![Junior Grant Levins sprints down the track. "I'm here to try out because I love the sport of track and field and I'm working on my 800 [meter] time. Just trying to get better," Levins said.](https://www.wjpitch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/g82ehdhTRiNswrE8gfn0tL9VRz7fuAnaiIKPCaOI-1200x900.jpg)
Since the Winter Olympics started on Feb. 4 in Beijing, the topic of the Olympics has been abundantly prevalent in conversations throughout the WJ community. So why not bring the Olympics to WJ?
The student body should support an Olympic-esque event for students at WJ to partake in thrilling competition and to promote exercise and school spirit. The school can only benefit from honoring the sports that are not available at WJ, along with the many fundraising opportunities.
The events in this student Olympics don’t necessarily have to follow the winter Olympic events. It would be challenging to set up a skeleton track here at the school, not to mention the safety issues. Instead, this could be an opportunity to do events like Olympic ping pong or volleyball. The events shouldn’t require too much equipment and training to encourage greater participation.
A WJ Olympics would be a creative, out-of-the-box way to convince students to be active. Say a student wanted to be on the volleyball team, but didn’t make the tryouts—they could still play competitively at the school Olympics. This event would give students another chance to partake in activities with their peers. Hosting several of the same events will also allow people to play within their skill level.
An event like this would be a great way for students to bring their mastery of sports they practice on their own to the school. Olympic skateboarding would be enticing to many teens, especially with the chance to compete and show off their skills.
Events that aren’t traditional Olympic sports could also get some spotlight, like the age old classic potato sack race. Being as professional and serious as the international Olympics isn’t necessary for the event, as long as it is enjoyed by the students.
Charging for tickets or adding an admission fee could transform the Olympics from a fun athletic challenge to an economic plus. Not only supporting physical activity, but school funding or a designated charity.
There’s no better way to inspire school spirit than with competition. It’s time to kickstart the Olympics at WJ.
