Pierre de Coubertin

Have you ever wanted to do something important - something that would make people remember you long after you were gone? If so, you could be like Pierre de Coubertin. He wanted to encourage interest in sports and fitness, and so he brought back the Olympic Games.

Pierre was born on January 1, 1863, in Paris, France. As a child of a noble family, he received a good education and developed a strong interest in literature and history. As he got older, he also became interested in sociology and problems with the schools. Pierre de Coubertin gave up an opportunity to join the French army and refused a political career in order to serve his people better.

During his studies, he came up with a theory about why the French army had lost the battle with the Prussians in 1870. The soldiers were out of shape and didn't have the physical fitness necessary to maintain a strong presence on the battlefield. He was determined that future generations of French youngsters would not suffer the same fate.