Lynn Kachmarik is the founder of TRUE BRAND SPORTS where she travels around the world and does workshops for coaches, parents and student-athletes to make sports better. Her website can be found at www.truebrandsports.com.
I hope you know that you are not disappointing any of us.
I know how hard keeping your head high at these Olympic Games must be for you as everyone expects so much from you, including your own high standards.
You stepped into the limelight at the 2012 London Olympics and everything you have done since then is represent yourself, your family, your college, your club, your coaches and teammates with such dignity and class.
You are the epitome of humbleness, passion, energy, kindness and the truth about sports.
The highs are so amazing and the lows are brutal but when you compete and represent your country the way you have….your pain is our pain because we love you and want you to be happy. The journey to be the best is filled with highs and lows but your character defines who you really are. Under extreme pressure, you have made the right decisions along your journey and you exemplify the best that sport can give us as a role model for our children.
Keep your head high, continue to flash that smile because your journey is so honest and real It may be rough right now but you will be back. No one can ever take anything away from you.
To be honest, my pride and respect for you has exploded as I continue to watch how you react at these 2016 Olympics! You may not have done what you set out to do but once again you have raised the bar for all of us in terms of how to respond when you fall short of your goals and for you…it has been on the world stage. You are Missy Franklin and you are still everything we have known you to be! We stand with you and thank you for what you have given to all of us as coaches, parents and student-athletes!
This article was written by Lynn Kachmarik.
Missy, You will always be our favorite swimmer of all time! You rock the perfect swim soul!
As a former swim mom – totally agree! WE love Missy Franklin – you are not defined by how you did in 1 or 2 races ! Your personality warmed our hearts.. we just got to get to know you through swimming! Chin up!! Everyone loves you Missy!!
What a GREAT letter! Missy, please know, as a former swim coach I drive my kids crazy when we watch swimming, stopping and rewinding and pointing out all of the amazing technical brilliance and some little mistakes we can all learn from. Your interviews, your reactions in and out of the water during this Olympics are segments that will stay on my DVR for YEARS! I have shown them to my kids again and again! THIS is how you handle it when things get hard! THIS is the kind of competitor I want you to be! I’ve NEVER been more proud to be a fan of USA swimming because of how you have handled the challenges and disappointments you have… Read more »
Wonderful sentiments. I agree 100%. She is a class act and loved by all Coloradoans!!!!
Missy you are such a wonderful ambassador for the USA. Your competitive spirit shows all of us what to do when things get hard. Anyone can be gracious when things are going well. Thank you. Young women everywhere are watching and you are a champion.
It is so difficult to be on top at the right time all the time. Missy earned her spot on the team just like all of the others who qualified. I think the overall success of the USA swim team sometimes leads us to believe that we have to receive two medals of every event or we have somehow failed. You can only prepare for your race and only swim it to the best of your ability – you can’t keep the swimmer in the lane next to you from doing the same. Missy will be back and will be representing the USA for years to come. Thank you Missy for all that you do!!!
Missy Franklin is an amazing young lady that to me represents all the wonderful qualities of an athlete, sportswoman, Olympian and lady. As a teacher I will use Missy Franklin as a role model for my female students!
My son got a chance to meet Missy during OlymuTrails for his 13th birthday and you are so special by giving your young fans a smile and autograph ????????‼️
Please do not change who you are and every great champion must fall I order to get back up an reclaim their title ❤️‼️