I sit at my desk typing an e-mail and periodically catching a glimpse of the latest edition of SportsCenter on my 46 inch television. At that moment I ask myself, “Could this job get much better?” At that moment Lopez Lomong walks in and we begin talking about his favorite NFL team, the Buffalo Bills. Who would have thought that? The U.S. Olympic flag bearer and my 6 foot 2 inch 300 pound father, who’s nickname is Moose, like the same NFL team. As Chris Berman says, “Nobody circles the wagon like the Buffalo Bills!”
I have been fortunate enough to be at the CSOTC Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center for nearly a month now and anytime I’m asked by my friends and family back home ask what it’s like I have a hard time explaining it. I tend to start by explaining the ASC (Always Sarcastically Cheerful) staff. Sherry Von Riesen, campus mom to all athletes at the CSOTC, provides enthusiasm and laughs to get everyone through their day. It can be unbearable working this close to “Momma Sherry”, but it is obvious how much less fun this place would be without her vintage looks and boisterous personality.
I follow that with my constant interaction with the athletes. I typically bring up Anton Guttfredson’s quirky thoughts on American society, as he studies criminal justice. Anton grew up in the Ukraine and moved to America at the age of thirteen. A close third is everything that Dining Services does for me and, more importantly, for the athletes. It is a first-class dining hall and when Flower finally gets my name right they will be approaching perfection. I often mention the facilities, but it is really the people who have set the OTC apart from other positions I have had.I believe that now is a good time to introduce the true intern experience at the OTC. Working all day and gaining experience is great, but the town of Colorado Springs and the Rocky Mountains are the real thrill. The intern class has recently climbed the Mount Manitou incline, I toured the Garden of the Gods, I went fly fishing in Eleven Mile Canyon and we “Reached the Peak” Pike’s Peak that is. That list does not include the vast recreational events we have participated in and the laundry list of future plans.
When I took this position I knew it would be a great experience with the opportunity to make some great connections. What I was not prepared for was the high energy and entertainment that the OTC and Colorado Springs has provided. In an attempt to compare it with something I would say it is roughly as fun as a day at an amusement park with Will Farrell and John C. Riley. “You’ve got to shake it before you bake it. Shake-and-Bake.”
THAT JUST HAPPENED!
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