UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa - The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics began on Friday, February 4th, 2022. Penn State field hockey alum Jill Radzinski and former Penn State field hockey physician Margot Putukian participated in these Winter Olympic Games. Both alumnae worked on the medical side of the Olympics to help Team USA athletes.
"I am a certified athletic trainer, so I essentially take care of the immediate needs of the athletes' injuries as well as I facilitate their rehabilitation programs when they do sustain injuries," Radzinski said, "The team that I work with is the halfpipe ski team."
Radzinski, who works full-time for US Ski and Snowboard, worked alongside the other medical staff of the halfpipe ski team. There were also medical volunteers helping her and the athletes along their Olympic journey.
"The volunteers were so amazing, friendly and happy and giving up a lot of their lives so to speak for those weeks that they were at the Olympic Games helping us," Radzinski said.
One of these was Putukian, who was asked to serve in the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee's volunteer physical pool.
Through the Olympic Games, Putukian, who is the chief medical officer of Major League Soccer, assisted athletes in different sports like snowboarding, skiing and cross-country skiing all in the US medical clinic.
"Each sport has their own pool of medical staff that are working through their National Governing Body; so, they may have athletic trainers, physical therapists, and doctors there that work with them," Putukian said. "We had a medical clinic where those NGB providers could evaluate athletes, or we could help them if they needed."
Although Radzinski and Putukian never crossed paths at Penn State, this didn't stop them from connecting at the Olympics.
"I had heard so many wonderful things about Margot," Radzinski said. "When I walked into the sports medical clinic, I saw her credentials and it had her name on it and I just said, 'hey did you work at Penn State?' and she said, 'Yeah, I was one of the team physicians,' so we just struck up a conversation."
Putukian remembers seeing Radzinski working hard throughout the Olympics.
"She was working hard at the Olympics taking care of her athletes. She would come into our clinic and that's where she would see her athletes and that's where I met her."
Aside from Radzinski and Putukian enjoying seeing each other, they also appreciated the experience of being at the Olympics.
"It was my first Olympic experience and despite the limits of COVID it was phenomenal to be able to witness these athletes up close and support them and their goals as they were competing," Putukian said. "To witness these incredible athletes doing what they do and what they train for was really inspiring."
Putukian also has memories of being able to see USA athletes compete in person.
"One of my favorite memories was actually when I was watching the event where they were doing snowboarding and it was men's and women combined and so it was Nick Baumgartner and Lindsey Jacobellis. He is a 40-year-old and she had had her struggles in prior Olympics so for them to compete together and win was really an exciting event that they did together. I was at the bottom of the mountain watching it so that was cool." Putukian said. "Baumgartner came into the clinic later that evening to say thank you to everyone and show us his medal; a class act"
Radzinski appreciated the respect and community feel of the Olympic games.
"It is a place where everyone does get along and there is a common ground and respect and just mutual admiration for everyone and the respect for being able to get to the Olympic Games, so it is an amazing experience in that regard," Radzinski said.
She also enjoyed experiencing the atmosphere of the Olympics.
"The energy is just off the charts everyone is so invested in being a part of the Olympics games whether that be an athlete or a volunteer or a staff member everyone is just really engaged," Radzinski said." You're there to win medals and you have worked very hard to achieve that, so it is very focused."
As these women reflected on their time at the Olympics, they remember and appreciate the Penn State field hockey program and the lessons they have learned and now carry throughout their careers.
"I really appreciate the exposure that (field hockey head coach) Charlene Morett-Curtiss gave us of a snapshot into moving on in life not only as an athlete but also a female and being in a professional setting. They painted the picture of just being excellent role models for us," Radzinski said. "I appreciate those lessons day in and day out."
Putukian also has fond memories of her time at Penn State.
"I loved my time at Penn State, in general, I learned a lot working with athletes at Penn State," said Putukian. "I always appreciated Coach Morett-Curtiss' appreciation for really all of the team around the team. She always had a significant amount of respect for everyone who was there, whether it was the bus driver or the sports medicine staff or the equipment staff or people helping with the field she really instilled this team effort and appreciation and that is certainly one of the things I remember fondly."
