16 June 2019
Today we were lucky enough to stop at the Papendal National Sports Centre in the Veluwe woods, miles from the nearest city center. The first thing I saw when we arrived was a statue of the iconic five rings, representing the five continents that came together during the 1912 olympic games.
After complimentary drinks overlooking a golf course, we set off on our tour of the facilities. The property is large, with gyms, basketball courts, soccer fields, boxing rings, etc. Any olympic sport you can think of – the equipment was there. There were also dormitories and classrooms, because many young athletes live on campus and take classes while they train. They have physiotherapists and movement experts and dietitians on site to shape bodies capable of superhuman athletic feats, as well as video analysis cameras to fine-tune form. During the tour, we got to observe the Paralympic basketball team practice, which is a big deal, because the Netherland’s men’s national wheelchair basketball team has earned thirteen European medals including two world finals. We were in the presence of world champions.
One of the coolest perks for the athletes is their meal cards. The athletes have swipe cards, just like students at the U of A, where they run their card through a machine each time they get a meal. The difference? At the U of A, the cards track our finances. At Papendal, they track nutrition. The cards keep track of each athlete’s calories and macronutrients to let them know what they need more of and what they need less of. Each time they eat, they are given individual feedback about how to maximize their performance through the food offered on campus.
I look forward to watching the 2020 Tokyo Olympics next year and hopefully seeing some Dutch athletes walk away with the gold!
- Carly Connell
Public Health Abroad! 