Goodbye Colorado Springs OTC! :-(

Hey Everyone!

My name is Brenna Davis and I intern in the International Relations Department in Colorado Springs. It’s hard to believe, but this is the final week of my internship and I’ll be headed home to Philadelphia in a few days. As I sit here thinking about the past three and half months interning for the USOC, I still can’t believe that I was lucky enough to have had this opportunity and it has been one of the best experiences of my life. It’s a little challenging to summarize how amazing everything has been, but I will do my best!

My internship itself included working on events involving international athletes, coaches and National Olympic Committee members. I coordinated logistics for these events before they took place and assisted with their implementation as well. One of the biggest projects I worked on was a coaching enrichment program for coaches from 27 different countries around the world. It was great to learn about all the different cultures and show them around Colorado. We went to Pike’s Peak, Garden of the Gods and even a Denver Nuggets game. The USOC is such a unique place to work. Everyone is very knowledgeable and passionate about what they do and the hard work and dedication of the athletes is truly inspiring.

This whole experience wouldn’t be nearly as awesome as it was if it weren’t for all of the other interns. I can honestly say that I have made some really great friends and it is already proving to be difficult to say goodbye to everyone as they have begun trickling home in this last week. It was definitely a bit like reliving freshman year of college at times since we lived in a dorm, but living together really gave us a chance to get to know each other well. We did so many fun things together throughout the semester. Some of my all time favorite highlights would have to be hiking the Incline, the Intern Olympics and learning sports from Olympic athletes, celebrating Halloween, visiting Denver, Thanksgiving at Breckenridge, skiing at Keystone (first time skiing out west!) and going to various sporting events at the Air Force Academy. Colorado Springs has also been a great city to live in and it’s extremely different from what I’m used to. We all enjoyed spending time downtown and admiring the beautiful views of Pike’s Peak.

I can’t imagine this internship being any better than it was and I am so grateful for every minute of it. Thank you to everyone who made this experience so great, I will miss you all! To future interns, I hope you guys have as much fun as I did and enjoy everything the USOC and Colorado have to offer!

Brenna

Near the end...

My name is Jake Billadeau, Strength and Conditioning intern at the Colorado Springs OTC. I have made my way here from a place far far away which is known as Fort Collins, Colorado. This internship is the final component to my undergraduate degree at Colorado State University (We’re the Rams, not the Buffs). Although it would have been nice to venture away from Colorado for a semester, I honestly could not imagine a better place to finish my education. I say this not only because of the ridiculous amount that I have learned from the OTC strength staff, but the people that I have met, and the things that I have done.

The Strength and Conditioning department’s mission is to support United States Olympic and Paralympic athletes in achieving sustained competitive excellence and preserve the Olympic ideals, and thereby inspire all Americans. Therefore, my duty is to create an environment that provides an athlete with the opportunity to achieve optimal physical athleticism. My responsibilities here are to help the athletes and to assist the support staff. Each day has been an opportunity to assist with program design and implementation, lifting technique, spotting, etc. I was told that the knowledge and ability that I will walk away with after this experience will be based on what I put into it. That being said, I made sure to do all that I could that will further prepare me for career with athletes.

I have met some amazing people during my time in Colorado Springs as well. My co-workers are incredibly knowledgeable, passionate about their work, and fun to be around. The athletes that I work with are some of the hardest working, self-motivated individuals that I have ever had the privilege of working with. The other USOC interns are the people that I spend majority of my free time with. Living amongst all the USOC interns has been comparable to my freshman year of college, except more enjoyable. It’s hard to think that we have done all that we have while working full time. So far we have hiked Pike’s Peak, traveled to Denver and Breckenridge, regularly embrace downtown Colorado Springs with our presence, and I have recently returned from a nice, relaxing, and quiet trip to Las Vegas (To name a few anyway). Being around one another for as long as we have has created friendships that I am sure will continue to last after we finish here at the USOC.

I could not imagine a better place to finish my college career, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to do what I am doing with the people that I am with…except Andy. DE DERP DER DERBS!

Jake

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from Colorado Springs! My name is Megan Coffey and I am an intern in the broadcast department. I must say that I am one of the lucky ones because I love my department, the people I work with, and the work that I do. This is my 4th (yes count it, 4th internship!) and one of my favorites because I have been able to learn and participate in so much already. Our department every week edits together the Amazing Moments and Going for the Gold that are featured on our website, TeamUSA.org. We also work directly with other departments and NGB's on any videos that they may need for upcoming events and conferences to help build the Olympic Spirit. We are also in charge of any and all Olympic footage and the rights that go with using the footage. Our department is always busy, whether it is putting together videos for the web or making dub reels for another company on footage that they requested. It really is a fun job because there is so much opportunity to be creative and with the upcoming Winter Olympics in Vancouver there is so much to do!

We are just about to wrap up our last few weeks as fall interns at the USOC and it is getting real sad. We have spent the last 3 months eating together, working together, living together, and basically exploring Colorado together. Thanksgiving just passed and about 19 of us interns who did not go home for the holidays all pitched in and rented a cabin in Breckenridge for 4 days. It was one amazing trip! We made sure to cook a legit (well, as legit as you can get) thanksgiving dinner for us to enjoy that included a turkey, 2 full chickens, homemade stuffing, hasbrown casserole, corn, green bean casserole, chicken and dumplings, bread, pumpkin pie... you name it, we almost had it! It took us all night Wednesday night and literally all day to cook and prepare all the food - especially since none of us had ever cooked at a high altitude (we were 10,000 ft high!) and everything takes longer to cook.But I must make a mad props to my roomate Emily who not only planned the entire trip but the food menu as well. She ran that kitchen like a true chef and everything went so smoothly, we had all the food ready by 5:30.

It was a wonderful thanksgiving meal shared by all fellow interns. And we are proud to say we are the first class to ever go on a thanksgiving trip together!

Since it is getting into the BRRRRRRRRR cold and snowy-like season, most of the interns have been planning as many ski and snowboarding trips as they can. Being from Chicago and the "flatlands" as they call it, I don't get a beautiful scenic view like the mountains everyday. And boy is it beautiful! I still wake up in awe when i look out my window and see the snow-capped Pikes Peak straight ahead. I can at least say I am trying as much as I can out here since I normally did not do many outdoor activities back at home. Everyone here has been great as well in doing the activities together and making fun group outings out of it.

Coming out here has been one of the best experiences and I hope the next intern classes to come can experience everything that we have been able to.

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Megan

Lovely Lake Placid

I can’t comprehend why anyone would want to live up here; I’m from south Florida and I don’t care what anyone says, it’s colder than the dickens. Anyhow, this internship has been an experience like no other, there is no doubt about that. Besides the temperatures I’ve never experienced before, it has been eye-opening watching the different and unique types of athletes at the Lake Placid OTC. When I first got here, I had no clue what biathlon, luge, or skeleton was, but over time I’ve began to respect the athletes within each sport as well as the technical skills and ability each athletes must posses to compete in their respective sport. It’s getting annoying having to explain to all of my friends what each sport is; I’ve dumbed down luge to sliding on your back, skeleton to sliding on your stomach face-first, and biathlon to hunting on skis.

In the weight room, it has been a test of wits and patience when the international athletes are around and a test of knowledge when the US athletes are around asking for help and advice. It has been both affirming and expanding of my expertise within the field to know such athletes trust what I know and have to tell them to help them to excel. And when there are no athletes around, I usually take the time to pick Jason’s brain about college, training, life, etc, or do my own research on things I’ve discussed with him previously. Between training the athletes, researching, talking with Jason, and cleaning there isn’t a whole lot of down time. No quarrels here.
It made my transition here much more tolerable when I knew that I would have a solid friendship with the other interns. We’ve had our fair share of fun within the legal limits of our internship (as far as I can remember) which has been just as rewarding as what I do while I’m on the clock. Between the festivals, bars, and sport events, there is usually something to be experienced and enjoyed in Lake Placid…some being more foreign and bizarre then others but that’s a horse of a different color.
I plan to make the most of my last month here while I continue to pray for the snow to hold off.
-Zac Nicholas

Hello everybody, I’m Dustin du Bois the operations intern in Lake Placid. I graduated from Lynchburg College in Virginia, and I am finishing up my last semester of Graduate School at Virginia Commonwealth University in Sports Administration and Management. In case you do not know much about Lake Placid, it is in upstate New York, 2 hours from both Albany and Montreal. Pretty much you could say we are in middle of nowhere out here. The closest airports are both 2 hours away, one being in Albany and the other in Burlington, Vermont. Many tourists come through Lake Placid to see the 1980 ice arena where the “miracle on ice” took place, and to see the many other Olympic sites. From the bobsled and luge tracks, to the ski ramps and jumps, there are many attractions that make this such an interesting town. It tends to snow a lot here as well, usually starting in December. Now a days the temperature is around 20 degrees in the morning but warms up to around 45-50 during the day. Enjoy the beach Chula Vista.

I have had a great time and wonderful experience living and working at the training center in Lake Placid. With the Vancouver Olympics less than 100 days away, many athletes are preparing for their World Cup seasons and Olympic trials. Every week we get different sports and new athletes, so there is never much down town. Last week figure skaters from all around the world came to compete is Skate America for 4 days. The day they left, over 100 bobsled and skeleton athletes checked in. Therefore, as you can tell we have been staying extremely busy. It has been fun to meet athletes from so many countries and learn about their sport and culture.

As the operations intern, I am mainly responsible for scheduling transportation and rooms for the athletes coming and leaving. Seeing that the closest airport is 2 hours away, it is not good when an athlete is left at either the training center or airport. Therefore, transportation is one of the most important jobs of the operations team here. I also make sure everything is working in our two Athlete Service Center’s, assist the Res. Life Coordinator in planning theme nights and activities, and making sure the roster and records are ready when the teams arrive.

I have really enjoyed my time spent here in Lake Placid, and is a place I would like to return to at some point. Everybody in the city and training center are friendly and great to be around. It has been interesting reading everybody’s blogs and sounds like everybody has had an equally enjoying experience. Best of luck to everybody.

Straight Outta Placid

Hey guys and girls. My name is Bob Landsparger, and I am the intern for the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation (USBSF) in Lake Placid, N.Y. Before you even say anything, yes I applied for the bobsled and skeleton federation only because my name was in it. In case you forgot, I was part of that motley crew that caused a ruckus during the intern assimilation because we couldn’t hear the speaker. I graduated from Grove City College, a tiny school between Pittsburgh and Erie, in May with a B.S. in Marketing Management and a minor in Communication Studies. I’m planning on using my education and my experience with the USBSF to help me land a career in either the sports or entertainment industry.

When it comes to this blog, I was in a pickle because I also write a blog for the USBSF, so I didn’t know if I should write a new entry or use my latest USBSF post . . . I chose the second option. If you like this entry, and you want to read more, then visit bobsled.teamusa.org/. You could also read blogs from some of our athletes while you are there. Now who doesn’t like shameless advertising plugs?

U.S. bobsled and skeleton team trials took place here in Lake Placid during my little break from the blog. Instead of writing a little snippet in the summary post, I wanted to make one entry about team trials. Since we already have the press releases about the race results on the website, this post will be about the quirkier stories.

Bobsled and skeleton athletes usually have several training days to get acquainted to the track before completions over the next two or three days, so I attended one of the training sessions the week prior to the races with Josh Smith, the Medical Coordinator for the USBSF. I was excited because it was my first time seeing the athletes slide this season. I also had the opportunity to watch the practice runs on the track catwalk, instead of watching the sliders behind a wooden fence a couple feet away from the track. I was literally a couple inches away from the track. We were between turns 18 and 19, which is one of the most difficult sections of the track. It sounds like a recipe for disaster to have me, a very clumsy person, standing right by a very difficult section while bobsleds are flying down around 70 to 80 miles per hour.

On the first day of team trials, I arrived at the start house, where a three-foot tall snowman greeted me from the observation deck. As I made my way in, one of the first people I saw was 2009 World Champion Justin Olsen. I didn’t want to distract him before he started sliding, but he noticed me and said, “You can’t do it. You just can’t do it.” That statement confused me for the longest time until we had a heart-to-heart conversation during the intermission from the bobsled races. Now when I say heart-to-heart conversation, I do not mean we talked about politics, sports, life in general, etc. We discussed how I’m not able to go from a cold place to a hot place because my glasses will fog. You learn something new every day here in Lake Placid.

The next day started off normal as usual: helped out the staff, interacted with the athletes, acted like the paparazzi by taking a billion photos of the athletes and the scenery; you know normal stuff. Somewhere in the break between the skeleton heats, I noticed that I scuffed up one of my shoes. I said to myself, “Man, it’s my second day wearing these shoes, and one has already taken a beating. Wait a tick. I’m wearing two different shoes.” The shoes I wore were similar in color with one slightly darker and taller than the other one. I know my parents will be shaking their heads in disgust when they read this, so are you proud of me mom and dad?

My first instinct told me to have solid support system, so I told Adelle about my dilemma. Instead of consoling me, she wanted me to take a picture of my fashion faux pas, so I did. This is what I get for letting my roommate sleep in peace while I get ready for work in complete darkness. I had to come up with a story to hide this mistake, and I created two stories: My right leg is longer than my left leg, and I love to step in puddles with my left foot. The only highlight from this fiasco was when I tricked Noelle. After her second run, Noelle walked up to me and asked me if I’m having a better chance staying warm today than yesterday. I told her I had a bigger problem to deal with and showed her the shoes. What is her immediate response from seeing the shoes you may ask? “Awww. One’s drenched.” Noelle, thank you for making my day a tad bit better. At least someone bought my puddle story.

That’s all that went down during the first portion of the team trials. There was exciting competition and had some laughs along the way. After watching my first competition, I can’t wait for the World Cup this weekend. If you live near Lake Placid, come up and cheer on the team. If you can’t attend the races, go to Universal Sports and watch the competition online. I can promise you one thing: I promise I will not wear mismatching shoes during the races.

Is This Real Life?

Hi! Allow me to introduce myself:


That’s right. I split my time between writing press releases and organizing monster truck rallies for USA Swimming.

I graduated from UC Berkeley last year with a BA in Mass Communications and a minor in Portuguese. I’m currently a graduate student in Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership at the University of Washington. I am the lone Colorado Springs intern from California (!) – hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area to be exact.

As the Communications Intern for USA Swimming, I have been able to write press releases, create media guides, and various other responsibilities that interest the sports information nerd that I am. The most exciting experiences of my internship have resulted from my work with the USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash initiative, which seeks to teach water safety skills to children. I had the opportunity to work at a Make a Splash event in Denver featuring Olympic gold medalist, Cullen Jones. I also interviewed Cullen about his work with Make a Splash and his experiences since the 2008 Olympics for a feature in USA Swimming’s Splash magazine.


The opportunity to move out here and participate in the USOC Internship Program was one that I could not pass up. This year has been full of adventures, and I am excited to be living in Colorado and experiencing everything this internship and the area have to offer. I feel like I try or see something new every week.

One of the most exciting activities for this class of USOC interns has been the Intern Olympics. I can now say that I’ve tried judo, wheelchair basketball, team handball, and fencing. No calls from any national teams yet. I think I’ll hold on to my day job.


I am incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to live with all these great interns, interact with elite athletes on a daily basis, and immerse myself in the Olympic movement. I hope you are enjoying the Intern Blog!

It's always sunny in California

Hey there! I’m Santiago Pérez, Strength & Conditioning Intern at the Chula Vista OTC. I have to say first that it has been great being able to have other interns share their experiences through the blog and reading how each one is doing during this great opportunity we all have had the honor of being a part of.

I am sure that everyone at least has an idea of where Chula Vista is, but for those who don’t it is located just south of San Diego, basically in the same metropolitan area. The Olympic Training Center is set on the very eastern edge of the city, which makes for a fantastic location in terms of scenery and away from any city noise, covering a large piece of land (over 150 acres if I recall correctly). There are several sports training here, whether they are resident, non-resident, or short-term training camps, which are Track & Field, BMX, Kayak/Canoe, Rowing, Field Hockey, Archery, Soccer, all the way to even Bobsled and Ski.

As for me, I’m originally from Paraguay. I came to the United States 5 years ago on a Track & Field college scholarship which took me to Idaho, Kansas, and many states in between. I’m currently finishing my Masters degree at Midwestern State University, which is located in Wichita Falls, Texas. Having the opportunity to work as a Strength & Conditioning Intern at the OTC is by far the best experience I’ve had in terms of my career formation. I have the pleasure of working every day with elite athletes from several different sports on all facets of their physical training, and let me tell you it does not get any better than this. I am undoubtedly living the dream. I have always been a huge fan of the Olympics and its ideals, so having the honor of being an Intern here is something that will stay with me forever.

In addition, living in the Center has been one of the most interesting parts of the Internship. Being able to spend time interacting with the athletes in the OTC has been a great opportunity to meet great people and make new friends, as well as getting to know the ins and outs of the lives of professional athletes, their struggles, sacrifices, hardships, and the success, passion for what they do, and gratifying moments that make all the latter tough moments worthwhile.
Having lived most of my life here in the US in the Midwest, coming to California was an exciting experience. I never knew it would have been this great. Everything from the people to the weather makes this an amazing place to be in. And for all those of you who thought you knew what great weather was, if you haven’t been in southern California you don’t know what perfect climate is. San Diego is an exciting city with a lot to offer which I try to take advantage of during my free time, primarily on the weekends. Having the beach near DEFINITELY does not hurt either. It is late October and this weekend I enjoyed a beautiful warm day at the beach with some friends getting hit by waves and playing beach soccer (sorry CS and LP, snow is pretty and all but can’t beat the beach!).

I am grateful I have the chance of sharing my experiences of the Internship Program in this blog. This is truly a unique and fantastic experience that only a select few have the chance to partake in, and I am honored to be one of them. I wish all the interns on all OTCs the best during the remaining of their internships. I hope you are learning from this great experience and enjoying every moment of it.

Best of luck and take care!

Santiago Pérez

I don't know how to put this but this internship is kind of a big deal...

Hi all this is Tom Therkildsen and I am from Rochester, NY, which is upstate between Buffalo and Syracuse. I just recently graduated in May of 2009 from the University of Massachusetts with a B.S. in Sport Management and a minor in economics. I am currently an intern with US Paralympics, specifically with the military programs. My experiences both in and out of the workplace have been both rewarding and enjoyable.

My internship experience within the workplace has mainly revolved around the military sport camps that US Paralympics runs, which are are co-sponsored by the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs. These camps are multi-day events and took place in San Antonio, TX at Fort Sam Houston army base and in San Diego at the Naval Air Station North Island. These camps are designed to engage physically disabled veterans and military servicemen in sports and physical activities to help in the rehabilitation process and get them back on their feet. Many veterans struggle with their disability and sport is an avenue for them to reconnect and realize that there is life after injury. Additionally, certain individuals with the potential for higher competition are identified for possible training for the Paralympic Games. My responsibilities for these camps were assisting in registrations, confirmations, travel and accommodations and the role of one of four team leaders during the actual camp. As a group leader I was responsible for ¼ of the camp members and was able to participate with them in many of the sports such as wheelchair basketball, sit volleyball, hand cycling, archery, equestrian, strength and conditioning, and track and field. Many of my group members shared their stories with me and mentioned that this was one the best weeks they’ve had in years. It was great to travel to these camps and it was very inspiring to see the veterans participate in these camps.

Away from the workplace has been great as well. Being surrounded by mountains, the scenery here is incredible and I have been able to experience Colorado through hiking the incline (where yes I was beaten by Liz), the cog rail up Pike’s Peak, the Garden of the Gods, the Royal Gorge, Jack Quinn’s weekly runs, a Colorado Rockies game, a frigid Air Force football game, and many other activities and nights out with the intern class. My fellow interns are a good group and we have had a good time throughout our internships to date. Together we have been participating in the Intern Olympics which was previously mentioned and we are also spending Thanksgiving break together in Breckenridge. I’m sure there are more great experiences to come in the second half of our internship (right chillens?). Be sure to read subsequent posts about the other intern’s experiences inside and outside the USOC.

--

Tom Therkildsen

Greetings From Sunny Southern California!

HOWDY!

Blake Davis here. I'll be the first to say I'm the proudest member of the fighting Texas Aggie class of '10! (Beat you to it Meredith :-P) I'm a senior Kinesiology major at Texas A&M in College Station, Tx. I'm doing my internship in the sports medicine department at the training center in Chula Vista, which for those of you who don't know, is about 20 minutes away from downtown San Diego, and only 5 minutes away from the border of Mexico! So we see border patrol in and around the complex all the time which is always fun. In the sports medicine clinic, I have a wide variety of tasks I get to do, from assisting the athletic trainers in various forms of treatment to maintenance of the athletes medical records and scheduling athletes for massage therapy.

There is definitely something special about being a part of the USOC family. I've met so many amazing people so far and hopefully there will be many more to come. The athletes and their devotion to their sports just amazes me and it's been a real priviledge helping them in the sports medicine clinic. There's no way I could sum up all of the experiences I've had the priviledge of having here at the OTC in this blog, but I'll try and give you guys some of the highlights.

*Getting to be an EMT and participate on the sidelines of the BMX world competition that the training center held. It was incredible, there were athletes from over 20 countries, and to be there and watch the USA men and women who we work on so frequently in sports med, compete was a really cool thing to see.

*Taking a lot of the staff out to a local dance hall because everyone kept asking me, 'now how exactly does the Texas two-step dance go' and getting to teach everyone how to do it!

*Surfing lessons! People here really love to go surfing, there are many athletes and staff that regularly make trips out to the beaches to hit up some 'good surf'. And yes, these crazy californians really do surf year-round!

*When concert's don't fully sell-out the olympic training center gets the tickets for really cheap! So far, I've been able to see Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley and Def Leppard for about $6.00 a ticket, so thats been really fun, because it almost seems like every other weekend another famous performer is in town.

*Getting to meet and interact with all the athletes and famous coaches I've always dreamed about meeting. I still can't get over it, because watching the beijing olympic games I recognize so many athletes that we work with on a regular basis. We have people from Kayaking, Track and Field, Cycling, Field Hockey, Rugby, Soccer, along with so many others!

I can't believe I've done so much in the short month and a half that I've been here. I'm looking forward to what life has in store for me as I finish up the rest of the semester here at Olympic Training Center in the Intern program. I look forward to writing more in this as the semester continues along!

Thanks and Gig 'Em, (Aggie thing)

Blake Davis

Greetings from the West

Andy Carl here, USA Badminton Intern, darn glad to meet you. It’s pretty tough following up all of these great blog posts, and in the fear of being redundant, I’ll try not to overlap any of the happenings that have already been touched upon.

Needless to say, the USOC internship program, thus far, has been an enriching and fulfilling experience. With apologies for sounding cliché, the past month and a half living away from Philadelphia (my adopted hometown) and Reading (my real one) has been both refreshing and enlightening.

The first item that comes to mind when I think of the internship process is the living situation. I feel as though the nostalgic atmosphere that embodies the living quarters and cafeteria take us students back to the days of being bright-eyed freshman. The interactions and closeness that surrounds the entire internship class are valued and comforting.

As for the auxiliary events that bookend our 8am-5pm workdays, I couldn’t have asked for better opportunities. One that really stands out is the National League Divisional Series between the Colorado Rockies (booooo, that’s what we do in Philly) and the 2008 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies. I attended Game 3 at a frigid Coors Field with Emily Cox, another intern, as well as Game 4 with interns Adam Andrasko and Meg Coffey. Both games, the Phillies came out of the heart-wrenching scuffle on top, catapulting them to the National League Championship Series against the L.A. Dodgers.

As my fellow interns can attest, I get a bit heated and emotional during games. With the Phillies now advancing to the World Series, they will probably see less and less of me on most week nights as the games are played. However, I have a very supportive class of interns that make the agonizing grind of playoff baseball bearable.

We have a good amount of fun events on the horizon, including the continuation and culmination of the Intern Olympic Games. The games have been a great experience thus far, allowing interns to get involved with sports and Olympians that they probably wouldn’t have the opportunity to otherwise.

I look forward to reading the other intern’s posts, including the recap of great events such as our Thanksgiving cabin trip and other social activities.

Carl. Out.

True Life: I Have the Best Job in the World!

Howdy!


I am Meredith Collier, the Media Relations and Communication Intern at U.S. Figure Skating. If you couldn't tell from my greeting I'm from Texas - Comfort, Texas (near San Antonio) to be exact. I'm a senior communication major and Spanish minor at Texas A&M University. Whoop!


First of all, I'd like to say check out Brandon Bodie's video blog. It's phenomenal! The Air Force vs. TCU game was the second coldest football game I've been to (Army/Navy 2007 was colder, but less wet and windy so it was actually much more pleasant)...I'm surprised we made it to half time! Go Falcons! Nevertheless, we had fun being together and watching all of the TCU fumbles--we Texans aren't used to playing football in freezing temperatures!


I have had some of the greatest experiences of my life since coming to "the Springs". (That's what the cool people in Colorado call it.) Each day here is a blessing and I thank God for every moment of my internship.



Each morning I ride to work with fellow U.S. Figure Skating intern and my favorite Minnesotan, Liz. We jam out to everything from Juanes and Mana to Colby Caillat or Lady Gaga. We take turns driving and get to work on the most beautiful end of town, just at the base of the Rockies and right next to the historic Broadmoor Hotel. Of course, during short breaks at work, we, along with Synchronized Skating intern Lauren Magliola, make each other cubicle art of our favorite skaters including our hero Johnny Weir (pictured right). I get to do some really cool stuff at work, including most of the Synchronized Skating Media Guide! My boss, Scottie is one of the funniest people I know, and I enjoy the office antics that go on between her and the rest of the Marketing and Communication Department.



Some really cool stuff I've been able to do in my first month here:

• Hike the Incline: one vertical mile of sheer terror and lung malfunction. I did this by myself one Sunday afternoon. Four other interns and I attempted this one day after work, but only made it about 50 meters due to one of Colorado's famously sudden thunder/lightning/flood storms. We were seriously dodging lightning bolts. In the words of Manitou Springs native Ian Jaray, "If you see lightning, GET OFF THE MOUNTAIN!" We didn't take those words to heart until after we heard a third crash of thunder at the same time as we saw the lightning.


• Learn judo. The U.S. Judo Team was extremely gracious in teaching us some throws and holds during Intern Assimilation Day. That is probably the best way to relieve any kind of stress. It was amazing to throw and get thrown by a World gold medalist!


• Play wheelchair basketball. Three-time Paralympic medalist Josh George showed our intern class how to play the game and refereed an entire tournament. It was so much fun to play, even though I couldn't get the ball to reach the basket for the life of me and somehow got catapulted out of my chair onto my knees and face.


• Experience cold weather. Believe it or not, it only snows about once every three years in San Antonio, and it never sticks for a full 24 hours. This semester, it has already snowed, and currently everything is frozen! For some reason I thought it was still OK to wear shorts and a polar fleece all day Saturday during freezing temperatures. I had to explain to the other interns that I've spent many a Christmas in shorts and a t-shirt.


• Go to two Air Force football games. I've adopted the Falcons as my team for the semester, despite being the sister of a Naval Academy grad. The first game we went to was a hot 85 degrees (still very mild to me). The second was 22 degrees and included a freezing mist. Both times we got t-shirts from the USAFA, thanks to intern Adam and his Air Force Academy contact, Brandon. I believe we're going to a USAFA Hockey game soon, too!

I'm still amazed that I get to be here every time I pass an Olympic/Paralympic hopeful on campus or have a fun day (which is every day) with my fellow interns. I will cherish the late-night intern gatherings in the lounge, the frequent Selena dance parties with my wonderful roommate Jayla, the daily gourmet meals in the Athlete Center, the long walks through Memorial Park, the weekly boxing lessons with fellow intern Sara, and the nights dancing at Cowboys downtown forever.

There is truly no better way to describe than the phrase we frequently see at the USOTC: "Amazing awaits." That was the first thing I saw upon arriving last month and amazing is what I've experienced ever since.

Go USA!

-Meredith

Baby, It's COLD Outside! (Air Force vs. TCU Football Game)

A group of warriors/interns made the very cold trip to the Air Force v. TCU game, and the video above chronicles the saga. Enjoy!

-Brandon Bodie, Fall 2009 Intern and LOVIN' it!

Living in the Moment

Hi, my name is Vanessa Virbitsky. I was born and raised in Harrisburg, Pa. and received a BA in Journalism (Advertising/Public Relations) and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh where I was on the gymnastics and track-and-field teams. Now, I am working on my MA in Public Relations-Sport Communication at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. where I worked as the graduate assistant gymnastics coach and will return as a graduate assistant in the Sports Information Department.

Currently, I’m three months into a six month internship in the Media & Public Relations Department at the U.S. Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs, Colo., and I LOVE MY JOB.

Why do I love my job?

• My walk to the office includes an unobstructed view of Pikes Peak (14,100’)
  
• I eat three meals a day in a dining hall whose mission is to provide the highest quality foods for the highest quality performance
  
• There is daily mingling with elite-caliber athletes in the dining hall, on the Olympic Path, in the weight room and in the dorms


• My colleagues and mentors are passionate, energetic and bright individuals who have dedicated their lives to communicating the goals, dreams and ambitions of America’s athletes


• I am, and always have been, passionate about the vision and ideals of the Olympic Movement

Basically, it’s hard not to smile at the end of a work day, and mainly because I go to sleep knowing I get to do the same thing again tomorrow!

Although it’s difficult to choose the single greatest moment of my internship, one of the best opportunities I’ve had so far was attending the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team Media Summit, Sept. 9-12 in Chicago, Ill. Outside of the Olympic Games, this is the biggest event put on by our department.

The purpose of the Media Summit is to aggregate media, athletes, coaches and USOC spokespeople in the same building, at the same time. This provides a convenient format for all involved and, most importantly, allows Olympic hopefuls to receive media coverage without interrupting their training at the most pivotal point in their careers – right before the Olympic Winter Games. The athletes participate in several media formats, including: press conferences, round tables, photo and broadcast sessions, a special session with Olympic broadcasting sponsor NBC and also lifestyle sessions per request by individual media outlets.

My main Media Summit responsibility was to serve as the Athlete Coordinator and point-of-contact for the special lifestyle sessions with an emphasis on Men’s Journal, Sports Illustrated and USA Today. Other sessions included interviews and photo shoots with the American Heart Association, American Profile, ESPN.com, Last Call with Carson Daly, Nike, Rocketboom, US Weekly, the Weather Channel and Wired Magazine. One of the best photo sessions was with ice dancers and Olympic silver medalists Ben Agosto and Tanith Belbin.

There are no words for the pride I have in knowing I had a part in helping these Olympic hopefuls tell their stories to the American public. Also, you can bet that I am going to be one of the first in line to buy the Olympic editions of SI and Men’s Journal this February!

As for Colorado, it's breathtaking to see the majesty of snow dusted mountains at the end of the summer or mile high peaks rising from the clouds. And it doesn't end there; when I pulled into the city limits for the first time, there was the most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen – a full arch that stretched so big I couldn't fit the whole thing into my camera. It was one of those moments that burns into your memory, freezes you in time and instinctively makes your lips curve upward.



Since receiving my acceptance to this internship program, I’ve had innumerable “freeze moments,” both personally and professionally, and I am grateful for the opportunities this internship has presented and will, undoubtedly, continue to present. For instance, about one month ago, my intern colleague, Nick Olivier, and I were offered the experience of a lifetime. We were invited by our department to serve as Press Officers at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver! Besides THANK YOU, I again have no words – just endless smiles – to describe this opportunity.



It is an honor to work for the U.S. Olympic Committee and, for me, a dream come true.

GO TEAM USA!

Living the Dream

My name is Paul Fitzgerald and I'm an intern with the High Performance department in US Fencing. I've been at the Olympic Training Center for a month now. It's hard not to get caught up in the Olympic movement. You walk around the OTC and you see plastered everywhere inspirational quotes and statues of former Olympians. You run into former, current and future Olympians going through their everyday routines. It's easy to feel inspired to be the best at what you do when there are so many reminders of those people that are giving their all to be the best at what they do. However, as an intern, it can be hard to balance the demands of work, the challenges of being away from home, and the opportunity to learn from those in this environment. That is why we have started an Intern Olympics. Our purpose is to better experience the OTC environment through the very sports that our country's athletes compete in. Our Intern Experience has become a true Olympic Experience. Our first event was wheelchair basketball. Our very forgiving instructor was Josh George. He taught us the rules and techniques to be successful during a game. We ran through drills and played 5 on 5. His experience with the sport helped us get used to a game that we would never otherwise have played. We all had a great time and some of us were even a little black and blue from competing so hard. The point was, we all got to experience a new sport and better know a Paralympic athlete. It doesn't get any better than that!

Living and working at the OTC has helped me learn a lot about the athletes and those behind the scenes that support their Olympic dream. Away from the glory of the games are everyday people who are sacrificing school, work, money, relationships, time, unhealthy food, the luxury of being lazy and an otherwise normal life for that ultimate sporting achievement. The athletes are all at the OTC because they are the best at what they do. I'm here to say that so are the employees that make those Olympic dreams possible. There are those in the cafeteria that work tirelessly to feed hoards of hungry athletes. The good news about the dining hall is that all the food is good for you. I don't care how good it tastes, it's still good for you. There are those that clean the facilities that we all use to live and train on a daily basis. This is a mission for which there can never be enough credit given. There are people who administer all the programs and sports governing bodies that make the training of the athletes and the functioning of the entire Olympic Training Center possible. Even though all the aforementioned people aren't who you think of when you take a tour of the OTC, they certainly play a huge part in our athlete's achieving medals. I have found it to be true that you don't have to be an athlete to be elite. Everyone here works hard and performs at the highest level no matter what their job is. I know it doesn't take an inside perspective to know that it takes years of dedication away from the spotlight for those precious few moments in it. But I hope that this inside perspective does give you some insight into those behind the scenes as well. So when you hear the stories from the Beijing Summer Olympics and the upcoming stories about the Vancouver Winter Olympics, I hope you remember that becoming the person in that story also takes hundreds of people at the US Olympic Committee, National Governing Bodies, Olympic training center and yes Interns to help make it all come true.

Keep a lookout for more thoughts and stories from my fellow interns throughout the Fall.

Paul Fitzgerald

Only a few more hours til Chicago 2016

I just finished watching Project Runway with my roommate Ingrid (she’s awesome) and thought it would be a great time to let you know about my experiences as an intern so far. First of all, my name is Liz Podominick and I am the intern for the U.S. Teams Coordinator of U.S. Figure Skating. I was born and raised in Minnesota and went to the University of Minnesota where I participated on the track and basketball team (a little different than figure skating). It still feels surreal that I am here when I get to look out at the mountains and experience the sunny Colorado weather while being a part of the Olympic Movement.

My day starts out with an amazing breakfast compliments of the OTC dining room (where I eat with Olympians) and gets even better as I carpool with fellow intern Meredith to work (Figure Skating is off campus). During the ride, I learn a little Spanish from Meredith, admire the view of Pikes Peak, and analyze outfits of the local high school students walking to class (not sure about the neon). The day goes by in a flurry as I try to keep up with the constant demand of the internship. When I need a break, I make a sign for Meredith or Lauren (intern for synchronized skating) of our favorite skaters (Johnny Weir inspires me). My boss Julie, besides being from Minnesota as well and automatically making her amazing, has been a great mentor. It boggles my mind how she can do it all. Each day is different and I love how it keeps me on my toes! I feel a big sense of accomplishment when I organize the millions (maybe an exaggeration) of forms we receive daily, email or call the athletes, and send out the team leader box with the event information. Sometimes it is the small victories that make my day, like when I was able to spell Armin Mahbanoozadeh’s name correctly without having to check the master list or having a nice chat with Angelita as I steal some of her candy. I am learning so much about the behind-the-scenes of Figure Skating and have only just scratched the surface.

While I love my home state of Minnesota, Colorado is competing for second place. Besides hanging out with the amazing intern class, Colorado Springs is a perfect place for an outdoor lover like me. Climbing the incline (where I beat Tom and Adam) and Pikes Peak (7 hours later), going to a Denver Broncos and Air Force football game, playing wheelchair basketball for the Intern Olympics (go Team 1), hiking around Red Rock and Garden of the Gods, playing the childhood game of kickball in the park, and running Jack Quinn’s run on Tuesdays are just a few activities I have already checked off my to-do list. That is just in the first month! I cannot wait to see what we plan next and I keep adding to my bucket list. The most recent addition is watching the Vikings beat the Packers on Monday!

As September Sneaks Away

Hello! I'm Adam Andrasko and I am the Athlete Services and Programs intern. I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with a glimpse into my first month at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center. Reach up, grab your seat belt, buckle up tight, and enjoy the ride.
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!

Thank You

Adam Andrasko