SeaWolves coaches help Paralympians in New Zealand

Local coaches for the SeaWolves swim team were recently hired to consult with the New Zealand Olympic and Paralympic swim teams. Eric and Carrie Snell recently travelled to New Zealand for a week-long trip of consulting and product design. They are also the owners of the Pike County-based swim product company, SwimmersBest.com.Through SwimmersBest, the Snell family along with their three kids, Bethany Tilson, Jackson Snell and Mallory Tilson design, manufacture and market swim training products that are used by competitive swimmers of all ages. Many top United States colleges and Olympians use the products but as a family-operated company, SwimmersBest also focuses some of their attention on international markets. They have distributors of their products in many countries and their relationship with the New Zealand Olympic program has evolved into SwimmersBest signing a sponsorship contract with the New Zealand national Olympic program. Eric and Carrie spent time working one-on-one with many Olympians and Paralympians while they were in the country. New Zealand is the home of Sophie Pascoe, who has ranked as the world’s best Paralympian several times now with nine Gold and six Silver Olympic medals, as well as several other top-ranked Paralympians. Eric and his son Jackson have been working on developing a new line of products specifically for the needs of athletes with missing portions of their limbs.’In the U.S., our Paralympians are spread out over a large area and would require multiple trips to meet with them’ said coach Eric Snell. ‘However, in New Zealand we are able to meet with several of the world’s best Paralympians in the same trip. New Zealand is unique in the way their government supports their Olympians and their national program was anxious to work with us to help us start our unique products for Paralympic swimmers.’New Zealand is currently working on the approval for the funding of the next trip for the Snell family of coaches to travel back before the year is out. For their next trip, the group’s goal will be to include daughter Bethany, who works closely with many U.S. Olympians and college swimmers.’For the next trip we hope to spread out our resources, allowing me more time to work with the Paralympians while Bethany can focus on the training needs of their able-bodied olympians,’ said Eric. ‘Working with New Zealand has been a great opportunity for us to expand our products and our training support internationally. Our exposure and support of Olympians through our Swimmersbest products greatly helps us bring back vast expertise for our local swim team, the SeaWolves.’ For more information go to seawolvesswim.com and swimmersbest.com.