506 Coach Logan (1/2)

Just a few minutes ago, Mett had been discussing with his teammates that the new head coach of the U.S. national team was Chinese. His tone had been full of disdain, as had been the language he had used. He had even sworn that if the coach were to personally invite him into the team, he would refuse to join.

However, this was before Dai Li really appeared in front of him. He had even been invited to join the national team. At that moment, Mett was genuinely stunned; he seriously felt that the universe hated him.

The head coach of the U.S. national team had come to personally invite him to join the team. What should Mett do?

Only an idiot would reject the offer.

”Coach Li, did you say that I can join the national team? I can participate in the Olympics?” Mett's voice trembled with excitement.

”Yes, if you're willing,” Dai Li said calmly.

”I'm willing! Of course, I'm willing! I'm very willing!” Mett said without hesitation.

His declaration that he ”wouldn't go even if he was personally invited” just a few minutes ago had long been forgotten. Bragging was indeed fun, and exaggerating stuff could definitely make you seem cool, but when push came to shove, Mett was still very honest. He didn't care about being awkward in front of his friends; he agreed immediately.

Any athlete who said that he didn't want to join the national team or didn't want participate in the Olympic Games was 100% lying. In truth, what Mett had said earlier was simply sour grapes. When the opportunity to join the U.S. national team and participate in the Olympic Games appeared in front of him, there was no way he was willing to say no.

Ellis Mett was the athlete with a grade A+ talent potential who was eliminated in the first round. In Dai Li's professional eyes, Mett's performance on the day of the race had been unbearable to watch. He made a lot of errors professional athletes shouldn't be associated with.

Dai Li felt that his performance that day was not representative of his true strength. Mett was paying the price for being young. He definitely could have ran faster. Dai Li even felt that, with Mett's talent potential and ability, if he performed better, it wouldn't be surprising if he won a gold medal.

This was the reason Dai Li personally went to invite Mett.

Dai Li had obtained the right and authority to select the athletes himself, and he already had an idea in his mind regarding the athletes he wanted to choose. However, the gap left between the U.S. national team was really too big, and Dai Li didn't know how to split himself in two. Therefore, it was impossible for him to personally invite every single athlete. For most athletes, Dai Li sent invitation letters in the name of the U.S. National Track and Field Team. As for the athletes whom Dai Li regarded as most important, he went to them personally to ensure that they would join the U.S. National Track and Field Team.

...

The University of Oregon, located in the town of Eugene, is a famous sports school in North America. It is famous for both football and track and field. Among the delegates and representatives of the previous U.S. national team, ten of them were alumni of the University of Oregon. The U.S. National Track and Field Team consists of around 150 people, meaning that one-fifteenth of the athletes on the team came from the same university. One had to keep in mind that there were a lot of exceptional universities in the U.S., and the competition between each school was very fierce. Moreover, the U.S. has a long history in sports and a huge amount of excellent athletes. A ratio of one-fifteenth is very impressive.

The head coach of the University of Oregon was named Logan. He had served two terms as the head coach of the U.S. National Track and Field Team and, therefore, was considered an experienced and skilled track and field coach.

Not that long ago, when the scandals of performance-enhancing drugs broke out, the American Track and Field society had contacted him and invited him to be the head coach, hoping that he would help them turn the tide. Unfortunately, they were rejected. Logan knew that the current U.S. national team was doomed. A person like him, who valued his reputation, had no intention of being deemed a ”failure” before his retirement.

Logan was already more than 70 years old that year. He had lived in England for a while, so he had a habit of drinking tea in the afternoon. Because of this, whenever it came time for afternoon tea, the track and field team would have their break. The coaches and the athletes would all stop as Logan would make himself a cup of black tea, bring out some desserts, and enjoy his afternoon tea.