusion programs, email foundation@usoc.org — or click here to make a one-time donation to Team USA.

74 wins, 1 loss: Boxer Claressa Shields has big goals for Rio 2016

Claressa Shields is announced the winner of the women’s middleweight final bout at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Telling Claressa Shields she can’t do something is the best way to guarantee she will do it.

Shields is the first-ever female Olympic boxing champion, earning that title as a 17-year-old when the sport debuted for women at the London 2012 Games.

A native of Flint, Michigan, Shields had her first taste of boxing at age 11. Speaking with her dad after he was released from seven years in prison, she asked what he was passionate about before his sentence.

He talked about boxing. He talked about the legendary Muhammad Ali, and how Ali’s daughter Laila went on to become a professional boxer herself.

“He would talk about how Muhammad Ali had sons, but it was his daughter Laila who took after him,” Shields remembered. “And when he said that, I thought he was telling me he wanted me to take after him, since my dad used to be a boxer also.”

But when Shields asked him the next day to be signed up for boxing classes, his reaction wasn’t quite what she’d expected.

“He said no,” Shields said. “He said, ‘You’re too pretty to box,’ and that boxing was a man’s sport. I said, ‘That’s the dumbest reason you could ever give me.’

I went to the gym about five days later, and my dad signed me up.”

So there she was – an 11-year-old girl, practicing alongside the boys. Refusing to let them treat her any differently. Proving the doubters wrong.

Shields didn’t have an easy path to athletic success. Her mother struggled with drug and alcohol abuse throughout her childhood, and contact with her father was on-and-off. Often, she was unsure where her next meal would come from – or whether or not she would have a bed to sleep in from night to night.

Boxing was her outlet. A space for her to feel empowered.

“It was this atmosphere I had never encountered before,” Shields said. “From day one when my coach started teaching me, I was attentive, I listened, I was learning. He always pushed me past my limits – I thought my arms were going to fall off.”

As Shields got stronger and started climbing the ranks to national-level competition, boxing became a pathway to a brighter future.

She started to understand her potential when at 15, she boxed against the world No. 2 in a heavier weight class – and won.

“There was a 20-pound weight difference. She was taller than me, her arms were bigger than mine,” Shields said. “I thought, for her to be No. 2 in the world, I’ve got to be No. 1. That was when I knew I could be an Olympic gold medalist at age 17.”

With here eye on the Olympic Games, Shields moved in with her trainer and his family – a change that added some stability to her life outside the gym. Then in the home stretch before London, she was invited out to Colorado Springs to hone her skills at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

The London Games were a huge success. Shields went undefeated throughout the tournament, winning decisively against Russia’s Nadezda Torlopova in the gold-medal bout.

And suddenly, she had made history.

“I gave up a lot of my childhood for boxing, sacrificed being with my family,” Shields said. “I put in all that hard work and all that time, so to actually come out and accomplish my dream was something huge to me. I always wanted to be the first woman to win a gold medal.”

She was a senior at Flint Northwestern High School at the time of her Olympic success – and later that year, she became the first member of her family to graduate from high school.

Shields’ career record is now a phenomenal 74-1, her lone loss coming at the 2012 World Championships before the London Games.

In Rio, she has the chance to become the first-ever back-to-back Olympic boxing champion for the United States – male or female.

“Everyone was telling me after London that Rio was going to be harder, but I just haven’t seen it yet,” Shields said. “I’ve been really focused. I’ve been training, and I’ve been able to glide through these tournaments.”

For the past year, Shields has been back at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center. There, she said, the environment is all about sport performance.

“At the Olympic Training Center, I’m a priority,” Shields said. “They cook every day – breakfast, lunch and dinner. If I have any injuries, in two minutes I can get over to sports med. There’s a doctor there, a masseuse there. They make sure you have the best medicine, your body’s not sore, and you’re not overtraining. All I have to worry about is boxing, training and sleeping.”

Should she win gold in Rio, Shields hopes she can manage what she couldn’t quite after London – giving her family the opportunity to move out of Flint. She thought she would end up with numerous sponsorships and endorsements after her historic win, but most of those only came her way recently in the lead-up to Rio.

With more exposure now and a second Olympic appearance around the corner, she takes her position as a role model seriously.

“I think I set an example for the younger kids in Flint that look up to me, and kids from all over,” Shields said. “I just let them know that even though you come from a bad background, look how far you can actually go. Don’t be afraid to be different – everybody’s not going to agree with what you’re doing.

To this day, I have an Olympic gold medal, two world championships and all types of international wins – and there are still people in this world who say I box well, but women shouldn’t be in the ring. There’s always going to be someone, but you have to block that out. Whatever you put your full effort and passion into; it’s going to work out. And when you love what you’re doing, the job is easy.”

The women’s middleweight competition, in which Shields is the defending Olympic champion, will begin August 14 at Riocentro – Pavilion 6 in Barra Olympic Park.

Why Adeline Gray could become the first female U.S. Olympic wrestling champion – and how the Olympic Training Center helped her get there

Adeline Gray, who hopes to make history by becoming the first U.S. women’s wrestler to win Olympic gold, poses at the 2016 Team USA Media Summit.

The United States has never had an Olympic gold medalist in women’s wrestling.

This summer, Adeline Gray wants to change that.

Gray is a three-time world champion (2012, ’14 and ’15) and has been undefeated in international competition for the past two years. She knows no one can beat her when she’s performing at her best, and she gets a rush of confident energy – not nerves – when it’s time to compete.

“I’m a lights-and camera-person,” Gray said. “The second that the stakes start to get high, I seem to get more focused and more driven. I know what my job is, and I know what it takes for me to accomplish that.”

The 25-year-old Denver native began wrestling at age 6 at the encouragement of her father, George. While most girls her age were taking dance or gymnastics, Gray was on the mat, dreaming of one day becoming an Olympian.

She competed – and won – against the boys in high school. And the more she improved, the more opportunities she had to meet other talented female wrestlers from across the country with the same goals as hers.

Life at the Olympic Training Center

When Gray was invited to join the resident women’s wrestling program at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, she jumped at the chance.

“I made my first world team in 2009, my senior year of high school, and then I was able to move into the Training Center,” Gray said. “I was so excited. I moved into one of the resident dorms with now two-time Olympian Kelsey Campbell.”

That was seven years ago, and she’s been moving forward ever since.

At the OTC, Gray trains with other members of the U.S. Women’s National Team under the leadership of world-class coaches Terry Steiner, Erin Tomeo and Emma Randall. She has access to a sports psychologist and nutrition specialist, both of whom she consults on a regular basis to stay physically and mentally strong.

In addition to on-mat training, Gray lifts weights at the newly renovated Ted Stevens Sports Services Center, a 37,000–square-foot strength and conditioning facility.

Also located in Ted Stevens is a recovery and sports medicine center, where Gray admits she spends a lot of her time. After overcoming a dislocated kneecap in 2010 and a serious collarbone injury in 2013, the world champion is prioritizing staying healthy in the lead-up to Rio.

“It hasn’t all been sunshine and rainbows – there have been some injuries along the way,” Gray said. “But one of the great things about the staff at the Training Center is they helped stay on track and overcome those, and really come into my own as an athlete.”

A fresh perspective

The community at the OTC has been equally important to Gray, as she lives and trains alongside Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls in a wide variety of sports.

“Everyone’s world championships are at different times – ours are in September, whereas swimming’s, for example, are in the summer,” Gray says. “But we all kind of hang out in the cafeteria and talk about it, and all ride off of each others’ highs and lows with those events. You get that energy from other athletes.”

Gray credits Athlete Services Coordinator Sherry von Riesen – also known as “Team Mom” – for helping her through a tough period of time after her 2010 knee surgery.

“The OTC can be a hard place to be when you’re hurt, because the best thing you can do there is train,” Gray said. “But Sherry puts together a lot of volunteer opportunities, and that’s really what helped me stay connected, have some perspective and find a more positive realm. It’s not just about the sport all the time, but it’s also about inspiring all the people who are along for the journey.”

Gray has spent hundreds of hours volunteering in the Colorado Springs community, from reading to kids at the children’s hospital to helping build homes through Habitat for Humanity.

With just months to go before Rio, though, it’s time to put full focus on her Olympic dream.

An Olympian – at last

Four years ago at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials, Gray narrowly missed making Team USA. She reached the finals in the 63kg weight class, but was defeated by heavy favorite Elena Pirozhkova. Gray traveled to London as an alternate for the team, an experience that only fueled her ambition.

After the London Games, Gray moved up a weight class. After winning the world championship at 67kg that year, her coaches encouraged her to keep adding. She ultimately transitioned to 75kg – a move that certainly paid off, as she went on to win both the 2014 and 2015 world titles.

Entering the 2016 Olympic Trials in April, Gray’s perspective was vastly different than it was in 2012.

This time around, it was she who was the heavy favorite. In a final match that lasted only 65 seconds against runner-up Victoria Francis, Gray punched her ticket to Rio in commanding fashion.

She and Pirozhkova will be traveling to the Games as teammates, competing in two different weight classes.

As for her goals later this summer, Gray has some ideas.

For now, though, she’s just enjoying being able to – at last – call herself an Olympian.

“I want to celebrate the fact that I just became an Olympian a little bit longer. I’ve been trying to make an Olympic Team for a long time now, so I’m going to fully allow myself to be excited about that,” Gray said. “When we do take those steps closer to Rio, it’s kind of glaring what the goal is. We don’t have an Olympic gold medalist for women’s freestyle wrestling for Team USA, and I’m ready to be that person.”