From the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club website:

Michigan wrestling manager Emily Martin is currently in London as part of a two-week intensive “Behind the Scenes at the London Olympics” study-abroad program through U-M’s School of Kinesiology and Sport Management program.

While in London, she and 26 other students will meet with Olympic executives, corporate sponsors, London programming committees and other officials directly related to the staging of the 2012 London Olympics. Emily shares some of her experiences in a CKWC-exclusive “London Calling” blog.

Emily's recent entry:

FRIDAY, MAY 11

I hate goodbyes. I often do everything in my power to avoid them. So fittingly, I’m not going to say goodbye to London because that’d be rubbish.

Dodging all goodbyes, we boarded a train to Loughborough University this morning, an English university that participates in an accredited exchange study-abroad program with U-M’s School of Kinesiology. Loughborough will play host to the London 2012 preparation camps for Team GB and Team Japan. They are also a global leader in the design and scientific testing of sport apparel and equipment. Brands like Adidas and Nike rely on researchers for design innovation in footwear, clothing and other sport-specific equipment in order to optimize performance. Callaway golf clubs are designed exclusively at the university and trials are about to get underway in the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, just to name a few notable projects.

The University Business Developing Manager outlined his strategy to satisfy an influx of athletes this summer on Loughborough’s campus. From security protocols to bed counts, he has thought of it all. He repeatedly stressed that his job is to accommodate the athletes, coaches, trainers and support staff in order to make their transition from training preparation to the Olympic stage as easy and routine as possible. “We’ll measure our efforts on medal counts and the feats of the athletes that will prepare and train here. More than anything else, we want to see them win and stand on the podium.”

Working tirelessly to make sure every detail is logged and every potential pitfall has an escape route, individuals across the world want to ensure that all their Olympians have to do is perform. But along the way, something connects them to athletes with particular stories — characters in the narrative. Before they know it, they’ve stood up alongside the rest of the crowd. And soon after, they wouldn’t want to be anywhere else than right there cheering for gold.

From tours of Olympic sites to humbling conversations with London sport outreach programs, I’m not sure that I deserved these moments, but I will be forever grateful. And gauging from my one sighting of Her Majesty, the Queen is definitely a Jake Herbert fan.

Read more of Emily's observations by following the link to her blog, below.