The Oxford English Dictionary defines an “athlete” as “a person who has undertaken training or exercises to become proficient in physical activities such as competitive sports (athletics).”
Bill Bowerman, co-founder of Nike, took a wider view, saying that “if you have a body, you are an athlete.” While the more cynical among us would reflect that Bill’s definition means Nike can sell to anyone, his soundbite stuck, and appears on Nike’s “About” page to this day.
Bill and the dictionary are both wrong.
The word athlete is derived from Greek words, meaning “one who competes for a prize.”
We can’t all become “proficient in physical activities” …and who defines the level of proficiency anyway?
On the other side, simply inhabiting our bodies is not enough.
What each of us can do is compete for a prize, attaining the “why?” that motivates us to engage in physical activity in the first place.
Last February, the sports tracking application Strava presented results of a study examining why people run. The reasons, or “prizes” if you will, ranged from looking for community to improving mental health, from seeking to feel strong and energetic to wanting a snack at the end.
To note: most of the prizes aren’t exclusive. Your only competitor is yourself.
So, to conclude, you are not an athlete simply because you have a body. But you can very easily become an athlete, if you find motivation to be physically active.
I wish you the best, as you compete for your prize.