SLCC launches program to help athletes pursuing Olympic dreams

SALT LAKE CITY — An expanded program offered by Salt Lake Community College will allow Olympic-level athletes to pursue their education while training for high-level competition.

The Beyond the Podium Program will give athletes pursuing their Olympic dreams tuition-free education and career counseling. The program ran before in partnership with U.S. Speedskating, but is now partnering with USA Climbing and U.S. Ski & Snowboard.

Program Director Chris Needham said many athletes may neglect their education.

“They’ll forgo education and a lot of things that kids their age are generally pursuing from a professional standpoint in order to really dedicate themselves fully to their craft in their sport that they’re going for with the Olympics.”

Needham said this program will help those athletes prioritize education. Although the program is partnered with the U.S. training programs, he said the program is open to any athlete pursuing the Olympic podium, accessible by referral.

The program showcases SLCC’s flexible and small classes, something Needham said is a huge positive for busy athletes.

“They can work really on a more personal level with their professors to help make sure that they’re achieving what they need in order to graduate,” Neehham explained.

Many athletes who dedicate their lives to training and competing across the world never even make it to the Olympic level.

“But that doesn’t mean that their journey is any less worthy of programs like this and help,” Needham said. “Because they committed themselves to their country and their sport for a long period of time.”

Needham is such a huge advocate for the program, partially because of his own experiences as a world-class speed skater.

He started speedskating at 13, left home at 15, and then spent the next 15 years training and competing, although he never did get to the Olympic stage.

“When the day came for me to hang (the skates) up, I was pretty lost with what I was doing and what came next because I was just wildly unprepared for that transition into the real world,” Needham shared.

He said he wants to do what he can to provide resources to Olympic-level athletes.

“I just think this is such a worthy cause that we’re pursuing because I’ve personally been through it and I don’t want another athlete to have to struggle like I did, you know, when there’s clearly resources available to help them.”

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