I wrote most days during London 2012 and decided I would only write during Sochi 2014 when something pushed my buttons. Jenny Jones has pushed those buttons…
A bronze medal for Jenny Jones in the snowboard slope style. It’s the first time for that sport in the Olympics, and Jones has won the first medal for GB on snow ever at the Winter Games.
Yes, Alain Baxter won a medal back in 2002 in the slalom, but it’s a long story as to why his medal ‘doesn’t count’. Let me know if you want to hear that story. Back to Jenny though…
Her team-mates call her ‘Jones’ or ‘The Jones’, and she’s been around for a while. At 33, she’s a veteran in the sport, and only carried on to Sochi when her sport of freestyle was announced in the Games back in 2012.
Let’s go back to how she started in it, and this is a main part of the goal achievement lesson. She started on a dry ski slope, the best part of 20 years ago, on a bristle slope in the west of England.
She didn’t enjoy it, and only went again after encouragement from her brother. She got the bug and took up the sport. Working as a chalet maid she decided to enter the British Championships, which progressed to her moving into the upper circles of the sport.
She took gold at The X games, and then won it again. Not one to seek fame, she remained pretty much anonymous to the mainstream media, but was established as a major player in her sport, and could have retired with a great reputation assured.
Then came the Olympic announcement, and a decision to dedicate the next 18 months to doing her best. A disappointing qualification saw her having to go through a semi final round to get to the final, but she came through it, and here’s another goal achievement point…
It became clear throughout the men’s and women’s event that the judges were favouring clean execution of moves and height of jumps, over difficulty of jumps necessarily. So, Jenny and her coaches decided to go for a safer routine, but execute it cleanly. That was a decision that paid off with her bronze.
As someone that has enjoyed the Olympics and goal achievement stories for years and years, the story of The Jones is one to get me excited.
She started out with simple enjoyment on the most basic of basic equipement. Decided to take that enjoyment to the next stage. Got herself to the heights of world competition. Made a commitment and set a goal of The Olympics. Battled through injury to get there, including concussion problems only at the end of 2013. Tweaked her plans in the moment on tactical judgement. Became the first to achieve her result in her country.
Look to your own goal. It may or may not be to chuck yourself down mountains on a plank of wood, but whatever they are, can you say you are keeping up with Jones?
Ok, let me know what you think!
‘Til Next Time,
Health & Happiness,
Gordon
P.S. The Winter Olymics gives great opportunity to make money from sport – why not grab my guide here!
P.P.S. Or, my blogging coaching, which has the sports guide included.
I’ve watched only a bit of the Olympics with my family, and have never heard of Jones. So, this was actually NEW and interesting for me! I especially like how you tied into “keeping up with the Jones'”! When I first started I thought you were writing about this because you were angry that she won the medal, but I was very pleasantly surprised! 😀
Hi Carrie Ann,
As with a lot of my articles, I find the title writes itself! I had heard of her – as a sports fan, and a Brit, our medal chances are always rather slim at Winter Olympics, so she was known to me as one of maybe 7 medal prospects for Team GB, and she did the business in style!
Cheers,
Gordon
Wonderful article. I LOVE the Olympics. They always inspire me, so I’m happy that we have them every 2 years now instead of having both the summer and winter Olympics in one year every 4 years.
The Jones’ story of adjusting her routine to make it cleaner with less difficulty is a great reminder of how we need to be flexible and change when we see that anything isn’t giving us the results we want.
Way to go, Jones.
Thanks! I’ve loved the Olympics since way back in ’76. Of course I wasn’t old enough then to appreciate the goal achievement lessons that could be seen over and over. Of course with Jones’ story there’s a British connection – our first ever medal on snow, and indeed, her change of tactic was key.
Cheers,
Gordon