Alex Paul
For a confessed ski-bum, volunteering at the recent winter Olympics was two weeks of hard work interspersed with lots of fun.
Sweet Home’s John Tyler joined several hundred other volunteers at the event held in Utah. The volunteers, according to a recent Wall Street Journal story, helps the Games turn a profit, as some $100 million was presented to the State of Utah.
By using unpaid staff members, the Games saved some $60 million, the newspaper reported.
The total budget for the Games was $1.9 billion.
“I’ve been skiing all of my life,” Tyler said, after a day’s work with Rick McKay Logging. “I helped at the World Cup last year, which was also held at Snow Basin, Utah. “I went to Calgary in 1988, coached ski racing and have skied more than 90 miles per hour.”
Tyler said he researched the prospect of volunteering at the Games via the internet. “I knew they were taking volunteers,” he said. “I volunteered at the World Cup to get an ‘in’ for the Olympics. I saw many of the same people at the Olympics as the World Games.”
Working primarily the men’s and women’s downhill combined runs, Tyler said he and others helped groom the 2,500 vertical drop course.
“Actually, it’s a sheet of ice,” Tyler said. “They drill holes into the mountain and inject water into them. Our job was to keep the snow off the course because that slows them down.”
Skiers venture down 45 degree slopes at 70 miles per hour on the corners, Tyler said.
“We had to use our skis and side slip the course,” Tyler said. “We also used snow blowers and mended the fences.”
Although the work day ran up to 12 hours, Tyler said volunteers were treated very well. Perks included meals and a multitude of clothing outfits.
“We had time for some free skiing,” Tyler said. “We’re also going to get vouchers to ski on our own.”
Tyler spent about three weeks in Utah and said many days the temperature dipped below zero.
“It warmed up toward the end,” he said.
Although he worked on the same hillside for the Games, volunteers shifted sites along the course.
“I worked slingshot quite a bit,” he said. “It is really gnarly and the most severe part of the course.”
Tyler was near the finish line with America’s Bodie Miller earned his silver medal.
“He skied like a god on that last run,” Tyler said.
Tyler said he got a “little burned out” working but enjoyed meeting people from around the world. “The Canadians are my favorite,” he said. “I spent a day skiing with them.”
Canada is vying for the 2010 winter games, Tyler said. If successful, he plans to volunteer again.
“It was great,” he added.
In addition to skiing, Tyler enjoys playing golf.