Dick Tillman
1976 Olympian (Sailing), 2002 World Laser Masters Champion
I have 9 grandchildren, age 7-15. Should be easy to speak to 300 7th and 8th graders about physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle, right? Well, as it turned out, my first experience doing this, to promote Gary Hall’s WorldFit program, was most rewarding. The kids were attentive, motivated, and so far have been doing quite well logging their miles, either from walking or applying equivalent sports activity miles. It helped that their PE instructors and teachers were 100% onboard to explain how the system worked, help them sign a couple of forms, get logged on, and encourage them to get out and walk.
Of course, it doesn’t get much better than springtime in Florida to get out and enjoy some outdoor activities. As I related my own Olympic experience to them, they were amazed when I told them it took 16 years to achieve my goal of getting on the Olympic Team. Came close in the 1960 sailing qualification trials – 2nd alternate. Trained hard but was disappointed in the ‘64 trials. Missed the’68 trials while serving in the Armed Forces in Europe. Tried again in ‘72, no luck, and then finally earned a spot in 1976, but only as one of the two alternates. Still, a goal accomplished. A rather extreme example of persistence, but I hope a message not lost on a12 year old. Now 73, I am not through competing.
The West Shore kids are doers. Their middle school is the first in the county to participate in WorldFit. Their participation rate is one of the highest in the country. It is our hope that they will be a benchmark for what is becoming a physical fitness phenomenon for the entire country. Maybe one or two future Olympians?
Sounds good! Would love to have you speak in Elkhart, IN at the Middle School where I mentor a seventh grade girl. We shall talk about that soon.
I applaud what you’re doing to promote good health and fitness at an early age, when it counts. If you make it part of your regular routine, it will be much easier to maintain a healty lifestyle through the years. Hope World Fit can impact many more middle school age children around the country through your efforts and those of your fellow Olympians.
Dick, as a lifelong friend, I know that you are an ideal spokesman for World Fit and am so very proud of the fact that you have become active in this important organization. Nothing can extend both the length and quality of life more predictibly than physical and emotional fittness (the latter generally nutures the former). Not only are you uniquely qualified by virtue of your own devotion to fittness, but you are also the epitome of persistence, a vital component in achieving the goal of a healthy life style.
Thank you on behalf of all of us in the medical world who believe that prevention is the best answer to good health.
Dick,
Since I have known you since you were a baby I want you to know that what you are doing now will mean more to you than then anything up to now except for your family. Congratulations.
As an elementary school teacher I want to tell you thank you for what you are doing!! It is so important to help the youth of today understand the importance of starting an athletic routine while setting goals and working hard to reach them. I can not think of a better role model than you!! They are lucky to have such a caring ambassador of fitness. 🙂
Dick,
Worldfit.org is such a natural extension of what you and Linda already do . . . set a wonderful example and give encouragement to those around you to pursue fitness in whatever activity interests them. You have done that for me. What you are doing is so important! A physically fit population will be happier, healthier and more productive. Physical fitness affects every area of our lives. We cannot even be at our best mentally without being physically fit.
You have the ability with what you are doing with Worldfit.org to change many lives for the better.
Congratulations and thank you, Dick. I had forgotten what an important part of your 1976 Olympic experience your persistence had been. I can speak to the importance of daily physical activity from the standpoint of someone who neglected fitness during the busy early years of a homebuilding career and required a laminectomy (spinal disc surgery) at age 40. At that point, I saw the light and have done back/stomach exercises virtually every day since, and have speed-walked two miles a day 5-6 times a week for the last twenty-some years. My role model is an 84-year-old neighbor who has received an around-the- world (25,000 miles) award and is at 40,000 now, at 4 miles a day. I’ll never catch up to him!
Keep up the good work, Dick, and keep sailing!
Tom Lowe
What a great job you are doing! Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge and your positive energy with our precious youth. I am so happy to know you. Best of Luck!