U.S. Olympic Training Center

Jill's Journal: During our all-too-brief foray into the world of healthy children over the weekend, we took a tour of the U.S. Olympic Training Center in nearby Chula Vista.

One of only three Olympic training centers in the U.S (the others being in Lake Placid and Colorado Springs), the Chula Vista campus is strictly a warm-weather sports complex. At 155 acres, it is by far the largest of the Olympic training centers in the U.S. and, unlike the other two, it was master-planned from the ground up. There are a number of other Olympic training sites in the country, but these three centers were specifically created as official training facilities by the United States Olympic Committee.

Although pictures of the athletes aren’t allowed, our tour was given by a resident athlete, meaning someone who lives and trains at the center year-round (and receives room and board and a stipend). “Crystal” is a summer games, track & field hopeful whose specialty is the triple jump. Only about 70 full-time resident athletes who pass stringent requirements live at the center, although the numbers swell when including short-term-stay athletes and other athletes who live nearby but train at the center.

This is the on-site recreation room, where the athletes can relax when not training. Their diets, habits, sleep patterns, etc. are all closely monitored.

Interestingly, our Olympic team is the only one in the world that is privately funded. All other world governments fund their Olympic programs.

Women’s lacrosse practice; I figured these athletes were far enough away to snap a picture. The BMX practice track is behind the field. Other year-round sports here include archery (with a 50-lane complex, the largest outdoor archery range in North America), canoe, kayak, rowing, soccer, triathlon, cycling, field hockey, rugby, speed skating, tennis, luge, and volleyball.

I don’t think our girls have ever even seen the Olympics on t.v.; we’ll have to change that this summer!