heroes

Childhood heroes....

We all had them. Some of us...still have them.

I didn't grow up surfing. Thus....names like Woody Brown, Greg Noll, Tom Curren and the like....while quite impressive... are not the idols that stoked my dreams as a kid. Don't get me wrong....I'd give my left nut to surf half as graceful as Rell Sun. She was/is an absolute vision. Just the same.....I didn't pour over industry mags looking for a mention....a glimpse...of her name.

My hero....one of my heroes....was/is 4 years older than me. She doesn't carry name-dropping recognition. At least...not beyond a pool deck. In fact, mention her name....and most don't recognize it. A shame...really. She....was Wheaties material.

Cynthia "Sippy" Woodhead.

At 12...she was the youngest swimmer to qualify for the Olympic Time Trials. (1976)

At 13...she was the youngest member of the American National Team that competed against the East Germans and Russians in East Berlin and Leningrad. (1977)

At 14...she was an American record holder and world champion.

At 15...she was the World Female Swimmer of the Year. She was ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 every year from 1978 through 1983 except one. While every other 15-year-old in America was worrying about their Friday night dates....she had established 18 American and 4 World records.

President Jimmy Carter's announcement that the U.S. would boycott the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow....would be one of the most defining moments of her swimming career. Sippy was 16, and had qualified to swim six events. Ranked No. 1 in the world in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m free...she had it in her sights to win gold in all four events in Moscow, plus two relays.

Dashed. Dreams....all for naught. Years spent training....gone. No gold. No parade. Nothing. Not a surprise that she didn't bounce back after that devastating blow.

Still.....she was....and continues to be....one of my heroes.

Why? What's the connection? I mean....there's a shitload of swimmers out there to choose from. Why Sippy?

Her older brother....was my parents neighbor.

For a couple weeks each summer....(I was in my mid-to-late teens)....Miss Sippy would come stay with this brother....and grace our pool time with her presence. She'd share a lane with my sister and I during morning and afternoon practices. She was gracious. Encouraging. Inspiring.

This wasn't a case of the 10 minute meet & greet. Shake a hand....get an autograph....maybe a black & white snap shot. I shared a lane....workouts....with my hero. I was beyond honored.

Didn't matter to me that nobody knew who the hell I was talking about when I'd bring up her name. I knew who she was.

I still know who she is....