Emma Davis, 16, is in the process of becoming an Olympian. She pushes herself to the extreme in order to one day compete in the worldâÂÂs most famous athletic competition.
Besides being a full time student at NYC Lab High School in Chelsea, Emma is also on a training path to reach the Olympics. After a seven-hour school day, she commutes an hour to attend a two-hour high intensity workout four days a week with her soccer team. EmmaâÂÂs team is part of the Olympic Development Program (ODP), which has traveled around the world competing, despite injuries to her anterior cruciate ligament in her leg causing her to have crutches and wear a brace.
Despite her many sacrifices like missing social gatherings with loved ones, the Olympics means everything to her.
âÂÂThe Olympics are what I work for. I work to get to that level one-day and play for my country in the Olympics,” said Emma. âÂÂThe Olympics are like the final chapter and the final prize, once you’ve made it there, you’ve reached your goal.âÂÂ
Some teen athletes train up to six hours a day, says Peggy Bendel, a spokeswoman for the U.S Olympic teams. âÂÂThey are dedicated athletes and they take their sport very seriously,â she said.
EmmaâÂÂs training schedule is proof of the dedication needed to become an Olympian.
Her teamâÂÂs high intensity workout consists of 15 minutes of stretching a round of keep away, conditioning exercises involving suicides and agility tests, additional drills and then, finally, a full game with all teammates.
Some people think that the level of dedication required is too much for teens.
Dr. Harold Raucher, a pediatrician affiliated with Mount Sinai Medical Center, said the Olympics âÂÂis a safe environment for teens.â However, âÂÂthe whole issue is allowing them to focus on a sport to an extreme level practicing for many years.âÂÂ
Other doctors donâÂÂt believe that the Olympics is too demanding on younger teens as long as precautions are taken.
âÂÂThe Olympics is an extreme accomplishment and donâÂÂt discourage it in any way but if can be unsafe when proper training isnâÂÂt used,â said Dr. Jordan Metzl, through a spokesperson. Metzl is sports medicine physician at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. âÂÂThis is the number one thing to make sure of when you are competing at such a high level. The Olympics can have some long term detrimental effects on teens when proper precaution isnâÂÂt taken.âÂÂ
The intensity of the Olympics might not be for everybody.
Duval Mandel swam for six years and competed for three years before she quit. Her schedule of two-hour training sessions four days a week became too much. Eating only protein bars before swimming and carbo-loading before swim meets were more reasons for quitting.
âÂÂI wanted to be a kid rather than an Olympian,â said Duval now 16.
But Emma canâÂÂt see that getting in her way.
“I would never quit soccer,â she said when she heard about Duval. âÂÂI’ve been playing for so long it is my life, it is my dream and I refuse to quit on my dream.âÂÂ
Besides being a full time student at NYC Lab High School in Chelsea, Emma is also on a training path to reach the Olympics. After a seven-hour school day, she commutes an hour to attend a two-hour high intensity workout four days a week with her soccer team. EmmaâÂÂs team is part of the Olympic Development Program (ODP), which has traveled around the world competing, despite injuries to her anterior cruciate ligament in her leg causing her to have crutches and wear a brace.
Despite her many sacrifices like missing social gatherings with loved ones, the Olympics means everything to her.
âÂÂThe Olympics are what I work for. I work to get to that level one-day and play for my country in the Olympics,” said Emma. âÂÂThe Olympics are like the final chapter and the final prize, once you’ve made it there, you’ve reached your goal.âÂÂ
Some teen athletes train up to six hours a day, says Peggy Bendel, a spokeswoman for the U.S Olympic teams. âÂÂThey are dedicated athletes and they take their sport very seriously,â she said.
EmmaâÂÂs training schedule is proof of the dedication needed to become an Olympian.
Her teamâÂÂs high intensity workout consists of 15 minutes of stretching a round of keep away, conditioning exercises involving suicides and agility tests, additional drills and then, finally, a full game with all teammates.
Some people think that the level of dedication required is too much for teens.
Dr. Harold Raucher, a pediatrician affiliated with Mount Sinai Medical Center, said the Olympics âÂÂis a safe environment for teens.â However, âÂÂthe whole issue is allowing them to focus on a sport to an extreme level practicing for many years.âÂÂ
Other doctors donâÂÂt believe that the Olympics is too demanding on younger teens as long as precautions are taken.
âÂÂThe Olympics is an extreme accomplishment and donâÂÂt discourage it in any way but if can be unsafe when proper training isnâÂÂt used,â said Dr. Jordan Metzl, through a spokesperson. Metzl is sports medicine physician at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. âÂÂThis is the number one thing to make sure of when you are competing at such a high level. The Olympics can have some long term detrimental effects on teens when proper precaution isnâÂÂt taken.âÂÂ
The intensity of the Olympics might not be for everybody.
Duval Mandel swam for six years and competed for three years before she quit. Her schedule of two-hour training sessions four days a week became too much. Eating only protein bars before swimming and carbo-loading before swim meets were more reasons for quitting.
âÂÂI wanted to be a kid rather than an Olympian,â said Duval now 16.
But Emma canâÂÂt see that getting in her way.
“I would never quit soccer,â she said when she heard about Duval. âÂÂI’ve been playing for so long it is my life, it is my dream and I refuse to quit on my dream.âÂÂ