The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has selected Turnstone to host one of three regional tryouts for Milk Life presents, The Next Olympic Hopeful. The tryout in Fort Wayne will be held Saturday, April 13, 1-5 p.m. at Turnstone’s Plassman Athletic Center.
The USOC program, presented by Milk Life and supported by 24 Hour Fitness, aims to increase and enhance the pipeline of world-class athletes pursuing Olympic sport opportunities in the United States.
Athletes 14 years of age and older of all sports backgrounds are invited to complete five basic athletic tests to see if they have what it takes to transfer their existing talents to the Olympic sports of bobsled, cycling, rowing, rugby, skeleton and weightlifting. Participation in the tryout is free for registered athletes.
“The primary purpose of this scouting camp is to allow athletes the opportunity to showcase their talents that could be redirected to a new sport where they may find success, possibly at the Olympic level,” explained EJ Whitney, Turnstone’s Manager of Wellness & Adaptive Sports and Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Men’s and Women’s U.S. National Goalball teams. “Football players, for example, might be able to transfer their athleticism to a sport like bobsled, or a swimmer’s endurance to rowing.”
“The Next Olympic Hopeful has allowed us the opportunity to evaluate countless elite athletes from across the country,” said Scott Riewald, USOC senior director of high performance. “The program has already made an immediate impact, with several previous Next Olympic Hopeful participants – Josh Williamson (bobsled), Sylvia Hoffman (bobsled) and Jessica Davis (bobsled) – earning medals in international competitions, including a 2019 World Championship medal by Davis.”
Athletes may apply through the online portal, TeamUSA.org/NextOlympicHopeful, where they will provide details about their sport experience and complete a pre-screen. They can then attend the Fort Wayne tryout event where they will complete compulsory tests, including the 30- and 45-meter dash, maximum pull ups, vertical jump, squat, and broad jump.
While pre-registration is encouraged, it is not required and walk-ins are welcome.
Additional tryouts will be held across the country and at select 24 Hour Fitness clubs. A complete list is available at TeamUSA.org/NextOlympicHopeful and 24hourfitness.com.
The program will narrow the pool of applicants across the country to approximately 50 athletes (25 men, 25 women), who will be invited to spend several days at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for intensive screening and sport-specific training.
One winner for each of the six targeted sports will then be invited to join national team camps in their respective sport. The winners will be eligible to receive financial, training and medical support as they prepare for the opportunity to compete at the Olympic Games.
In addition to receiving professional coaching, training and sport science services while residing at the OTC, the athlete’ experience and progress will be highlighted on Team USA social channels. The entire program – including the announcement of the winners – will be featured in a documentary: Milk Life presents, The Next Olympic Hopeful, which will air on NBC later this year.
About Turnstone: Turnstone’s mission is to empower people with disabilities to achieve their highest potential by providing one of the most comprehensive offerings of services and programs to people with disabilities and their families under one roof in the United States. Thanks to generous support and compassionate staff, Turnstone’s legacy of advocacy and innovation continues to contribute to a world that accepts and values people based on their abilities. This legacy now includes the privilege of functioning as the home training facility for the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Goalball Teams and the goalball resident program through a partnership with the United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA). www.turnstone.org | Twitter: @TurnstoneCenter | Facebook: Turnstone Center of Children and Adults with Disabilities | Instagram: @TurnstoneCenter
ABOUT THE USOC: Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the United States Olympic Committee serves as both the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States. The USOC is focused on protecting, supporting and empowering America’s athletes, and is responsible for fielding U.S. teams for the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games, and serving as the steward of the Olympic and Paralympic movements in the U.S. For more information, visit TeamUSA.org.
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