A Flag, However No End Line:
The Story of Andrea Jaeger, a 1984 Olympian who helped pave the way in which for others almost 40 years later.
The 1984 Los Angeles Olympics marked a seismic shift. For the primary time, sure sports activities allowed skilled athletes like Andrea Jaeger, then the world’s No. 3 tennis participant, to grace the Olympic stage. A teenage prodigy who turned professional at simply 14 years previous, Jaeger represented the U. S. in Los Angeles 5 years later on this historic shift. Now, with Paris 2024 approaching, Jaeger displays on her groundbreaking journey. She shares the triumphs and challenges of being a trailblazer, providing a uncooked recollection of her Olympic experiences almost 40 years later.
*Interviews have been edited for conciseness, grammar, and readability*
Dylan Friedman: What stands out when contemplating your time collaborating within the ‘84 video games? The great, unhealthy, the ugly?
Jaeger: The great, unhealthy, the ugly is an efficient solution to put it. It was an attention-grabbing time as a result of I did not develop up eager to be knowledgeable tennis participant. I grew up loving sports activities and considering the Olympics was the top all of sports activities. When you made it in sports activities, you have been an Olympian. That made sense to me. And so once I turned knowledgeable tennis participant, which I did at 14 and was No. 2 on this planet at age 16, (the) Olympics wasn’t in my scope as a result of we weren’t allowed to play as professionals. So I believed I did not make it within the highest view of sports activities as a result of I would not be an Olympian.
When it was determined that skilled athletes might play, it was onerous to say sure as a result of I had grown up with the standing of beginner athletes working so onerous to get to the Olympics. And I, as knowledgeable tennis participant, had amassed a lot from skilled tennis. We’ve grand slams 4 instances a 12 months. We had tournaments each week. We have been getting cash. However the truth of the matter was I needed to know who else was enjoying as a result of I already was receiving a lot from tennis and sport, and if somebody was an beginner and their complete purpose was to make the Olympics, I used to be taking their spot, I did not know if that was truthful.
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Friedman: What do you keep in mind most about your time on the courtroom, competing throughout these video games?
Jaeger: I in all probability should not have performed as a result of my shoulder was nonetheless dislocated initially of the Olympics, however I used to be decided to complete the event pain-wise. However the docs pulled me from my second-round match. They noticed me, and I used to be having a tough time getting my workforce uniform on. The Olympics take a look at athletes on web site (to verify you might be) male or feminine and for steroids.
And I am like tremendous excited. Trigger I used to be clear my complete life. However I failed the bodily half for my shoulder. The physician informed me I am pulling you in case your shoulder’s unhealthy as a result of I am right here for the athlete; I am right here to guard the athlete. And I begged, you bought to let me end the event as a result of I’m right here now.
And he stated I’ll examine on you each match and see. So, I gained my first match with the dislocated shoulder. And the second earlier than I performed my second spherical, the physician approached me and stated, you are pulled. I could not even cry. I used to be so devastated. I could not even cry.
I simply sat there numb, like completely numb, considering, properly, God by no means answered my prayer of do I give my spot to somebody, now I took a spot, and I defaulted. I am not even coming house with a medal for my nation.
After which after which the one, the opposite factor I keep in mind about that’s Arthur Ashe proper after I did default, he interviewed me, and I did not develop up in, actually in his period, he was earlier than me, he was already into commentary, and he was such a humanitarian for tennis and every part. He checked out me and stated you do not look upset; you simply needed to default, and I stated, we’re skilled athletes; that is what we do. No person is aware of our ache, no one is aware of our struggling, proper?
And that is probably the worst day I’ve ever had in sport. And never simply because I’m representing my nation; that is all I’ve ever needed to do. I’ve performed Fed Cup. I’ve performed within the Wightman Cup. That is the Olympics. I’ll perhaps by no means get an opportunity once more at this. And, he stated he goes, yeah, however you are right here, you already know, you might be right here.
And I stated, yeah, however I simply needed to symbolize my nation in a approach I could possibly be happy with. After which my coach on the time was Gayle Godwin, who I feel was the UCLA coach. She obtained one of many Olympic flags, and I do not know the way she pulled that off, however she obtained it and gave it to me.
She stated, you might not have gotten a medal, however you bought the flag. And I did not keep as a result of I felt like I did not earn it to remain and watch the opposite athletes compete as a result of I could not end, after which it took me about two extra summer season Olympics even to look at it as a result of I used to be simply bummed out.
Friedman: Regardless of the controversy surrounding professionalism within the ‘84 video games (tennis as an illustration sport, soccer for those who didn’t have World Cup expertise or sponsored monitor and discipline athletes blatantly receiving cash underneath the desk), Wanting again, how do you’re feeling about your position in paving the way in which for skilled athletes within the Olympics?
Jaeger: It is all the time attention-grabbing to be first in one thing. You get each side; you get the wow issue, and then you definitely get the opposite issue of have individuals caught up with the idea but. So, there’ll all the time be criticism for those who’re first in one thing, and there’ll all the time be glory; the way you cope with it is dependent upon what sort of particular person you might be inside.
To me, the Olympics are about true humanness in sports activities. It is the true coronary heart of the world. And so it is nice to be a part of one thing, so long as it advantages the athletes afterward.
Friedman: You talked about earlier that athletes mentioned making use of or returning to common jobs after the Olympics. On that word, I questioned for those who had any particular reminiscences of athletes on the ‘84 video games getting ready for his or her transition post-competition?
Jaeger: On my flights from the LA Olympics to Florida, many male Olympians have been from the US Crew. They talked about how that they had been excited their complete lives for the Olympics, and now they’d be on the lookout for jobs within the common workforce. One stated he was grateful he nonetheless had faculty to complete earlier than discovering a job, one other hoped Residence Depot was nonetheless hiring Olympians who would by no means make a Wheaties field, and others stated they’d work on their resumes. None mentioned coaching for the following Olympics. It was one in every of many causes I all the time felt, and nonetheless do, how lucky professional tennis gamers have such huge alternatives year-round.
Friedman: Now, approaching the 40th anniversary of these Olympics in July and having the following Olympic cycle return to L. A. 4 years from now, how do you view the Olympics at the moment?
Jaeger: I look as much as the Olympic spirit. I consider within the Olympic spirit. To me, the Olympic spirit exists. You competed, however you competed with coronary heart, and also you competed with goodwill. You competed with ardour, however you competed with equity. That exemplified the Olympics to me: you would obtain one thing stellar in a sport, however you may be a superb human being. And that meant one thing. I’ve all the time admired the athlete who places in all that coaching. For that one second, that is what the Olympics are all about.
After I walked in and obtained my badge, I put it round my neck, and also you regarded round as a result of there’s the Olympic Village, and its spectators aren’t allowed the place you are at. And all you see is that this big group of individuals: all people’s an Olympian, everybody such as you, Carl Lewis is over there, or Flo-Jo or whoever’s there. You already know that they’re there to realize one thing. In order that belongingness, as a lot as I knew I used to be an illustration sport (athlete), I knew I might help that spirit that carried the Olympics for generations since its existence the place you go on the market and have ardour to your sport, equity, coronary heart, and also you belong to one thing higher than your self.
And that is what I felt once I walked in there. You see these rivals from all these totally different nations, however they’re speaking to one another. They’re laughing with one another. They’re coaching. They’re competing, they’re rivals, however they’re human beings. And that is what I’ve all the time cherished in regards to the Olympics.