A chat with Jackie Joyner-Kersee

I HAVE ALWAYS been a fan of Jackie Joyner-Kersee for her accomplishments on and off the field. She smoked the track-and-field circuit for 13 years, winning three gold, one silver and two bronze medals in four Olympic Games. She was crowned Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century by Sports Illustrated for Women magazine.

She's also an author, having detailed her struggles and triumphs in her autobiography, A Kind of Grace.

Friday, the down-to-earth star will speak about "Running the Race with Grace and Humility On and Off the Track" at West Chester University. Though always busy, the tireless Joyner-Kersee, 52, set aside time to chat with me recently. Here are some highlights from our conversation:

Q: You are originally from East St. Louis, Ill., an area characterized as tough and gritty. What are some of your memories growing up there?

A: For me, East St. Louis was home. It wasn't any different than any other community. Sure, there was drugs, crime, violence, but I was surrounded by great people and that wasn't the path I wanted to take.

Q: Did you or your parents know early on that you were an athlete?

A: My father did. He was an athlete - he played football and ran track. My mom, though, was about education. She wanted me to get a good education and a good job.

Q: Sounds like your mom was a very wise lady. So, while your parents supported your athletic pursuits, your mom was all about education. Is that why you chose UCLA for college?

A: When I was about 14, I saw [star UCLA and Olympic sprinter] Evelyn Ashford profiled, Ann Meyers and Anita Ortega playing basketball at UCLA on TV. I was like, wow! Seeing women athletes on TV really inspired me. Seeing UCLA on television, I figured it must be a good school. Besides, I wanted to get away from the cold.

Q: What did you major in?

A: U.S. history. I thought I was going to be a teacher. But once I started competing . . .

Q: What is the training like at your elite level?

A: It's intense - 8 to 9 hours a day. At that level, 90 percent of it is mental. Physically you can do the work. Practice is redundant - it's focused and hard. Competition is where I found fun. There's no do-over.

Q: So, you were always having to sharpen your skills. That's a concept that many youth of today don't grasp, do you agree?

A: Sometimes we send the wrong message, and some don't understand what hard work really means. I work with young people, and I tell them it's not going to pay off right now, but it will later on. We are competitive creatures by nature. It's natural, but how do we compete so that it's not a detriment? I didn't win all the time.

Q: And you did all this while also suffering from asthma?

A: That was the hardest thing. I wasn't diagnosed until I was a freshman in college. Then I lived in denial a long time. I knew I wasn't getting any better but, back then, I didn't know I could die from it. My biggest fear was having an attack competing.

Q: It's been 16 years since you retired. How's life off the field?

A: I always knew I wanted to go back to the community [East St. Louis]. That was my mission and vision. I got my start in athletics at the community center.

Initially we were going to redo the old community center. Instead, the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Youth Center was built from the ground up and opened in 2000. [It offers] every youth sport, plus wellness, computers, dance and multipurpose spaces. More than athletics, it's really about teaching youth life skills and exposing them to things, and grooming great, productive citizens.

Q: That's rare and beautiful. You returned to the community that nurtured you and now you're nurturing it. Which brings me to my next question: Every generation of black athletes has to negotiate the ever-changing face of racism. How did you encounter it and handle it?

A: I encountered it very young, though the coaches tried to keep it hidden from us. On some of those road trips, we couldn't go into certain places. We would hear the coaches whispering. . . . Looking back, now you understand.

People also had a certain mentality about people from East St. Louis. In one competition that I won, the official didn't record it. From then on, I always made sure my time was recorded.

There are always teachable moments. Racism and sexism - don't let it beat up your spirit. I got that from Wilma Rudolph. She became my mentor. This woman won three gold metals in 1960 and couldn't even eat at the counter.

Q: On another note, what exercise and nutrition advice do you have for women as they age?

A: Walking and stretching. I'm slowly introducing myself to yoga. Body resistance is important, too, even if you are using your own body for resistance. We need strong muscles and bones.

Find the pace that works for you, and don't worry about what someone else is doing. Do something that leaves you wanting more. Don't do something that will take three weeks to recover from. Have fun with it.

Q: What exercise and nutrition advice would you give parents?

A: Family outings, biking, walking, swimming and balanced nutrition. Sit down at the dinner table together.

Q: When should parents introduce their children to sports?

A: My advice is for parents to be supportive. Sports should be fun at a very young age. It should never be a burden.