United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Are you interested in how athletes who compete for the United States Olympics train? Is there one central location where the athletes train? Can an average person ever get to meet any of the athletes? Can anybody see where the athletes train? Yes, if you are ever in Colorado Springs, Colorado, you can visit the United States Olympic Training Center, one of three Olympic training facilities, for free.

Daily tours are available for free year round. The USOC gives the tours, and sports merchandise and gift items which cannot be purchased anywhere else can be purchased in the U.S Olympic store. About 140,000 people visit the center annually. It is the main facility that provides the public with information about the United States Olympic Committee, Olympic Movement, and U.S. Olympic Training Centers.

USOC Ambassadors give tours of the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs year round. Walking through the facility alone takes 45 minutes. There is also a 12 minute film to view. Visitors will see weightlifting and wrestling facilities, the USA shooting center, Sports Center Gymnasiums, the Aquatics Center, Sports Medicine, and Coaching and Sports Science. Visitors will also see life-sized figures with narrative panels that give information about Olympic and Pan American Sports. The walk along the Irwin Belk Olympic Path, along with the Olympic flame display on the roof-top terrace offer a panoramic view, not only of the facility, but also of the whole city of Colorado Springs.

The United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs is one of three training centers operated by the United States Olympic Committee. The others are located in Lake Placid, New York, and Chula Vista, California. The one in Colorado was built first, and it has been the home of the United States Olympic Committee since 1978.

Often athletes training for either the Olympics, Pam-Am Games, or Paralympics (for athletes with physical and visual limitations) live and train at one of the facilities for years.

The Colorado Springs facility has an Olympic size swimming pool, an indoor shooting range, a velodrome (an area for track cycling), numerous gymnasiums, weight rooms, a sports science hall, a dining hall for the athletes, a visitors' center, several dormitories, and offices of the Paralympics and United States Olympic Committee.

As of 1998, twelve USOC member organizations have their national headquarters at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Twelve other USOC organizations and two international sports federations also have their headquarters in the city of Colorado Springs, but not in the Center.

The Center is located in the former Ent Air Force Base, which was also the headquarters of the North American Air Defense Command. It became the headquarters for the USOC administrative headquarters in 1978. The facility cost $23.8 million to build.

Many of those who have visited the United States Olympic Training Center reported their tour was entertaining and worthwhile. Some reported even getting to see athletes compete in a shooting competition and said there were many good photo opportunities. One reported being given a tour by a female weightlifter, and some said the gift shop at the center was also a must see.

Citations: Tours, no author listed, Teamusa.org
Colorado Springs - Day Trips and Photo Guide, Elizabeth R. Rose, Gosw.about.com
United States Olympic Training Center, no author listed, En.wikipedia.org
Olympic Training Center, No author listed, Tripadvisor.com