31 March 2008
Olympic Training Center helps prepare U.S. athletes
America.gov interviews with Olympic training center officials
The speakers are Glen Warner-Rosebone, director of the Olympic Training Center (OTC); Lionel Rivera, mayor of Colorado Springs, Colorado; James Scherr, chief executive officer of the U.S. Olympic Committee; Bo Sandovel, Strength Training Coordinator for the Olympic Training Center; and Mike Lee, leader of technology projects for OTC. All are involved with the OTC in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They discuss the Olympic spirit and how it inspires excellence in training and performance. Other themes include training international athletes at the OTC and how the U.S. Olympic Committee is funded.
The video was produced in March 2008 by America.gov.
(begin transcript)
Glen Warner-Rosebone: Everyone has an Olympic moment that they remember – whether they’re a little kid or an adult. And I think that’s what the love of the Olympics has done for so many people – that one fond memory. We built the training center in Colorado Springs back in 1978.
Mayor Lionel Rivera: We have over 140,000 people a year come visit the OTC right here in Colorado Springs.
James Scherr: It’s the primary training center for both the United State’s Olympic Team, as well as the U.S. Paralympic Team. We can provide an integrated program so that, when an athlete comes here, the only thing they have to do is focus on their training.
Bo Sandovel: We see a lot of interaction, especially between the more experienced athletes that may have been to one – two Olympic games already, they offer a lot of advice to a lot of the younger athletes.
Mike Lee: It’s important to be on the cutting edge so that we can stay one millimeter ahead or one second ahead of our competition. Eye on performance is an enhanced digital recording that allows the athletes to get instant feed back of their training or their competition.
Warner-Rosebone: It’s really around, can we think ahead of our athletes and coaches just even one step. So, we’re the behind the scenes group so they can only think about world-class performances while we deliver the world-class service.
Rivera: Well, we have the opportunity for young people from around the world to come to Colorado Springs to train with our athletes.
Scherr: And this year we’ll have over 90 countries with 828 athletes participate.
Warner-Rosebone: Right now we’re hosting three Ugandan weight lifters for six months prior to the games.
Sandovel: It’s wonderful, everyday. I mean it’s… as far as the profession goes it’s about the best you can get.
Scherr: Well, this facility, and all of our funds, come from the private sector. We get 87 percent of our revenue from sponsors and from television broadcasters. The rest comes from private donations from the American public.
Warner-Rosebone: That’s exciting in that it’s truly from the grassroots up -- and folks like CEOs down to your neighbor who’s passionate about the Olympics.
Scherr: We believe it’s absolutely critical for the world to have an opportunity to come together peacefully at least once every four years in the Olympic Games. It’s an example of what the world could be.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
