A Volunteer's View of the Olympics
Text and photos by Theodore A. Minde
The sport of luge -- or rodel as the Germans call it -- had been around for at least 1600 years. It is a sport which mountain people in Norway, Switzerland, France and other mountainous areas of the western world participated in. Luge is an Olympic sport where the slider lays on his/her back, travelling down a curved, banked artificially refrigerated track at speeds well over 80 mph. Male sliders on certain tracks sometimes achieve speeds close to 90 mph.
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There are 13 internationally approved luge tracks in the world. Most of these modern, artificially refrigerated tracks are between 1300 and 1400 meters long, with between 13 and 19 curves, which drop sliders over 400 feet in elevation in less than 50 seconds. At those speeds you can only imagine the G forces tugging at the slider's head and body as he/she take the turns, as they try to maximize speed heading into the narrow straight-aways and the timing light.
That's enough to give you a sense of what Olympic sliders prepared themselves for during the long seasons prior to the Olympics. Olympic class sliders work many years, rising through the ranks to be selected to his/her Olympic team. Even as a member of a junior team, the slider has the opportunity of travelling overseas to luge tracks in Europe and Japan, then Canada and back to our US tracks. These athletes are dedicated, committed to training, are mentally and physically well conditioned, and prepared to train 6-7 months each year to meet, if not exceed the physical standards set by their coaches.
What of the official? We love the winter, the cold, and most of all we are dedicated to aiding each slider to achieve his/her best performance on the track where we work. If any of you are parents, then you understand the feeling an official experiences as he watches, year after year, the young sliders grow in stature, skills, understanding the nuances of the weather and its affect on the track ice, and appreciate the melding of these traits to produce the confidence to win their first, then their numerous sliding medals from world competition.
I began sliding at the age of 10 or 12, when I used to flop on my brother's Flexible Flier sled and try to outdistance all others down our favorite Elm Street hill in Summit, NJ. The typical volunteer official begins by watching a luge race some sunny morning. He wants to slide, but realizes that he's too old -- and probably inwardly skeptical of this "beast without brakes."
I was first introduced to the sport of luge 18 years ago, on a hiking trip to the Adirondack Mountains near Lake Placid, New York. One day, I observed summer wheel training on the old cement bobsled track. A few weeks later, I attended a day-long program prior to taking the National Official's exam. After a 2- to 4-hour test, I passed the exam, and was awarded my National Official's badge and rule book. For most of my first 12 years as a volunteer, I would drive the 382 miles from Chatham NJ to Lake Placid, 3 or 4 times each season to officiate. I was hooked.
With each new sliding season, I sharpened my skills at numerous positions on the track, each of which must be manned to conduct safe and efficient competitions. After 4 years of volunteer track work, I took and passed the International Judge's test, which made me eligible to hold one of the 4 leadership positions at any international race. These are Race Director, Start leader, Finish leader and Chief of Track. During my 18 years as a volunteer, I worked most of the 15-plus positions many times. A normal international race requires 50 - 75 officials; during unfavorable weather, as many as 100 workers are required.
During my earlier years as an official, I learned to slide, and did manage to move up the track to Curve 5. That's 5 curves from the top, permitting me to slide through 9 lower curves at considerable speed. However the coaches decided the speed developed from further up the track was beyond my ability and skill. They were right! I really enjoyed sliding from Curve 5 on Lake Placid's old "technical" luge track. When I finally discovered the true line through the curves, and finished without touching a wall, the feeling was always one of pride, sheer ecstasy, the most scintillating experience of my life.
Why did I get on a training sled to learn to slide? I felt to be a more effective official, one had to be a participant, understanding the track, the ice conditions and the slider's comments after each run. It has been worth all the time and energy spent with the United States Luge Association its wonderful and dedicated staff, and working with our great athletes.
During late November 1998, I sent my initial volunteer application to the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, requesting to be selected to officiate the luge races. There were thousands who applied. It was a lengthy process, requiring personal background checks and FBI checks. Ultimately, 26,000 gregarious volunteers were hired in all sorts of capacities to work at the Games. We luge officials were required to officiate at least one race on the new track each of the 3 years preceding the Games. During these races we familiarized ourselves with the facilities, the weather and the volunteers from Salt Lake City and beyond.
On February 1, 2002, I arrived at Salt lake City airport at 10 PM, an airport crowded with arriving athletes, spectators, officials of all sports, National Guardsmen and special police everywhere. Most prominent at the airport were the blue and white uniformed volunteers from SLOC, assigned to help the late arrival officials from around the country to their van, to pick up their uniforms, and then be driven to their assigned housing. If you have ever been around a crowded carousel, anxious for your baggage to come popping up, then you can imagine my surprise to hear my name called, asking if that person could help me. Wow! How did they know my plane would be late? How did they know my name? There were 3 volunteers, ready with a baggage cart for my luggage. Then the van and the short ride to the building where the proper colored uniforms were being issued. And this area was also staffed by volunteers, digital photographing us for the all important ID card we were to wear at all times on the track
Arriving one week ahead of the actual races was necessary so the athletes could familiarize themselves with the new track and get their required number of training runs each day. We officials staffed our respective positions so athletes, coaches and foreign dignitaries would become accustomed to our positions and routine. We would rise about 5:45 AM each morning, drive to town for breakfast, then drive to the track, where we would man our positions one hour before the athletes arrived. During training week our days usually ended around 9 PM. We did get an opportunity to drive into Salt Lake City, over an hour away, to admire the spectacular, huge, colorful canvas pictures of athletes, which decorated many of the tall buildings in mid-town Salt Lake City. Shopping meant meeting many visitors from all over the world. We were blessed with the best weather -- crisp, sunny blue skies, with temperatures in the mid-30's every day. But our schedules were tight, requiring us to all pile into the 14-person van assigned to us, in order to ensure that we were at the track on time.
My position at the luge races was "Official Recorder - Weights." This meant that I recorded the weight of each sled and slider every time he or she took a run. This is required to assure that pre-race weights are maintained, giving each slider an equal opportunity to race, giving no one an unfair advantage. We are pleased to have conducted the first Olympic luge races without a challenge by an athlete or coach on how the races were conducted. This speaks for our professionalism and the smoothness with which all the races were run.
The evening before the official Opening Ceremonies, all volunteers were provided with tickets to attend the rehearsal of the opening ceremony, which included the fireworks and the spectacular skating routines. What an unexpected privilege to attend these spectacular festivities; they were attended by almost all the 26,000 volunteers!
The Olympic luge races began on Sunday, Feb 10. That morning, and for the next 7 days, we awakened at 4:30 AM and drove through the growing traffic to the huge parking lots at the base of Utah Olympic Park. Thousands of cars eventually filled every space each day. With early morning temperatures about 15 - 20 F, we trudged to the certification tent, checked in, then went to the line for the security check of every piece of equipment, including rings, by the army and national guardsmen. I can't remember how many times I went through the metal detector and then was wand scanned again. But we were grateful that these personnel were there.
Special Forces servicemen were located on all the mountains and ridges surrounding the Olympic Games. We saw them belay on ropes from helicopters in order to reach their posts. FBI helicopters were ever present and intercepted a new media helicopter which tried to over-fly the Games. We should all be proud that these well-trained personnel guarded the athletes, and spectators.
We all made many friends; we were fortunate to have had that "once in a lifetime experience officiating a Winter Olympics!" And we'll never forget!