World-Class Athlete of the Year: Ruth Bader Ginsburg

The best athletes in the world train every day, approach life and fitness with intelligence, humor, and dedication, and are goal-oriented. When confronted with adversity—often in the forms of injury and illness—they recover, returning to their sports as improved athletes both mentally and physically.  

RBG embodied all of these traits. Her life inspires athletes of truly all ages to follow her example.

When we think about fitness and athleticism, we have only to look at RBG to understand that the personal training time we take for ourselves can have wide influence on everyone we meet. 

This influence starts early. No child fails to admire their parents for their fitness efforts. No peer remains unimpressed by a colleague’s ability to carve an hour out of a busy day to push through fatigue, frustration, and inconvenience in order to raise their heart rate in the gym, on the trail, or in the pool. 

Why is this so inspiring? Because when we sweat, we show that we are human. We show we can push ourselves. We show that we care about our own health, along with those we are entrusted to care for. As is often said: If you can’t care for yourself, why would we trust you to care for others? Fitness training is caring for yourself and for the world around you.

RBG’s tireless workouts with a trainer, after overcoming multiple bouts of cancer, and while working against all odds at the peak of her profession, should earn the late Justice recognition as Athlete of the Year.  And may we all—in her honor and for our society’s benefit—be athletes for a lifetime.