Nowadays a gold medal is a $1 million contract. Our athletes are our heroes. Cathy Rigby More Quotes by Cathy Rigby More Quotes From Cathy Rigby In high school I never went to the prom because I was too consumed with gymnastics. Also, with my hair in pigtails and looking about 10, I wasn't exactly date material. Cathy Rigby gymnastics hair school I would climb on roofs and jump off using my parents' bed sheet, hoping it would open like a parachute. I was always getting hurt, breaking a leg, you know, bruising, cracking my head open. Cathy Rigby bed parent hurt There's so much denial in gymnastics. It's a beautiful sport but the other part is numbing. You become machinelike. They'll refute this, but I've been around it. I know. Cathy Rigby gymnastics beautiful sports Seeing the show is like a visit to the fountain of youth for parents and the children. Cathy Rigby youth parent children It's that athlete's obsessiveness - the need to prove yourself and work harder than anybody else. I think it's what helped me do well in the theater. Cathy Rigby hard-work athlete thinking I will jump into most any role. Cathy Rigby roles It's really hard to separate fantasy from reality. Cathy Rigby hard fantasy reality I grew up in a sport that didn't allow you to grow up. There was always the threat of younger competition. So you had to maintain the image of youth. Cathy Rigby competition growing-up sports I have three dogs and a cockatoo. Cathy Rigby three-dog three dog An athlete learns how to hold her breath, but that doesn't work in singing. You have to learn to relax. Cathy Rigby relax singing athlete Actually, performing is a lot like golf. You are alone, so vulnerable. Cathy Rigby performing vulnerable golf There's no disgrace in failure, the disgrace is not to try. Cathy Rigby leadership trying sports Flying is such a joy. You just want to hoot. Cathy Rigby flying want joy The thing I received from Girl Scouts more than anything else was a sense of real teamwork and working for the community, helping others, and it was not competitive. I remember working as a group to achieve a goal or to help the community. There was a great sense of accomplishment in that. Cathy Rigby girl real teamwork Acting allows me the freedom to let go, to be in the moment, to be spontaneous. I no longer have the fear of losing, of failure. Cathy Rigby acting losing letting-go So it really does have a sort of bittersweet quality. Kids like to have adventures and to believe they can fly, but there's also that fear about people leaving you. Cathy Rigby you quality fear people I'll talk to kids afterward and somebody will always say, 'I'll leave my bedroom window open for you. Cathy Rigby will you bedroom window I was always very active as a kid. I would climb on roofs and jump off using my parents' bed sheet, hoping it would open like a parachute. I was always getting hurt, breaking a leg, you know, bruising, cracking my head open. Cathy Rigby climb parents you hurt When you're on the Olympic team at 15, you don't do anything else. There's no normal social development, and your decisions are made for you. Cathy Rigby your you team development I just like to act. Cathy Rigby act just like
