There Are Comebacks That Not Only Make History—But Also Awaken Dreams That Were Thought To Have Been Dormant. When Alysa Liu glided freely through the ice at the 2026 Olympics, it wasn’t simply the return of an athlete. It was the moment a heart chose to love again what had once hurt it. And that very sincerity created a strange wave spreading across social media. People call it the “Alysa Liu effect.” But in reality, it’s the effect of courage. Thousands of people began reopening old boxes containing their ice skates, rackets, bows and arrows… Passions that had been put aside because of pressure, because of growing up, because of life. What touched them so deeply? Perhaps it was Liu’s gaze as she skated—no longer a duty, no longer an expectation, but pure love. A gentle reminder: you can leave your passion, but your passion has never left you. And who knows, amidst all those viral videos, there might be a story about to be rewritten — your own story.

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After Gold-Medal Win at Milan Olympics, the ‘Alysa Liu Effect’ Is Inspiring People to Return to Sports They Once Loved (Exclusive)

Emma Schaefer playing archery; Alysa Liu of Team United States poses for a photo during the medal ceremony for the Women's Single Skating on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 19, 2026

Walking away from a sport you once loved isn’t easy — and returning can feel even harder.

But after U.S.A. figure skater Alysa Liu’s remarkable return to competition, people across social media say they’re feeling inspired to give it another shot. In videos flooding TikTok, former athletes are picking up activities they once left behind — dubbing the trend the “Alysa Liu Effect.”

Among them is Emma Schaefer, 23, a brand specialist from Sugar Grove, Ill., who recently shared her own experience returning to archery after years away.

“I started Archery 11 years ago, when I was 12 years old,” Schaefer tells PEOPLE exclusively. “I competed until my freshman year of college, so [I] was active in the sport for about seven years.”

Emma Schaefer playing archery

Eventually, however, the demands of college made competing difficult, and Schaefer decided to step away.

Still, she says the lessons she learned through archery stayed with her long after she stopped competing.

“I give a lot of credit to the sport for shaping the person I am today,” she says. “Growing up, I was very shy, and the sport pushed me to step outside of my comfort zone and build confidence in myself. Over time, it taught me discipline, focus and perseverance.”

“I also love that it is an individual sport that centers on becoming the best version of yourself. In the end, it is just you and the target, and that challenge is what makes it so rewarding,” she adds. “Plus, I met my best friend through the sport, and we are planning on starting back up together.”

Years later, Liu’s return to the ice at the 2026 Winter Olympics — after stepping away from skating — struck a particularly personal chord for Schaefer.

Inspired by the moment, she shared her thoughts in a TikTok video alongside clips of herself revisiting archery.

“Alysa Liu’s relationship with skating immediately reminded me of my own experience with archery. She described it as feeling more like an obligation than a passion at times, and that really resonated with me,” Schaefer says. “Watching her excel at the 2026 Olympics was incredibly inspiring. You could tell she was competing out of a genuine love for the sport above all else.”

The response surprised her.

“When I posted that TikTok and the comments started flooding in from people who felt inspired to restart their childhood sport, it fueled that feeling even more,” she says.

Emma Schaefer playing archery
Emma Schaefer playing archery.Emma Schaefer

Now, Schaefer says rediscovering that passion has changed how she views returning to something she once thought was behind her.

“My biggest piece of advice is that you are never too old or too busy to start again,” she says. “I had big dreams as a kid of becoming a professional, and even though those are no longer my goals, that does not mean the sport cannot still be something that brings me joy and fulfillment.”

She adds, “Rediscovering an old passion and finding new meaning in it has been what continues to inspire me. I’m working on not letting life get in the way of something that was once so important to me.”