COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – University of the Incarnate Word Athletic Trainer T.R. St. Charles accepted an invitation by the United States Olympic Committee to serve a one-week rotation with USOC sports medicine. He will help deliver medical coverage to resident athletes as they train to compete for U.S. Olympic and national teams.
 
St. Charles, who has worked with the USOC and national teams since 2000, will provide a daily recap of his experiences, giving fans of UIW Athletics an inside look at the inner-workings of the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
 
DAY 5: Dec. 15, 2016
   
It was a beautiful day today. It started out a little cold, but warmed up quickly to 58 degrees. I dressed to kill with my American flag shirt and American flag shoes. The shoes were a resounding hit and I received lots of compliments. This is one of the few places that I can wear all of my Red, White and Blue apparel and never look out of place. Tomorrow I plan on breaking out the world renowned USA Cowboy Hat. I love it!!!
 


The men's gymnastics team had a very short practice this morning. They are going to practice hard twice tomorrow. One of the team members, Chris Brooks, is good friends with the daughter of Harris Argo, who was one of my original student athletic trainer's at Holmes High School in 1977. Chris was excited when I told him she had said hello. It's truly a small world.
 


I was able to visit several of the other venues today. There are great facilities here for our USA athletes to train in. Most of the athletes are headed home, so everything was pretty empty. I visited the shooting range, aquatics center, wrestling mat room and basketball gym. The shooting range had a great sign displayed in the viewing windows which read, "Please do not tap on glass. Please do not feed the shooters."
 

I am joined this week by two other one-week rotation "volunteers". Craig Young, MD and Jane Sandoval, ATC. We are the Three Musketeers and stay on the same floor in the dormitory. We have had a great time swapping knowledge and stories.
 






We continued going through all of the supplies that returned from Rio and discovered some hydrocollator pads in one of the sealed containers. They were covered in some type of Brazilian mold. I told Craig that it was Amazon Rain Forest Flesh-Eating Mold. We disposed of them and thoroughly washed our hands! I told him we were going to be quarantined. I hope we are released by Sunday!
 
I have renamed the Mystery Mexican food to Colora Mexican food. Between it and the Amazon Rain Forest Flesh-Eating Mold, it may be a tough end to the week. The good news is that I have made friends with Flower, who is one of the cooks. She made me a special off-the-menu meatball and melted provolone on toasted hoagie bread sandwich for lunch today. It was exquisite. I believe Flower, in combination with Cherry Coke, may hold the cure to Colora and Amazon Mold! Life is good.
 
IT'S NOT EVERY FOUR YEARS, IT'S EVERY DAY!
 
GO USA!
 
CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF THE ADVENTURES OF T.R. ST. CHARLES!
 
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