football
Ashley Pomplas
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ATHENS, Ohio — In the world of sports, talent often runs in the family, and two Bobcats are carrying on the legacy of their mothers who once graced the Olympic stage. Their participation in the Olympics is a testament to the power of football and the Olympic spirit.
Redshirt junior quarterback Nick Poulos’ (Granite Bay, Calif.) Mother competed in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, as a member of the softball team before the discipline was removed from the program after the 2008 Games. According to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum, the sport was reinstated at the 1996 Games and the U.S. team won the gold medal. The IOC removed baseball and softball from the Olympic program starting in 2012, but the sport was temporarily reinstated for the 2020 Games in Tokyo.
Poulos’ mother did not stay in the Olympic Village when the Olympics were held in Atlanta. The softball event was held two hours away and the team kept to themselves. He said people see his mother as very serious on the field and that she is here to win.
“She was so focused on winning,” Poulos said. “She was pregnant during the Olympics but didn’t tell anyone. She didn’t want them to not play.”
Poulos said he learned from his mother that there is no substitute for hard work. She inspires Poulos and his siblings to believe that hard work pays off.
“At the end of the day, if it doesn’t work out the way you want it to, you can look at it and say you did your best and you can’t compare yourself to the person next to you,” Poulos said. “It’s all about what you can do.”
Freshman running back Duncan Brunes (Cologne, Germany) Mother was a disciplined swimmer who participated in several competitions. She competed in the 50 m freestyle, 100 m freestyle and 4×100 m relay swimming events. Brune’s mother told him that competing in the Olympics was more difficult than any other qualifying round and said it was a great experience for her.
Duncan said he remembers getting up early as a kid to swim laps with her. He said that was one of his favorite memories of her and he thought it was cool to see what it was like. She is one of his biggest inspirations and he said he didn’t realize how good she was when she was competing in swimming events.
“I really admire the way she competed and competed in the Olympics,” Duncan said. “She told me to give 100% to everything I do and give it everything I have. I think that’s the best advice.”
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