Q&A
Did you always participate in Taekwondo?
My dream in sports had always been centered on basketball. During my freshman year I took an outlet pass and was crushed by two people. After the injury, my knee continually gave out. To remedy it, I had arthroscopic surgery and spent a year in rehabilitation.

The following basketball season, I was rebounding against a taller girl. She came down on top of me, my other knee gave out. During rehabilitation, I took two young children to their karate class each night. The more I watched the more I liked it.

I noticed that there was a Taekwondo school across the street. All of the students were Korean, as was the instructor, Sang Hyuk Cha. I showed up every day and watched. After about a month, the instructor's wife talked to me. "Are you going to join or are you just going to keep showing up and watching?" she said. I joined and was Master Cha's first American student.

What did you learn from being injured?
The rehabilitation taught me a lot. A person can do anything if he really believes and really wants to do it. At a recent Taekwondo camp I met a participant with a prosthetic leg. She was amazing. I told this young woman what an inspiration she was to me. She showed me that a person can always find a way to pursue something about which she is passionate. Weaknesses or special challenges can be overcome with the right attitude and pursuing heart.

How do you maintain a positive attitude?
One of my quotations is, "Dream big and never let go of your dreams." By living at the Olympic Training Center, I am surrounded by winners, people who have the same goals I do. Therefore, I tell people to surround themselves with people they want to be like. You will become like the environment in which you hang out.

We must take "can't" out of the dictionary. To me, the definition of "can't" is this: zero-percent effort. Can't is a cop-out, a quick one word way to quit. Instead it is better to say, "It is difficult, but I'm going to try." This statement will put you much farther ahead in the game of life than a cop-out answer.

The Olympic Spirit in YOU!
Barb Kunkel attributes a lot of her success to surrounding herself with people with a positive attitude and similar goals. These people are her heroes because they inspire her to achieve her best.

Personal heroes are people we admire. They are our role models. They present to us a positive way of life to which we can relate, and for which we want to strive. Who are your heroes?

List at least three women or men you consider heroes. List the qualities for each hero whom you admire and respect. Now list three of your friends whom you admire. List the qualities you appreciate about these friends. Next, think about yourself. What positive qualities do you think you exhibit to your friends? What do they respect about you? Compare and discuss the list of attributes for your heroes, your friends, and yourself. See how your attributes can make you someone's "hero."

More Interviews

Akhnaten Spencer-El Alison Dunlap Anna Kozlova Barb Kunkel Chris Witty Dominique Moceanu Dan O'Brien Hunter Kemper

Jimmy Pedro Kevin Han Lindsay Davenport Laura Wilkinson Lisa Fernandez Mark Ruiz Ruthie Bolton-Holifield Tom Malchow

With thanks to Bob Schaller. For more great stories about Olympians, ask your librarian about The Olympic Dream and Spirit, Vol. 1,2, and 3, with Mr. Schaller, and Awaken the Olympian Within compiled by John Naber.