If you asked me 4 years ago after my experiences in Beijing if I would be in London in 2012 the answer would have been heak yea! If you would have asked this 14 months ago I would have told you the same thing only I would have been with the triathletes in Hyde Park. Funny how things change. I think it may be exactly a year ago that I began my employment with the United States Olympic Committee. I was offered the job in June 2011 after deciding to go through the interview process for the experience and practice seeing as I had worked at USA Triathlon for almost 11 years. After some tearful conversations with colleagues, family and friends, I decided it was something I needed to do- experience something new. So I accepted the job. My last trip with USAT was to the Hamburg World Championship Series event. I returned on a Monday, worked 3 days for USAT and started that Friday for the USOC. Anyways... so the fact that I'm here in Weymouth with Sailing was not even remotely on the radar. It wasn't even until March that I was told I would be working with Sailing for the Games. Originally I was assigned to transportation logistics in the London Village. This would have consisted of working with all the sports to ensure timely transportation to and from training venues, competition venues and the airport, etc. You can't even imagine the moving parts of an Olympic Games. There are so many pieces at the event organizer level, the national olympic committee level and then for each sports teams. So in March my supervisor, Chris Vadala, left the organization after 21 years and took a job as the COO of USA Volleyball (very incestuous world). He had been assigned as the USOC Liaison for the Weymouth Village. The day he told me he was leaving one of my first questions was, what happens with Weymouth. The seed was planted early that I would likely be the replacement. Upon hearing that I have to admit I was disappointed as I would miss the excitement in London. Chris asked me my thoughts on that likely decision and I bit my lip and said, where ever I am needed. At that time I made a conscious decision that it would be what I made it and if I went in with a bad attitude, it would suck so I needed to change my mindset then and there as I likely would be the person who would take Chris's assignment. My initial disappointment was due to the fact that I would not be able to see the triathlon competitions. I had worked for that organization and athletes for so long. That was my family to an extent and to not be there... additionally, I had the Olympic experience of being embedded with a team as I was in Beijing with the triathletes as the team manager. We had our training camp in South Korea and then our week in Beijing so I had been there and done that. I was looking forward to get a more macro experience in terms of being exposed to the various teams, staff and organizers.
So... I can TRULY say today that this assignment ROCKS!!! These athletes are great. The coaching staff is amazing and the support staff is out of this world. Great people. People have asked if I am sad I'm not with the triathletes and I can truly say no. Love those folks but this experience so far has been truly amazing.
When it was decided that I would be the Weymouth Village liaison all felt it would be wise for me to spend time with the athletes, coaches and staff during their Sail For Gold Regatta in late May/ early June. That way I would not be an unfamiliar face added to the mix but someone the group was comfortable with. So... I did spend roughly 10 days here about 5 weeks ago and got familiar with the personalities, the location and the routine. The weather sucked but it was fantastic.
So here we are...
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