How Taylor Swift Inspired the Olympic U.S. Women's Water Polo Team
It looks like football isn't the only sport affected by Taylor Swift this year—the singer's monumental influence is even reaching Olympic-level athletes.
The USA women's water polo team is the latest group of athletes to be inspired by the "Fortnight" songstress, whose international Eras Tour has sparked a whole new type of motivation for these Olympians.
According to team star Maggie Steffens and coach Adam Krikorian, it was seeing Swift perform in Paris back in the spring that showed them the type of energy they hoped to bring to the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, where the team is aiming to win its fourth consecutive gold medal.
While the women's water polo team was in Paris for an Olympic test back in May, Swift happened to be performing the Eras Tour at Paris' La Défense Arena, the same venue that will host the last three rounds of the Olympic men's and women's water polo tournaments.
The team secured tickets through national team manager Ally Beck, who asked Swift's team if the athletes could look around the venue to get a feel for the space before the upcoming Olympic games, according to the Los Angeles Times, which also reported that Swift, 34, more than obliged, and even invited the team backstage before the show, offering them VIP tickets and some Eras Tour merch.
But aside from her generosity, it was Swift's impressive performance that left a lasting impression.
"We talked about it after [the concert]," Steffens said this week, per ABC News. "We had a team meeting of, like, if we get the chance to play in La Défense Arena, we want to be like her. We want to be able to love the pressure and be able to perform and have fun and enjoy that moment and make the most of it."
"As badass and powerful of a woman as she is, for us to be able to see that in person was pretty magical," Steffens added.
Coach Krikorian also recalled feeling inspired by Swift's performance, telling the Los Angeles Times, "I thought to myself, 'This is exactly what we want to bring to the pool.'"
"What better way to get in the right mindset and to experience that energy and joy and that love. Because those are values that we want to play with."
Krikorian also said Swift will be invited to watch the women's water polo gold-medal final on Aug. 10, should the USA team get the chance. Swift will be just hours away in Vienna as part of the tour.
"Taylor, you have a front-row seat," Krikorian promised.
Next: Taylor Swift Can't Contain Her Excitement When She Spots Celebrity in Eras Tour Crowd
