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Wednesday 31 August 2016

The Olympics and the Ambassador legacy

Sarah Sneider
An article in the Pasadena Independent (August 25) connects Olympic success with the long-closed Ambassador College and the work of Harry Sneider.

In Five Things We Can Learn From Olympians Sarah Sneider reflects on the role of AC in times past. It's a short piece, heavy on references to the late coach and the campus.

"Late Coach Harry Sneider trained 20 athletes in nine different sports for the 1984 Olympics and was nominated Olympic Track and Field Coach. Training and coaching these Olympians in Pasadena at Ambassador College, it was evident they all have five similar character traits. What do they all have in common?"

What follows are five fairly obvious traits. Sneider continues:

"Ambassador College in Pasadena closed in 1990 and many of the buildings of the former Ambassador College campus have been torn down and replaced with condos. In spite of the many changes to the former campus, ironically the gymnasium, Olympic-size swimming pool, racquetball courts, fitness center buildings, and track (now a football field) where the Olympians once trained still remain and are currently used by Maranatha High School. The original dining center where the Olympians enjoyed wonderful meals and the beautiful Ambassador Auditorium also still remain."

The concluding blurb mentions that "Sarah Sneider, winner of nine gold medals in the recent California Senior Games, continues Harry Sneider’s legacy along with her son Rob, a two-time All-American volleyball player who played professionally in Switzerland. They are professional fitness trainers..."

It may be a bit of an advertorial, but some interesting comments.

1 comment:

Hoss said...

The Olympics were never given good press by the WCG.
So, could anyone verify Dave Pack's story that Ambassador was going to send him to compete in the 1968 games in Mexico City?