As July approaches the Paris Olympics approach, too.
The USA women’s team is going through a period of preparation that will include training with Canada and hopefully some more. in Chula Vista and then Tours before they enter the Olympic Village.
After that, it’s about focusing on themselves, and focusing on gold.
“It’s the same goal we had in Tokyo,” said co-captain Naya Tapper. “Not just getting on the podium but bringing back the gold for our family, our friends, for the organization, for the rugby community. It’s a big goal; it’s something we’ve been putting actions towards and having the understanding that we have to do the small details, focusing on being present and what those actions look like in the moment.”
All of those action can add up to a gold medal.
“We have the opportunity to do something that’s never been done,” added Head Coach Emilie Bydwell. That’s because of, she added, “the work that they have done, the talent they have, and the culture that they have.”
They have the mental resilience to handle the pressure, added the coach, and said that in the end, the thing about the Olympics is that it’s a massive once-in-four-years all-or-(almost)nothing prospect.
“There might be favorites; there might be people that are ranked 1 or 2 in the world or 3 in the world. But you have to deliver when it counts,” Bydwell said.
