Ambassador Coach, Wife Honored at Film Festival

Harry Sneider with his wife, Sarah.

Tuesday, April 26 at the famous Newport Beach, California Glendora Lead Pastor Neil Earle and Eagle Rock, CA members Robin and Arline Connelly were invited to attend the special premier of the documentary "Impossible Dreamers" at the Newport Film Festival.

The invitation came through Sarah (Zapf) Sneider, widow and partner of former Ambassador College coach and trainer Harry Sneider to whom the film was dedicated.

The one hour, thirteen minute documentary was produced by Eric Goldfarb and Erik Howell and subtitled "You're Never Too Old To Dream Big." It features seniors around the United States who are either individually or as part of a team setting world and Guiness records in their age group. Eighty-year-old golfing legend Gary Player is highlighted as well as world champion walkers from a senior's facility in Claremont, CA and an aged 94 tango dancer in New York City.

Harry with fellow weight-lifter Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The film also features how Sarah Sneider utilized family support and exercise techniques to recover from Coach Sneider's unexpected death in 2014. Harry had trained 20 Olympians at the track in Pasadena for the 1984 Olympics. Due to a hip injury back in Germany in 1948 while his family fled the Russian Army, Harry could never jump more than three inches but ended up training champions such as Dwight Stones going 8 feet in the Olympics and 19 foot pole vaulter Dan Ripley.

"I was called limpalong and other cruel names in school," Harry told an interviewer, "but I developed a positive personality to overcome it." Finding success as a weightlifter Harry soon met athletes such as Arnold Schwarznegger and chess champion Bobby Fischer while climaxing his career lifting 426 pounds while in his sixties.

Harry Sneider was one of a kind and loved by thousands.

"Our Sarah was visually impaired," Robin Connelly reports, "but Harry worked with her and she competed in the AAU bench press meet – winning her class in 1999, in Vista, CA." Dar and son Rob are both certified physical trainers and continue to operate Sneider Family Fitness.

"The documentary really captured Harry's spirit," Neil Earle added, "and he was without a doubt an unforgettable personality as thousands of Ambassador graduates can attest."