#87: Some Roads Are All Uphill
Tuesday 10/29/24
Anyone millennial age or older clearly remembers Kerry Strug spraining her ankle during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the iconic moment where Bela Karolyi carried her to get the team medal. I also remember how she landed on one foot. She needed a 9.49 or higher for the team to win gold. In the years since, there have been reports that they would’ve won gold even without her going the 2nd vault and maybe wouldn’t have furthered her injury. And of course, let’s not forget she was young and exploited by her coaches. It’s been reasoned that her doing the 2nd vault resulted in her early retirement. I was young, but old enough to understand that is seemed no one was protecting this kid who wasn’t much older than me. After all I was 12 or 13 which would’ve made her 17 or 18. If 18, barely an adult.
All of this to say… the thing I remember as a young child was the way that Kerry landed off that vault. It was a 1 leg hop. It was the first time i heard the phrase “STICK THE LANDING”. I understood it to mean that no matter - what you finish. 1
I used this phrase constantly in my work. For myself as an actor but also as a coach for auditions (especially filmed ones like prescreens). I’ll say “stick the landing” but I also talk about the 3 second ending. When the song or words are over, the audition is not. A) for technical reasons you need to be able to edit your video - so pause, stay there, STICK THE LANDING…and, more importantly, B) the story doesn’t end when the lyrics or music end. The story continues. YOU have to continue until it feels “finished”. Don’t rush this. Take your time and STICK THE LANDING.
I think about Kerry Strug landing on one foot and hopping around in order to make sure she didn’t lose points even though she was clearly struggling. I’m not condoning activities that compromise your safety or health. But there was something about those images.
When you can, when it is safe, stick the landing. Finish what you start. Give yourself time after the worlds and music to finish the moment.
Dreams Don’t Die
Julie