Speaking with Dave Jarrett

As the days grow ever closer to the start of the Winter Olympics, I got the chance to speak with the head coach of the U.S. Nordic Combined Team, Dave Jarrett. What follows is our brief conversation.

Coach, thanks for taking the time. Please describe how busy you are and what you're doing?
We have been home for almost two weeks preparing for the Olympics. Todd (Lodwick) and Johnny (Spillane) have been in Steamboat. Billy (Demong) and Brett (Camerota) in Park City and Taylor (Fletcher) is returning from Europe. The athletes have been busy training, and I have been busy with other things. It has been good to be home for everyone though. Preparation is on target.

When do you get uniformed and all that?
We leave on February 8 for Vancouver. We will begin that evening and then finish the following morning and be in Whistler on the afternoon of the ninth.

Will you stay in the Village or at a private situation?
We are staying in the Whistler Olympic Village.

Has everyone been staying healthy?
Everyone is healthy; knock on wood.

What's different about coaching an athlete at an Olympic Games as opposed to a World Cup?
Our approach is exactly the same. On one level we know the Olympics come only every four years, and it is an opportunity to make history, but our approach to any competition is the same whether it is a World Cup, Continental Cup, or the Olympic Games. We focus on the process and do everything we can do to be successful.

Have you been overloaded with media requests lately?
I personally have not been overloaded, but I know the athletes have been getting a lot of questions.

How are you doing personally so close to the big show?
I am doing great. Sometimes when I think about scenarios, I get Goosebumps and remind myself to stay in the moment. Like I said earlier, we are approaching these next three competitions like we do every other
World Cup: Do what we can do and know that is good enough.

Tell me about how the big three guns (Spillane, Lodwick and Demong) are doing?
The "Big 3" are doing well. Billy jumped really well last week and has been doing some really good cross-country training lately. Todd and Johnny both report they are feeling good and ready to go.

Then you have Camerota and Fletcher. Everyone is interested who will run the relay; when and how will you decide on that?
That decision will be made as late as the last jumping session. We will see who is healthy and who is ready. It is part objective and part subjective.

Combined -- more than ever -- has captured the American public's attention for these Games. Is it the likelihood of great results, or has real progress been made in terms of educating the public?
I think it is both. I can't tell you how many people I see daily telling me they see Nordic combined on Universal Sports TV. "I didn't know that was Nordic combined." "I see how cool Nordic combined is now that I see it on TV." There are many more comments but I think it is a combination of everything.

Dave, you have always been very accessible to us even during the busiest of time, and I wish you all the best in Whistler. See you there.
Thanks Peter. Always glad to help.

Compiled by Peter Graves, special to UniversalSports.com

2010 U.S. Nordic combined Olympic coaching staff
Coaches: Jarrett, Chris Gilbertson, and Greg Poirier
Techs: Clarke Sullivan and Paolo Bernardi
Medical: Aaron Saari (PT) and Dr. Rich Gordin (Mental coach)