Hamilton has its own connection to the Olympic movement as the manager of Fort Hamilton Hospital’s Sports Medicine Service serves as a volunteer trainer for America’s most elite athletes.

Travis Snyder, a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Sports Medicine Team, served as a member of the sports medicine team for the U.S. Bobsled Team’s World Cup Tour last month as the team made two stops in Europe at Winterberg, Germany, and in La Plagne, France.

Snyder, 40, previously served as a trainer at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, and the 2010 International Paralympic Swimming World Championships in the Netherlands.

“Serving the USOC and our USA athletes is an incredible experience,” Snyder said. “Not only are you able to work with and help phenomenal and humble athletes compete at the highest level in the world for their event but we as a team represent the United States and compete against other nations across the globe.”

Snyder has been a volunteer with the USOC’s Sports Medicine Team for the past nine years. The sports medicine team members from across the country get assigned to the National Governing Bodies, such as USA Bobsled as the teams’ needs dictate. This time around, the Bobsled team was in their World Cup Tour and he was assigned to this leg of the trip.

“I was very honored to have been selected for a international third trip,” he said. “On the professional side, it’s a validation of the skills I have work and I have the opportunity to work with the elite athletes of our country. It’s an honor to work with these people. On the personal side, I work with true Olympic athletes and have seen the sacrifices they’ve made.”

While some of the sports governing organizations have their own sports medicine teams, the USOC provides sports medicine teams for other organizations and set up medical facilities that are stationed where the teams are training.

Snyder said becoming a team member is not an easy process and not everyone can qualify.

“The successful volunteers across this nation do this work because we love the opportunity to represent our country but also to support much deserving athletes, he said. “Olympic athletes perform because of love of the sport and are not financially driven. This is just a small part I play in giving back to these athletes for competing and representing all of us on a global scale.”

There is a multi-step process in becoming a part of the USOC’s program, he said.

“First there is the basic application similar to applying for a job and meeting minimum requirements. Secondly there is a two-week rotation at one of the Olympic Trading Centers in which the full-time USOC staff evaluates your skills, knowledge, rapport with the athletes, and various other characteristics that they feel fit their needs,” Snyder said. “From this point forward the USOC determines your compatibility and you begin the process of working local, regional, national, and international sporting events. I am very honored they have selected me to service our finest USA athletes on my third international sporting event. The medical team services the athletes based on their individual medical and physical needs.”

While he said there is a lot of fun, he also said it’s also a lot of work.

“You’re there to vacation, you’re there to take care of our athletes,” he said.

However, he said being able to spend a month in China during the 2008 Beijing Olympic games was a great opportunity to take in the that culture as well as be a part of summer games. Snyder also said watching the Paralympic swimmers was also impressive.

“They are tremendous athletes who have overcome adversity and physical challenges,” he said. “They triumph over everything.”

Snyder said he’s grateful that he has a very supportive wife and employer because without their support, he would not be able to continue to represent them and the USA Olympic Teams on a global level. He has been at Fort Hamilton Hospital since July and with the Kettering Health Network nearly six years. In addition, Snyder also serves as head athletic trainer at Badin High School

He and his wife are the parents of five-year-old twins and are expecting another set of twins.