As he prepared his “Message to the Olympia-Berlin Torch Relay Runners” in 1936, Baron Pierre de Coubertin emphasized the benefits that the revival of the Olympic Games had brought to modern life.  As he reflected on the role of sport in society, he asserted that sport provided a unique ability to help people cope, in essence, to achieve balance through the ups and downs of life’s uncertain experiences.  Across the course of his career, he continually highlighted the need to achieve balance in sport—to find the middle ground between the extremes—as a way of perfecting practice and improving performance.  He believed that finding that centerpoint would produce broader social benefits for the individual and the community.  The Baron’s Message to the Relay Runners appeared in Le Sport Suisse in 1936. 

“The religion of restored athletics has done more than simply fortify public health. It provides a sort of joyful stoicism that can help the individual face the daily ups and downs of life.”