How Olympic athletes pay the rent

If you’re dreaming of becoming an Olympic athlete, remember that beyond all the training, competition and glory there is a lot of financial struggle. Training for the Olympics (never mind competing) is at least a full-time (usually unpaid) job and even Olympians have to pay the rent.

A CNN Money article explains:

These world-class athletes are in the spotlight for two weeks every couple of years. But for the most part, they’re just regular people who have to make a living as teachers, fitness instructors or market researchers, all while putting in hours of grueling sports training.

For every Shaun White and Lindsey Vonn, two gold medalists who have scored multi-million dollar endorsement deals, there are hundreds more who struggle with everyday jobs.

So how do Olympic athletes survive financially?

In the United States, where many athletes begin training at an early age, training costs are often paid by their parents. Those expenses can run into tens of thousands annually for the most talented youngsters.

After high school,  colleges and universities become an athlete’s primary source of training. Often competing on scholarship, these athletes’ efforts are rewarded not only with top-notch coaching but with financial aid to complete their education.

When an athlete is selected to a national team, some funding usually becomes available from the USOC which relies on corporate sponsors and private donations. But that generally isn’t enough to cover their travel, tournament, and equipment costs.

Expenses pile up fast.  According the CNN Money article, Olympic curler Nicole Joraanstad says a single season competing just to qualify for the Olympics costs as much as $150,000.

Many athletes used to work at the Home Depot,  a company that since 2004 had been a part of the Olympic Job Opportunities Program (OJOP), a partnership with the U.S. Olympic Committee that pays athletes full-time salaries and benefits for working part-time hours. But the retailer folded OJOP in 2009, after four years as the exclusive sponsor.

The USOC also partners with staffing firms to help athletes secure flexible positions. The Adecco Group, a Zurich, Switzerland-based global staffing firm, recently renewed its contract with the U.S.O.C. through 2012.

Strong work ethics and time management skills make athletes attractive to employers, says Patricia Wilson, brand director for Adecco Group North America. “Athletes know how to succeed independently, but they [also] know the importance of being a team player,” she said.

In the early days of the modern Olympics, all the participants were amateurs. The Olympic mystique suggested that anyone could be a contender. Ordinary people dreamed of being Olympians, and the dreams spurred athletic activity all over the world.

Then the Soviet Union and its  Communist allies entered the games. Their athletes were fully supported by their governments. None ever held a job. They trained 8 hours a day, 365 days a year. They won most of the gold, silver and bronze during the 1970s and 1980s.  It was unfair and in 1986, the IOC  changed its rule book (Olympic Charter) to allow “all the world’s great male and female athletes to participate.”

Money has changed the look and feel of the Olympics. To remain competitive, athletes have to rely on their families and sponsors for expensive equipment, travel and training expenses.

Winter athletes may have the hardest time  since their sports are more popular outside of the United States. What’s worse is that the United States won’t host an Olympic winter or summer event for some time, pushing U.S. athletes further out of the spotlight. Athletes may fade from attention in off-Olympic years, but they still have to support themselves.

Most nations support their Olympic athletes  financially, but the U.S. government gives zero money to its athletes. All the host cities in the world except those in the USA have supported their host Winter and Summer Olympics with billions of dollars. Many countries also reward their medalists with money for landing on the podium.

The USOC does offer “medal bonuses” (currently $25,000 for gold, $15,000 for Silver, and $10,000 for Bronze) and while the bonuses are a nice way to reward athletes for a big accomplishment, very few will ever enjoy the steady income that comes with a corporate sponsorship, making what they endure to compete all the more impressive.

Regardless of who foots the bill, the true test of an Olympian is their passion and how hard they train. Money cannot buy the drive and persistence of an Olympian.

Related Posts:
Winter Olympians show us the money
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Cierra Smith – Mountain Biking

Sport: Mountain Biking – Downhill
Home: Nevada
Birthdate: 8/9/95
Other Sports/Accomplishments: volleyball, soccer,  and I get good grades. (or I can’t race)
Favorite Athletes: Steve Peat, Racheal Atherton
Favorite College Team: UNR – University of Reno Nevada. Go Wolf Pack!
Favorite Pro Team: Well, for bikes. Santa Cruz Syndicate.
Favorite Sports Drink: Gatorade!
Favorite Workout Music: Rap
Favorite Place to Shop: Hollister, Aeropostale
Hobbies and Interests: Listening to music, hanging out with friends, and riding my bike
Superstition: Hmmm, I don’t go to the bathroom before a race because I think it makes me go faster.
Best Moment: winning my first natioanl title
Dream Job: Professional downhill mountain bike racer.
Favorite Books/TV Shows: I have so many I can’t narrow it down.
Pet Peeves: Really thick socks

What has been your biggest accomplishment?
Getting on the team I’m on and winning three national titles.

What advice would you give to up and coming female athletes?
Don’t get frustrated. If someone tells you you’re not good enough or fast enough make that your motivation to prove them wrong.

Competitive Highlights: 2009 USA Cycling MTB National Championships, 1st Place; 2009 Mammoth Bar Downhill, 2nd Place Pro Women; 2009 National Gypsy Downhill, 3rdPlace  Pro Women; 2009 Northstar Downhill Series Race, 1st Place; 2009 Spring Thaw Downhill, 1st Place Expert; 2009 Sea Otter Downhill, 1st Place; 2009 Fontana City National, ist Place.

Student athlete spearheads healthy food fundraiser

Yogavive, a leading producer of organic foods, understands the needs faced by girls’ athletic programs across the country. Many are often underfunded and sometimes, completely ignored.

According to one study, lack of funds and support means girls  receive 1.3 million fewer opportunities to play high school sports than do male students, which translates to fewer chances for athletic scholarships.

Jordyn Lambert, a Yogavive summer intern and athlete herself  (Varsity soccer captain, JV softball) brought these issues to the attention of Beau Giannini, Yogavive President. Together, they developed a unique program that allowed girls to raise the necessary funds for their team, while offering their communities a healthy alternative to candy bars or tubs of cookie dough.

Yogavive’s organic baked and popped apple chips are vegan, gluten-free, fat free, with only 35 calories and no added sugars.  Jordyn thought they were perfect for team  fundraisers.

Says Jordyn in a recent interview with the Weekly Reader:

I know some programs sell granola bars or baked chips but really, those are not much better because of the refined sugars and artificial ingredients. I knew my team and I couldn’t go around the community selling junk food, but I also knew we couldn’t sell “healthy” snacks that weren’t even technically that healthy.

Now Yogavive offers other teams and clubs the same healthier option. Selling the Apple Chips as a fundraiser for a soccer or sports team can be a huge opportunity to both help finance the team‘s needs, and encourage a healthy diet and lifestyle. Yogavive currently offers their organic apple chips at a low price, so that student athletes can sell them and make as much profit as possible.

Yogavive’s apple chips usually cost $1.49 in stores but with their fundraising program, they offer all 5 flavors for only 50 cents a bag to teams and clubs, allowing them to make 100% in profits. On top of that, athletes know that they’re selling genuinely healthy snacks that aren’t adding to their community’s health and obesity problem so this is a great opportunity all around!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Jordyn directly at jordie@yogavive.com.

Pretty Smart!

Bronze Team

Welcome to the 2009 Pretty Tough Bronze Team:

AAA
Kristie Adonizio Home: Wilkes-Barre, PA Sport: Snowboard Age: 18
BBB
Heather Barrymore Home: Pittsburg, KS Sport: Motocross Age: 26	Amanda Beil Home: Cleveland, OH Sport: Snowboard Age: 22
Nicky Bramlet Home: VA Sport: Skateboard Age: 14	Casey Brauer Home: Pocono Summit, PA Sport: Snowboard Age: 17
	Mariah Bridgman Home: Greenbush, MI Sport: BMX Age: 14
Danielle Broman Home: Andover, OH Sport: Motocross Age: 20	Hannah Brown Home: San Clemente, CA Sport: Skateboard Age: 15
Victoria Burgess Home: Lighthouse Point, FL Sport: Surf Longboard Age: 24	Sarah Burnand Home: San Diego, CA Sport: Surf Shortboard Age: 18
Katie Burt Home: Grass Valley, CA Sport: Snowboard Age: 18
CCC
Kelsea Cass Home: Haleiwa, HI Sport: Surf Shortboard Age: 14	Chrissa Crooks Home: Ooltewah, TN Sport: Supercross Age: 19
DDD
Kierra Delco Home: Mesa, AZ Sport: Skateboard Age: 15	Rachel Dickerson Home: Kitty Hawk, NC Sport: Snowboard Age: 15
Alexis DiBucci Home: Elmira, NY Sport: BMX Age: 13
EEE
Madeline Erickson Home: Mont Clare, PA Sport: Snowboard/Skateboard Age: 14
FFF
Taylor Farnsworth Home: Schnecksville, PA Sport: Cycling Age: 14
GGG
Taylor Glynn Home: Moline, IL Sport: BMX Age: 16	Kilali Gibson Home: Honolulu, HI Sport: Surf Longboard Age: 18
Ally Goebel Home: Mukwonago, WI Sport: Snowboard Age: 19	Morgan Goldsborough Home: Land O Lakes, FL Sport: Motocross Age: 14
Sarah Gray Home: DE Sport: Skateboard Age: 18	Caitlin Grimes Home: Concord, NC Sport: Martial Arts Age: 14
Angel Grijalva Home: Box Elder, SD Sport: BMX Age: 15
HHH
Metissa Hampton Home: Dodge City, KS Sport: Motocross Age: 15	Melissa Hanson Home: Flemington, NJ Sport: Mountain Bike Age: 35
Lauren Hauser Home: Avila Beach, CA Sport: Snowboard Age: 19	Ashley Hayes Home: San Marcos, CA Sport: Motocross Age: 20
Christina Holmes Home: Narragansett, RI Sport: Snowboard Age: 18
III
Nicole Imbriani Home: Millstone, NJ Sport: Snowboard Age: 20
JJJ
Adrienne Jackson Home: Austin, TX Sport: Skateboard Age: 14	Rachel Jones Home: Aiken, SC Sport: Motocross Age: 15
KKK
Adrienne King Home: Highland Mills, NY Sport: Snowboard Age: 17	Deb Klahn Home: Avon, IN Sport: Mountain Biking Age: 31
LLL
Larissa Lambrou Home: Solana Beach, CA Sport: Surf Shortboard Age: 13	Ali Lebofsky Home: Littleton, CO Sport: Snowboard Age: 17
Sara Locke Home: Carlsbad, CA Sport: Surf Shortboard Age: 14	Kristen Larson Home: Holliston, MA Sport: Snowboard Age: 16
MMM
Aspen Martin Home: Pensacola, FL Sport: Skateboard Age: 15	Mandy Medrick Home: Irvine, CA Sport: Snowboard Age: 19
Nicole Miller Home: Johnstown , OH Sport: Motorcross/Supercross Age: 16	Julie Mondak Home: Rocky Hill, CT Sport: Snowboard/Skateboard Age: 16
Cara Moran Home: Shellrock, IA Sport: Motocross Age: 23	Carli Morss Home: Whittier, CA Sport: Snowboard Age: 16
Courtney Myers Home: Metter, GA Sport: Skateboard Age: 18
NNN
Amanda Novak Home: Salem, CT Sport: Motocross Age: 20
RRR
Haley Richards Home: Albany, OR Sport: Surf Longboard Age: 16	Ashley Russell Home: West Islip, NY Sport: Surf Shortboard Age: 19
Rachel Russell Home: Weare, NH Sport: Snowboard Age: 14	Nicole Rybak Home: Farmington, MN Sport: Snowboard Age: 18
SSS
Tori Sallo Home: Jermyn, PA Sport: Ski Age: 16	Britni Santee Home: Wyalusing, PA Sport: ATV Age: 19
Taylor Sapienza Home: Maryville, IL Sport: Motocross Age: 16	Adrienne Sciarretti Home: Pittsburgh, PA Sport: Motocross Age: 16
Sasha Senior Home: Milwaukee, WI Sport: Skateboard Age: 19	April Smith Home: San Jose, CA Sport: BMX Age: 40
Edie Smith Home: NV, CA Sport: Snowboard Age: 18	Nicole Smith Home: Phelan, CA Sport: Skateboard Age: 14
Sareha Sulesky Home: Lebanon, OH Sport: Snowboard/Surf Age: 17	Shelli Swindell Home: Solana Beach, CA Sport: Surf/Shortboard Age: 15
TTT
Alyssa Talbot Home: Killington, VT Sport: Snowboard Age: 19	Missy Thomas Home: Ellenboro, NC Sport: Motocross Age: 17
BeckyAurora Thompson Home: Parker, SD Sport: Snowboard Age: 18
UUU
Katie Uritis Home: Pembroke Pines, FL Sport: Surf Longboard Age: 16
VVV
Cady VanCura Home: Grand Haven, MI Sport: Motocross Age: 16
WWW
Joyce Wang Home: Cupertino, CA Sport: Surf Shortboard Age: 18	Zoe Weber Home: Central, SC Sport: Skateboard Age: 15
Bree Wiest Home: Rimforest, CA Sport: Snowboard Age: 19	Tiffany Woody Home: Spruce Pine, NC Sport: Motocross Age: 22
Trisha Wynne Home: Point Pleasant Beach, NJ Sport: Surf/Snowboard Age: 13
YYY
Krista Yergeau Home: Fairfax, VT Sport: Motocross Age: 19
ZZZ
Emily Zeilinger Home: Lincoln, NE Sport: Motocross Age: 14

Women’s Professional Soccer scores deal with PUMA

December 15, 2008 – Global sport lifestyle brand PUMA and Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) announced an exclusive partnership making PUMA an official founding partner of  WPS and an official sponsor of all WPS  franchises.

The multi-year partnership makes PUMA the official sport and lifestyle apparel, footwear and equipment supplier of WPS, including the official WPS Match Ball.  In addition to on-field performance wear, PUMA will outfit the athletes and teams at all WPS-related events, activities and WPS appearances in sportlifestyle apparel. This partnership kicks off with the inaugural season in April 2009 and will see PUMA collaborating with WPS to enhance the game of women’s soccer and will act as the foundation in the PUMA Women’s category.  (via press release)

According to the WSJ, the German shoe manufacturer and clothing retailer will pay roughly $10 million to become the official equipment supplier to WPS. That means that if players in the seven-team league don’t have existing deals with other cleat makers (e.g. Abby Wambach and Nike), they will wear PUMAS during WPS games.

That’s just the start for PUMA, which will have its name and logo on the league’s balls, uniforms, goalkeeper equipment, even sports bras. “Women’s soccer is on a tremendous growth pattern in the U.S.,” says Jochen Zeitz, chief executive of PUMA. “This is a huge opportunity for us.”

PUMA ranks third by sales behind Nike and Adidas in the global athletic-footwear market and fifth in the U.S. Its decision to join forces with WPS is part of an effort to target its marketing to young women. The company already has a footwear deal with Brazilian star Marta Vieira da Silva, who is widely recognized as the best female soccer player in the world, and is expected to play in WPS. PUMA also has a deal with U.S. national team player Leslie Osborne, who will be playing for FC Gold Pride.

If I remember correctly, Nike provided uniforms for some of the now defunct WUSA teams, which may have led girls and their moms to assume the company was providing key corporate support. I believe, however, Nike declined a league invitation to be its exclusive sponsor and failed to provide help when the league needed it most.

Given PUMA’s name recognition and reach in soccer, the deal is a milestone for the new women’s league especially amid a global recession so kudos to PUMA.

Carissa Moore becomes youngest Vans Triple Crown Champion

November 24, 2008 – The 2008 Reef Hawaiian Pro was always going to be about the new guard of women’s surfing from the opening heat of competition. And when it was over, Haleiwa crowned it’s youngest ever Vans Triple Crown of Surfing event champion in 16-year-old Carissa Moore.

Seems that Moore, who just dropped her longtime sponsor Roxy and signed a huge sponsorship deal with Nike and Red Bull, is making history on all fronts.

Moore won her way through every round of the competition from the preliminary trials heat that awarded one wildcard spot into the event. She now leads the 2008 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing series ratings.

Three teenagers and a 36-year-old, 7-time world champion featured in the 30-minute final. Moore won, multiple world champ Layne Beachley (Australia) was second, 17-year-old Laura Enever (Australia) was third, and North Shore local Coco Ho, 17, was fourth.

While Moore’s rise to the win came with calm, sure-footedness, there was no shortage of drama around her to help pave the road to victory.

First came the fourth place elimination of reigning world champion Stephanie Gilmore (Australia) in quarter final one.

Next came the quarter final defeat of Alana Blanchard (Hawaii), who was hoping for a final finish today to guarantee her qualification onto the 2009 ASP women’s World Tour.

In the final, 17-year-old Coco Ho was at the center of drama. A win here would have guaranteed Ho a start on the 2009 elite World Tour, but after finding herself in fourth for most of the heat, her focus shifted to securing the win for Moore. With less than a minute remaining, Beachley was in need of little more than six points to steal the win from Moore. Ho took off, dropping in on Beachley, popping an air above her head and effectively shutting down Layne’s scoring potential in a classic case of schoolgirl tactics.

While it will never be known if Layne would have earned the score she needed to win, its indisputable that Moore earned the victory on the merits of her surfing alone.

As the final ASP women’s World Qualifying Series (WQS) event of the year, all eyes will now shift to the next two stops on the Vans Triple Crown to determine the final lineup for the 2009 women’s ASP World Tour: the Roxy Pro (Nov.24-Dec.6) and the Billabong Pro Maui (Dec. 8-20).

In addition to being the second of three stops on the 2008 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, this week’s Roxy Pro at Sunset Beach carries the added weight of potentially crowning the 2008 ASP Women’s World Champion.  Will Aussie Stephanie Gilmore, 20, reigning ASP Women’s World Champion and current No. 1 on the ASP Women’s World Tour successfully defend her title?

Teenage surfing phenom Carissa Moore’s big deal

November 18, 2008 – Eleven-time NSSA National champ, former Roxy Pro Gold Coast runner-up and sure-to-be future world champ Carissa Moore has just upped the ante – this time in the sponsorship arena.

Recently split from her longtime sponsor Roxy, the Hawaiian teen has signed two major deals – one with Red Bull and the other with Nike 6.0. 

According to Surfing Magazine,

All said and done, the 16-year-old Punahou junior will likely be enjoying one of the most lucrative contracts in female pro surfing history (estimated to be in the range of three-quarters of a million dollars by one anonymous source). “Carissa’s new agreements have for the first time ever shattered the glass ceiling of surfing sponsorship, opening up new and never heard of before possibilities for other surfers to eventually emulate,” says [agent Bryan] Taylor.

Moore is apparently also close to making a deal with a major department store – kind of like the deal snowboarder Shaun White made earlier this year to “design” a fashion line for Target.

And as a “head to toe” Nike rider, Moore will likely be marketed not just in the surf world, but in some of their more mainstream campaigns as well joining the likes of well-known Nike athletes Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova and LeBron James.

After eight years with Roxy, Moore’s split from the sponsor who’s been with her since the beginning is truly the end of an era. It seems a bittersweet transition but it’s great that Nike and Red Bull are stepping up to the plate with women’s surfing and Moore seems a great choice to represent the sport.

To other brands looking for the TNBT – there’s a whole new generation of super groms stealing the show.

Tiffany Murphy – Rock Climbing

Name: Tiffany Murphy
Nickname: Tiff, Pebbles, Elle
Sport: Rock Climbing
Home: Texas
Age: 13
Other Sports/Hobbies: Cycling, roller blading
Fave Food: Steak
Fave Musicians: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alicia Keys, Jack Johnson
Competitive Highlights: 1st at SCS Regional championship for difficulty & speed, 4th at SCS nationals for speed, 1st at ABS regionals for bouldering
Competitive Goals: Go to World Championships in Australia; Make a 5.12b outside; V7 outside

Jessica “Hollywood” Lambert – BMX

Sport: BMX
Home: Texas
Age: 15
Nickhame: “Hollywood”
Goals: I am commited to becoming a professional rider and to making the 2012 Olympic Team as top BMX female rider.
Other Interests: Choir and Theater
Competitive Highlights: I have been racing for just over two years. I am District Champion in TX09 in both Class and Cruiser. I am the 2005 Texas State Champion in Cruiser and finished third in State in Class. I finished ninth in National Age Group in Cruiser. Currently I am ranked seventh in National Age Group in both Class and Cruiser and am turning pro in January 2008.