Sally Gunnell's blog by Sally_Gunnell

There’s been a fair bit of stuff in the press about athletes and endorsements recently, with lots of comment around British athletes and how they’re dealing with the biggest year of their lives. There’s been some suggestion that certain athletes are getting paid lots of money “and they haven’t won anything yet.” It’s got me thinking. I remember only too well how difficult it was to train and make ends meet; there was nowhere near as much money flying about when I was competing. So, I needed a job with a very understanding employer who was prepared to let me have time off to race. I fitted training in around a working day, as did many of my mates at the time.

A friend asked if it annoyed me that today’s athletes seem to have it so much easier. It doesn’t annoy me at all; if we’re honest, we’d all do the same and take the money on offer. The real question is whether our boys and girls can stay focused. When you sign on the line to endorse a product or service, you’re buying into an easier financial situation, but you’re also signing away a lot of your time; you’ll be traveling to and from London (in most cases) to do photo shoots, film clips and the like; all of that takes valuable time out of your training schedule.

Then, there’s the media circus and the interview circuit; everybody wants a piece of you, which is fantastic for you and your sport. But again, it takes time. And that’s the most precious thing an athlete has right now. A lot of the athletes I’ve chatted with seem to be keeping their feet firmly on the ground, which is good news. I think they realize that this whole situation is a one-off rather than normal life. It’ll only carry on if they deliver in the summer. I really hope that they all live by the following mantra: “Take the opportunities, but keep your eye on the prize”. It’s a difficult balance and in many ways it’s no easier for them than it was for me; I faced different pressures, sure, but they had just as much potential to knock me off course. Let’s hope the Class of 2012 stays strong and focused!

Meanwhile, my middle son has surprised us all by getting selected to play for one of the high profile football teams in our area. He decided last year that he was a goalkeeper. He enjoys playing there, but it’s fair to say that nobody at our friendly, local club had picked him out as a future Peter Schmeichel! Anyway, he went along to a training event at this bigger club a while ago, told them he was a keeper and had a great day out. They asked him to sign for them, which bowled us over to say the least. The emphasis is on having fun, which of course is the only thing that matters at this tender age, so we’ll see how he gets on. It’s good for him to have some new experiences, so we’ll go with it for now. We won’t be signing any expensive endorsement deals just yet, though…