Nov. 9, 2011

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CORVALLIS, Ore. - While a number of Oregon State student-athletes, both current and former, will be training to represent their countries at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, women's rower Leslie Greer will also make the trek `across the pond,' as the junior was one of only 15 students selected from the entire United States to participate in the Olympic Academic Experience.

Hosted by Tiffin University, the Olympic Academic Experience is a 12-day study of the organization, supervision, and management of international sport venues and elite competition staged in London. The selective program aims to provide its students with a broad understanding of the historical, organizational, philosophical, ethical and economic influences on the modern Olympic Games with a special focus on current issues.

Greer, a physical therapy and psychology major who is a part of the Beavers' varsity eight, was immediately interested in the program after receiving an email from Associate Athletic Director for Life Skills Linda Johnson and is keenly aware of the opportunities presented by analyzing the XXX Olympiad from an entirely unique perspective.

"There is not a sports administration line of study I can pursue at Oregon State with my other majors," Greer said. "I thought that this would be a great opportunity for me to determine whether or not I'd like to go into Olympic-style coaching or management."

Departing from the United States on June 25, 2012, Greer and her 14 other companions, who will be staying in central London near the King's Cross underground, will immediately begin examining the structure of the International Olympic Committee, National Governing Bodies, host site organizing Committees and the individual sport federations. Students are scheduled to meet a former Olympian and consultant for the IOC and will engage in discussions on the theories of nationalism and capitalism as they impact the Olympics, all of which will aid the Woodinville, Wash.-native in her quest to continue her career in athletics after she comes off the water at Oregon State.

"I want to go into sports psychology or coaching [after graduation] and I think seeing the Olympics from the management and business side will really contribute to me helping athletes in the future," Greer said. "Understanding how the entire event is run is extremely crucial to helping people prepare for it."

Last season, Greer raced in the varsity eight for Oregon State at the Pac-10 Championships and earned recognition on the Pac-10 All-Academic Second Team as well. She knows of the athletic opportunities available to her through her work in the classroom in addition to the effort she puts forth on the water and is excited to see "how the athletes handle and prepare themselves for the Olympics [and about] bringing a different perspective" to a group mainly consisting of sports administration students.

Rowing, which has been on the program since the 1896 Summer Games, is one of the oldest Olympic sports and has a rich history at Oregon State. Eighteen former Beaver men and four former Beaver women have competed at the national team or Olympic level, highlighted most recently by Patricia Obee, who earned bronze at the U23 World Championships in the women's eight for Canada in 2010. Obee has been training for the 2012 Olympics since leaving Oregon State after the 2010 spring season and is extremely close with Greer, her roommate from freshman year.

"She'll be vying for one of the two spots in the lightweight double," Greer said of her good friend. "Hopefully she'll make the boat and I'll get to see her race, but if she doesn't make the boat then she'll be the alternate. We've talked and she is really excited [about my selection] for this program and hopefully she can give me more insights into what's going on behind the scenes in London."

Greer has received support from throughout the Oregon State athletics department for this important trip, especially from her head coach, Emily Ford.

"I've been thinking about going into coaching for a career so she has been guiding me through what steps I would need to take to get to her position," Greer said of Ford. "She's really supportive of me going and experiencing this and is really excited."

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