My name is Taylor Carlson. I'm from Phoenix, AZ and was selected as an intern for the USOC's New Media Division working for the teamusa.org website. I’m still fairly shocked that I was chosen for this internship in the first place based on my sheer lack of athleticism. However, I am here and over-enthused about the whole deal and intend to fully immerse myself in the culture that is the Olympic Games.
First of all, Colorado Springs is stunning. It is so similar to Flagstaff, where I went to university, that it makes me feel slightly less homesick, allowing me, infrequently, to believe I’m still just two measly hours from home. Homesickness aside, the Olympic Training Center is smack dab in the middle of a quaint residential neighborhood with gorgeous homes and lush trees and grass. We’re just a few blocks from downtown Colorado Springs and ten minutes from Pike’s Peak, Garden of the God’s and Historic Manitou Springs. The Training Center itself is fascinating. There are many resident athletes that eat, sleep, live and, of course, train here as well as numerous members of staff. There is Olympic history memorabilia everywhere ranging from flags representing every participating country in the world, signs detailing all of the Olympic events and statues representing Olympians past and the hopefuls of the present and future.
First of all, Colorado Springs is stunning. It is so similar to Flagstaff, where I went to university, that it makes me feel slightly less homesick, allowing me, infrequently, to believe I’m still just two measly hours from home. Homesickness aside, the Olympic Training Center is smack dab in the middle of a quaint residential neighborhood with gorgeous homes and lush trees and grass. We’re just a few blocks from downtown Colorado Springs and ten minutes from Pike’s Peak, Garden of the God’s and Historic Manitou Springs. The Training Center itself is fascinating. There are many resident athletes that eat, sleep, live and, of course, train here as well as numerous members of staff. There is Olympic history memorabilia everywhere ranging from flags representing every participating country in the world, signs detailing all of the Olympic events and statues representing Olympians past and the hopefuls of the present and future.
The atmosphere is static as the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games gets closer and closer. Few winter athletes actually train here regularly but the buzz still envelops this small community. It was intimidating, at first, walking around knowing that you are bypassing Olympic hopefuls or Olympians on the way to the dorms, sitting next to them in the dining hall and exercising near them in the gym. All I can think is: what an incredible opportunity. Here I am, a lowly intern, living next to a potential Olympian. Then I re-focus slightly and realize that they look just like me, except in rather better shape, and the only real difference is that they just happen to be exceptionally good at what they do. I see familiar faces and hear familiar names but I have to constantly re-focus if I intend to reach out to these incredible athletes, get to know them and hear their stories in order for me to be extremely good at what I do, too. It is, essentially, my job here to detail the life of these athletes. To take them off the front of the Wheaties box and put them on your living room couch so you can understand them better as human beings which can make their abilities and Olympic dreams all that much more incredible and relatable to the average Joe.
In the short time I’ve been here (approximately 1 1/2 weeks) I’ve been constantly inspired by the Olympic and Paralympic ideals, the goals and achievements of these Olympians, Paralympians and hopefuls and standards of excellence in which they so whole-heartedly believe.
Follow myself, and my fellow interns, here for an inside look at our unique experiences with the United States Olympic Committee this fall. ;-)
Taylor
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