Springfield College Strength and Conditioning Alumnus Enjoying the Olympic Experience
Springfield College alumnus Vail Cote, G’23, part of Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina, Italy.
By: Damon Markiewicz
For Springfield College alumnus Vail Cote, G’23, he has always prided himself on taking advantage of an opportunity and making the most of it when it arrives. Those characteristics allowed for him to accept an invitation to be a part of Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina, Italy.
Cote is currently the assistant strength and conditioning coach for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) based in Lake Placid, NY. His role at the Olympic Games is focused on taking care of the athletes and putting them in the best possible position to win a medal.
“I have been stationed in Livigno, Italy, working with the US ski and snowboard teams,” explained Cote. “It’s working with a lot of freestyle sport athletes. We are here to help with all of the logistics of the event and make sure our athletes have everything they need so they can focus on competing at the highest level.”
Since arriving in Italy a couple of days before the Olympic village opened, Cote has been hard at work on different setups for the athletes. He is also taking time to appreciate how special of an experience this represents.
“As soon as we arrived, we started setting up a weight room for the athletes,” explained Cote. “Being a part of the logistics, we are making sure we are branding the space with all of the Team USA banners and flags. We are always trying to make sure the athletes are at their peak performance levels and having a first-class experience. There was a moment recently that really stands out for me. I was watching Chloe Kim compete in the women’s snowboard halfpipe, and I was able to just look around while standing at the top of the mountain, and appreciate all of the people from different countries watching the competition. It was just amazing to see that up close.”
Cote’s connection to the Olympics started shortly after graduation from Springfield College in 2023, when he was able to serve as the USOPC Strength and Conditioning Performance Science fellow. Two years later, he ended up transitioning to his current role and his continued growth with the USOPC has led him to his first Olympic Games.
“Leading up to the Olympics, I primarily worked with sliding sports athletes, which includes bobsleigh, skeleton, and luge,” explained Cote. “Being an Olympic year, everyone was dialed in with their training. It’s always a great experience working with the athletes in Lake Placid leading up to the Olympics. Having a Springfield College connection with skeleton athlete Kelly Curtis ’12 was pretty cool. She has represented the United States and Springfield College very well.”
The Springfield College alumni connection actually helped Cote decide what to do when he was considering applying to Springfield College for graduate studies. While working at Full Plate Strength and Conditioning in Westfield, Mass., Cote connected with fellow alumnus Steve Czerniejewski, G’20, who earned a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from Springfield College. Cote was already aware that Springfield College had an award-winning Strength and Conditioning program, and after talking with Czerniejewski, he knew the College would be a good fit for him to advance his educational career.
After earning his undergraduate degree in 2020, Cote took a year to examine what he wanted to do and explore all options. He analyzed whether he wanted to get involved in physical therapy or explore other options in the health sciences. What he discovered was that he has a passion to be in the strength and conditioning room working with athletes in a high-energy environment.
“My experience at Springfield College was great, and it really helped me get prepared for what I wanted to do,” explained Cote. “Professors Brian Thompson, Mary Kate Feit, and Adam Feit, just to name a few, really made sure we were paying attention to the details and taking care of our athletes. Taking an athlete-centered approach in designing and implementing programs to physically prepare, provide confidence to, and protect the well-being of individuals was always the focus.”
And when comparing his Olympic experiences to those memories from Springfield College, there is a similar feeling that Cote appreciates.
“People at Springfield College are very driven, and the same can be said about the Olympic athletes,” explained Cote. “Being a part of the Olympics has really opened up my eyes for future possibilities. I try to maintain big aspirations for myself, but I also try to have a flexible mentality. I always try and look for opportunities to grow, learn, and feed off successful people. It’s been a very rewarding journey since graduating from Springfield College, and I am appreciative of my experiences in the Strength and Conditioning program. Everyone helped me in so many ways, professors and students. I am excited what the future holds as well.”
