Adventures of Ninja Nick: Olympic Training Center

Since this is our blog and we can write what we want, let’s take this time to brag about the super cool opportunity our developer Nick Stewart had to learn at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs (or OTC for those in the know).

Outside of work and school, Nick is the coach of Jeffersonville High School’s wrestling team. He was selected to represent the state of Indiana at a wrestling coach’s training. Only 100 coaches are selected throughout the country so Nick being chosen means he’s kind of a big deal (though he would never admit it).

The OTC

This trip was basically an all-inclusive resort of a wrestling coach’s dreams. While there, he was given the same access the athletes have, and was proud to be confused for one of the athletes a time or two. As you can expect our Olympic athletes only have the best-of-the-best. Best food (we’re talking steak in the cafeteria), world-class coaches, and state-of-the-art equipment.

Nick even got to do some exploring and found it particularly exciting to be on the same court Lebron and the rest of the Olympic basketball team uses.

For any of you that think wrestling means costumes, over-the-top characters and choreographed fights, I’m sorry to inform you but that’s wrong. There are different styles and conflicting rules that go with each of those.

There are three different levels of certification for coaches, Copper, Silver, and Gold. Nick has already achieved Copper status and during his time in Colorado he was working toward Silver. Training consisted of hands on techniques as well as a classroom setting with various clinicians teaching them the latest and greatest.

As if all of this wasn’t impressive enough, in his free time he also climbed a mountain. All in a day’s work for Ninja Nick…