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Dan Koeck for msnbc.com
Lt. Bradley Snyder, swimming his preliminary 400-meter freestyle heat at the 2012 U.S. Paralympics Swimming Trials in Bismarck, N.D., is about to be "tapped" by his brother, Mitchell.
Even in the water, amid a furious race to win back his confidence, the blind swimmer needs a cane.
Actually, Lt. Brad Snyder relies on two canes to avoid the sort of ugly collisions he has suffered repeatedly on dry land.
At one end of the pool, his swimming coach stands above Snyder’s starting block, clutching a walking cane affixed with a tennis ball. As Snyder nears that hard edge, his coach leans down, extends the cane and taps the Navy officer on the back of his head with the ball, alerting him to abruptly finish his stroke and execute a flip turn. At the opposite end of the lane, Snyder’s brother, Mitchell, is armed with the same device and the same task.
“Any communication between the tapper and the swimmer is illegal -- other than: ‘You’re close to the wall!’ ”said Mitchell Snyder, 25, a former college swimmer. “Of course, you’re natural instinct is to tell him how he’s doing. You’re the one who can see the clock and see the whole pool. You want to tell them where they’re at in the race. But I don’t give him any extra signals.”
The tap is merely one of the tactics and tools that Brad Snyder -- blinded last September by an Afghan bomb blast -- now uses to swim competitively in utter darkness. During each length of every race, he silently tracks his stroke count to hold a steady clip. He occasionally brushes a finger or shoulder, lightly, against the lane marker to verify his location. And, oddly, he must wear blacked-out goggles, by rule, over both of his blue prosthetic eyes.
Lt. Brad Snyder lost his sight in an IED explosion in Afghanistan last September. The Navy officer is now training to represent the U.S. at the London 2012 Paralympics.
Through Saturday, the former Naval Academy swimmer is vying for one of 14 roster spots at the U.S. Paralympic Swimming Trials in Bismarck, N.D. If Snyder, 28, equals or nears a current world-best time in one of his five events, he’ll join the American team bound for the 2012 London Paralympics, held later this summer.
Wearing one of his old college caps with the Navy emblem on one side and the American flag on the other, he’s racing to again represent his country, this time on the international sports stage. He’s racing to help restore his self-image as a fully capable man -- a sacred piece of himself he lost when the IED detonated in his face. He’s racing to deliver a deeper message about thriving amid life’s occasional rough waters.
Editor's note: This is the second installment that chronicles Lt. Brad Snyder's efforts to earn a spot on Team USA's roster for the 2012 London Paralympics. Read the first story here.
Racing the clock
“All sorts of people have contacted me on Facebook, or by e-mail, or they come up to me in person and say, ‘You really inspired us, just by the fact that you’ve moved forward, that you don’t let this thing slow you down.’ I want them to see that, hey, you can go out (despite this type of wound) and excel at something -- become a really good writer, or a good cook; it doesn’t matter,” Snyder said. “Hopefully, we can utilize this as a platform.”
That platform, he understands, will become far larger if he makes the 2012 U.S. Paralympic team. But getting to London is all about minutes, seconds and tenths of seconds -- the fewer of those during his heats, the better. And as a swimmer without sight, ensuring a brisk time is all about maintaining tight direction: the straighter he goes, the quicker he touches the finish line.
But, much like his delicate job in Afghanistan and Iraq -- dissecting and dismantling homemade explosives -- haste in the pool can be Snyder’s enemy.
When he swims fast and tries to increase his (arms’) turnover rate, he ends up almost pin-balling in the lane -- one side to the other, one side to the other -- ricocheting off that lane line,” said his coach, Brian Loeffler. “If he gets going too much and crashes into a lane line, he can just be stopped in the water and lose all forward progress.”
When he swam for Navy in the early 2000s, Snyder’s initial style was to dive in and sprint -- no other strategy, no clean technique, just winning on pure guts. Eventually at the Naval Academy, he began to hone his strokes, evening his pace and becoming more efficient. Now, he and Loeffler are focused on keeping each 50-meter race length (or “split,” in pool jargon), as even as possible to all other trips up and down the pool -- both in terms of his times and his stroke counts.
Lt. Brad Snyder, blinded by an IED explosion in Afghanistan, is now training for the London 2012 Paralympics.
That physical symmetry allows Snyder to better hold his course and avoid side-swiping the lane markers.
“When he can keep a long, steady stroke, he has a real good rhythm,” said Loeffer, the head swimming coach at Loyola University in Baltimore. He also will serve as one of the assistant swim coaches for the U.S. Paralympic team. “We’ve got to find a balance between that kind of speed but also being able to be real straight in the water.”
Golden vision
Snyder’s best shot at making the American team, he believes, will come in the 400-meter freestyle. At the Bismarck trials, he’ll also aim to notch qualifying times in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle heats as well as the 100-meter butterfly and 200-meter individual medley.
For each heat, he’ll don special goggles – not, however, to boost his pace. Swimmers competing in the Paralympics’ fully blind division must wear the black, plastic eye covers to ensure that they can’t see even a glimmer of light. That would give those swimmers an advantage in a sport that takes itself as seriously as any Olympic endeavor.
“When I swam in my last Paralympic-sanctioned meet, every time I got out of the pool after racing, an official came over and looked at my goggles to make sure he couldn’t see through them,” Snyder said. “But there’s another reason for them. If one of the prosthetic eyes comes out, my goggle would catch it. I wouldn’t have to ask someone to go search the pool for my eye.”
But behind those artificial eyes, Snyder has begun to visualize a blissful finish – especially if he makes the U.S. team. The final men’s Paralympic swimming roster will be announced on Sunday.
“I really hope to bring attention to the wounded warriors (fellow servicemen and servicewomen hurt in Afghanistan and Iraq). And I hope my story maybe gives people some perspective,” Snyder said.
“You know how people get upset about silly things, like they get all fired up in rush hour? Well, let’s give them a story they can rally behind and say, hey it’s not that bad, maybe I should probably calm down a little bit.”
If Snyder earns a Paralympic slot, his best race – the 400-meter freestyle – is scheduled in London for Sept. 7. That means exactly one year to the day that the U.S. sailor lost his sight after stepping on a battlefield bomb, he’ll be wearing American colors, swimming for gold.
COMING MONDAY: Did Lt. Brad Snyder make the U.S. men’s Paralympic swimming team?
Bill Briggs is a frequent contributor to msnbc.com and author of “The Third Miracle.”
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"Lt. Brad Snyder lost his sight in an IED explosion in Afghanistan last September. The Navy officer is nowt raining to represent the U.S. at the London 2012 Paralympics."
Inspiring story, stupid typo. Nowt raining?
You couldn't figure out that it was "now training"?
Yes, I could. I just assumed that people who are paid to write for a living, actually proofread their work.
And yea, they fixed the typo, after I pointed it out to them.
Sloppy work.
Kevin
Some times a persons heart over rules their spelling.
Robert has a deep respect and admiration for this young LT. I know because I have the same problem at times . One gets to emotionally involved in a story and their heart takes over.
Like I said, inspiring story. Sloppy work by MSNBC.
This is not some amateur blogsite. People are paid to write and proofread this stuff.
But then again, this is MSNBC, the liberal wack-a-doodle version of Fox News.
Is there some media outlet that isn't slanted left or right? And has a spell-checker?
Just asking.
He's what we call a hero's.. hero. God bless him in everything he does in his life..I'm so proud to have people like him serving our great nation and showing all life goes on no matter what!!
People like him make me vomit. Just anything to get attention so that someone else can feel sorry for them and give him more money.
You could do the same - we'll tap you with a billiard ball.
Damien - it is people like you who make me want to vomit. He let the IED blow out his eyes so he can get attentiona and so we would all feel sorry for him, not. Personally I appreciate that there are women and men who are willing to serve in our military, take risks that people like you never would because you are propbably too self centered and selfish. I doubt he will get more money as a para-athlete - they dont make the endorsment dollars like Michael (BONG) Phelps.
Cheetah - I was actually thinking a bowling ball.
All I have to say is, Go get 'em tiger!!!!! Hope he wins!
Damien: Obviously you haven't read the articles. He wants to compete in the Olympics and the Olympics are a not for profit organization. To compete the athletes have to depend on the charity of others. And the dedication and the hours and months and years of daily training to get there are extensive and grueling. Perhaps you should work at your understanding of what it takes to compete at the highest level?
Damien
This young Lt. has more Guts and Courage than you and ten of your friends combined . Please allow me to be the first to tap you on the head with an AIRCRAFT CARRIER ANCHOR .
Damien, does your Mother know you ditched school today? D-BAG
Kate - while you and I may wish that the Olympics were a n on-profit making event and that the participants were not Professionals - that changed years ago - no Olympic host city wants to loose money on the games though many do - the sponsors (COKE, MCDOnalds, Home Depot etc) are in it for the $$$. THe athletes for the most part in the regular games are PROS - just look at the US Basketball team, the baseball team, etc. even the swimmers make big bucks on sponsorships. It is in my opinion unfortunate but thats the way it is. Even the WOmens SOccer team and other teams get bucks, the track athletes get appearance fees. They may not make millions but they make a decent amount.
Damien is a troll folks... pay no attention. Just a stupid idiot :)
Damien, you are an ASS!!!
This American soldier cannot represent America in London, he can though represent the United States.
The rest of America, which is a continent from Canada to Argentina, has their own representatives to the Olympic games in London.
Geography does not lie, and somebody needs a lesson on the subject.
Why wont this idiocy go away? I'm from Brazil (what you call part of "America", and I don't).
There's no point to using "America" to refer to two massive and diverse continents, that's why very few do it. It's better to be more specific (e.g. "Latin America").
Also, when a country has a long name, we use the most unique/clearly noticeable/obvious word:
Plurinational State of Bolivia - Bolivia
Oriental Republic of Uruguay - Uruguay
United Mexican States - Mexico
Argentine Republic - Argentina
United States of America - America
x0a.cake.... reference my post below and add your name to rasputin, damien and robert.
Thank you, xoa.! I hear this from idiots all the time. "Well, Canada is in North America, so don't say 'America' to refer to the United States!"
OK, then, we'll call Canada "America, Junior" - how you like that? Feel included now? Send us more of your natural resources to fund your welfare state and shut up.
In reality, no one in Latin America, Canada, or South America refers to their country as "America" or thinks of themselves as living in "America" - it is just one of those silly PC arguments.
It is like the UK - or should we call it Great Britain, or England? "I'm not in England, I'm in Wales!" they whine. Well, the rest of the world really doesn't care. It is all Jolly Olde England to the rest of us.
And yea, people call the United States of America, "America" for short. Get over it - and find something better to do with your time than to use this as an example of "Global Hegemony"
And yea, the formal translation of the name of Mexico is "The United States of Mexico" - their national shield even looks like that of the USA as well!
Does that mean we call Mexico "the United States"? Of course not.
Let's put this silly argument to rest.
And I promise, the next person who says, "We're part of America, too!" gets a punch in the face for their efforts.
I am sick of this nonsense.
@Rasputin, Damien and Robert
Wow. Really? That's all you got from the article?? How about seeing how someone is turning a negative event in their lives into something positive and inspirational for someone else who may be struggling with a disability.
For Lt.Snyder.....Hand Salute from this USAF Vet........Go Navy!!
Cowboy - I agree with your shot over the bow of both Damien and Rasputin, but Robert I thinbk was trying to point out to Rasputin that when people in this worl think of the USA they think AMerica. He was being polite and respectful, not something Damien could claim.
ANd thank God for heroes like Lt Snyder I hope he makes the team - and Cowbay thank you to.
May I respectfully submit that it is YOU who needs the lesson? "America" is not *A* continent from Canada to Argentina. It is, in actuality, TWO continents. One is NORTH America. The other SOUTH America.
That aside, this Wounded Warrior is an inspiration and I wish him all the luck in the world!
What is wrong with this story? Glorifying that he is alive after all the MURDERING done by the USA in Afghanistan and around the world. This murderer does not represent me or anything I stand for which is PEACE! Hope he doesn't make it. My tax dollars already have to pay for our STUPIDITY in Afghanistan, plus him coming back for me to support. How much did we pay for his eyes? We have a country that is being run by an illegal government and people are worried about a murderer making a swim team. Maybe a drone will fly over his pool and crash only $157 million dollars. Piss poor mentality of Americans. Sports and corruption, we would win hands down all around the world. To all the other people in the world, please don't think that ALL of us are as stupid as our government would like you to think of us. We are now repressed in the USA by our Dictator Obama, who uses the military, courts, and corporation to try and keep us down. We are still here BUT LUCKILY after November he is toast! To bad we couldn't have elected someone like Justice Marshall from the Supreme court. He would have shown how a true MAN of color would have run a country and not disgraced his race nor the people in his country. How many years have we waited for an African American to show what they are made of? Sorry but I will remember this during the rest of my lifetime votes and Obama you did create the environment where I would have a hard time EVER trusting someone of color. Thanks for tearing America even further apart again. You and Michelle go eat your cake!
Go Brad Go!
Is the U.S olympic team going to be full of baby killers. Or wannabe baby killers. If so I'm not watching.
What the Olympics need are more Ray killers.
ray-2211901
As long as you have nothing better to do. Please feel free to pick up a weapon and go to the middle east or Africa . It would give some of our Fighting Men and Women a welcome break . Trolls are always Welcome On The Front Lines as pop up targets are in short supply.
you're the troll that supports these baby killers, bob .
Ray, they've probably saved more children than you will ever know. Besides from literally saving them from a certain situation, they kill the people who would be more than happy to use them as suicide bombers and don't care who they kill as long as they get what they want. Let's not forget all of our children at home whom I'm sure terrorists would love to kill.
you keep thinking that. If that helps you sleep at night, so be it.
‘You’re close to the wall!’ ”
versus
“Of course, you’re natural instinct is to tell him how he’s doing."
Mr. Briggs, please learn the difference between You're and Your. Thank you.
Oh God. They always build up these stories during the Olympics.
All of you have the right to your own opinions. Some people agree with U.S. forces in Iraq/Afganistan and some disagree. Perhaps you don't agree (or respect) LT Snyder's choice of occupation, i.e., Explosive Ordinance Officer, United States Navy. That's your right. But please RESPECT him as a human being. All human beings deserve respect! Respect the fact the he is trying, in his own way, to adjust in a sighted society.
Except if they live in Afghanistan
This is so lame. Olympics be damned;just try to live a normal life like everyone else. Being blind and trying to get around in the real world is much harder than swimming some laps! I'll give him a gold medal for crossing a busy street while blind;it's hard enough to do with full vision.
What's so lame??? He's an AMERICAN hero you @!$%#. He lost his sight while fighting in a war and now he is trying to find some way to fit back in...after being in the militay you just don't walk out the gate one day and forget it all. So this is another structured way of life for him and you call it lame...shame on you.
Give them hell in London Lt. Snyder and thank-you for your service...God Bless you!!!
Air Force Vet
Any of you people notice the word, paralympics?
GO BRAD, GO!!!!