OK so here is the next installment of the Colorado trip. Our first stop on the trip was the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. The site we visited is one of three Olympic Centers across the country and they specialize in swimming, rifle, judo, wrestling, weightlifting, and a few other sports.We ended up with four tour guides on the trip and the first guide took us on a tour of the facilities. He explained to us what went into planning the facilities and how to create an environment that your clients/athletes would be productive in. We were told that Michael Phelps was in the building but that he would not see any groups so we could not get a picture or anything with him.
The next step we made was in the athletic training facility. We first met with the director of the department and he explained the model that the AT's follow at the Olympic Training Center. In a "nut shell" their model is that that everyone involved in an athlete's development should be on the same page and know what each other aspect is doing. For example the Mr. Phelps will have a strength coach, a doctor, nutritionist, massage therapist, and a swimming doctor. Now if the physical therapist is working a problem in his back all the other involved in his training will know what is going on and will be contributing to getting him back to 100% as fast as possible. This was a good model to have and it was good to hear about the treatment that the athletes were receiving and to see the teamwork it takes to make an elite athlete "tick".
The last tour we took at the OTC was the strength and conditioning center. Here we met with three of the strength coaches and talked to them about the facilities and there methods of training the athletes. Basically the coaches want to make the athletes better athletes. They all train primarily the same systems and one athlete does not have an advantage over the other. We also talked about supplementation and learned that at the OTC the athletes are strictly tested so they have to be extremely cautious with what they take. Overall the athletes respond well to the coaches and the coaches work hard to make sure that the athletes are in the best shape possible at all times.
Overall the experience at the Olympic Training Center was great. We learned a lot about the people behind the scenes and how hard they work. The one thing we took away from the OTC was that egos need to be checked at the door because everyone involved, coaches, ATs, and athletes are in this together and that is the only way they will succeed. Well that is all for now, stay tuned for more from Colorado
The next step we made was in the athletic training facility. We first met with the director of the department and he explained the model that the AT's follow at the Olympic Training Center. In a "nut shell" their model is that that everyone involved in an athlete's development should be on the same page and know what each other aspect is doing. For example the Mr. Phelps will have a strength coach, a doctor, nutritionist, massage therapist, and a swimming doctor. Now if the physical therapist is working a problem in his back all the other involved in his training will know what is going on and will be contributing to getting him back to 100% as fast as possible. This was a good model to have and it was good to hear about the treatment that the athletes were receiving and to see the teamwork it takes to make an elite athlete "tick".The next person we met with was the head AT and he showed us around their facility. The highlight of this mini tour was when they took us to a brand new complex that was built called the Recovery Center. In this building there were massage tables, recovery nutrition, cold/hot whirpool, aroma therapy, and any other method of healing that you could think of was available to the athletes. Any athlete would die for these services and this center will be crucial in the training and progression of the Olympic athletes.
The last tour we took at the OTC was the strength and conditioning center. Here we met with three of the strength coaches and talked to them about the facilities and there methods of training the athletes. Basically the coaches want to make the athletes better athletes. They all train primarily the same systems and one athlete does not have an advantage over the other. We also talked about supplementation and learned that at the OTC the athletes are strictly tested so they have to be extremely cautious with what they take. Overall the athletes respond well to the coaches and the coaches work hard to make sure that the athletes are in the best shape possible at all times.
Overall the experience at the Olympic Training Center was great. We learned a lot about the people behind the scenes and how hard they work. The one thing we took away from the OTC was that egos need to be checked at the door because everyone involved, coaches, ATs, and athletes are in this together and that is the only way they will succeed. Well that is all for now, stay tuned for more from Colorado
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