Watching anOlympic athletecompete is simply awe-inspiring.
Their skill, strength, and stamina seems almost superhuman.
Behind every athlete and team is a group of coaches and trainers dedicated to helping them succeed.
Courtesy of Tschana Schiller
Ski and Snowboard Team, at theCenter of Excellencetraining facility in Park City, Utah.
Overall, Im here to develop and help build a well-rounded athlete, Schiller told me.
They work on everything, from aerobic conditioning topower and strength.
The coaches also have to develop relationships with the athletes.
Theyre not required to train with us, explains Schiller.
So we have to build relationships so they trust us and want to work with us.
Out of 200 or so athletes, only about 100 train here, explains Schiller.
The ones who dont, we give them remote programs and check in via phone and email.
Heres what she shared.
Coffee is a must for Schiller.
For breakfast, she always has eggs and avocado toast or turkey.
Proteingives me sustainable energy for the day ahead, says Schiller.
I have to get my kid to school first, too, she says.
Once I get in, I check in with my coaching staff to see to it all is good.
Depending on the day, Schiller works with a different team.
Theyll start the day with about 2 hours in the weight room.
I dont really need to motivate them because theyre already so motivated and surrounded by the best.
Im there to develop relationships with each of them and to help understand what each athletes needs.
Each athlete fills out a diary every day and emails it to Schiller.
It prompts them to rank multiple categories on how theyre feeling and performing from one to 10.
Noticing if theyre struggling or fatigued is part of the job.
During the summer months, Schiller eats lunch whenever she can fit it in between athlete training sessions.
Sometimes, her schedule is so non-stop that she has to eat as she trains an athlete.
In the winter, she usually eats around noon.
But otherwise, Ill usually have leftovers from the night before.
That can be a burrito bowl or chili or a winter salad with beans and lentils.
After lunch, Schiller either heads to her office to do work or attends staff meetings.
She also meets one-on-one with athletes frequently to talk about their upcoming competitions and plan their training schedules.
The ski and snowboard athletes usually spend the afternoon doing workouts outside.
The afternoon is also when Schiller does individual training with athletes to address their specific needs.
If Schiller isnt working individually with an athlete, shell oversee one of the training sessions with a team.
Schiller wraps things up and heads home for the evening around 5 P.M.
But shes always on call and spends time on the weekends answering texts and emails from athletes.
Im texting pretty often with the athletes who are here in townusually every other night, she says.
