Craig Snyder, seated, along with Washington head coach Wes Gibbs, yell instructions and encouragement to Lyndyn Gibbs at the State wrestling tournament in Columbus during her match against Cori Young of Olentangy Sunday, March 12, 2023. Gibbs won the match, 3-0 to place third at 120 pounds.
Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald
Craig Snyder has been reinstated as an assistant wrestling coach at Washington High School.
Snyder was among a group of eight coaches who were approved by the Washington City Schools Board of Education by a 4-0 vote Monday, Sept. 16.
One board member, Wendy Downing, was not in attendance at the meeting.
Snyder was informed last month that he would not be offered a contract for the 2024-25 season.
On Aug. 26, a total of 14 persons, including Snyder, addressed the board and spoke on behalf of Snyder, asking the board to reconsider and allow Snyder to continue as a Blue Lion wrestling coach.
Many who spoke in support of Snyder that night were Blue Lion wrestlers.
On Sept. 16, the following coaches were approved by a 4-0 vote of the board: Craig Snyder, assistant boys wrestling coach; Scott Coe, assistant football coach; Matt Massie, volunteer football coach; Wes Gibbs, head varsity girls wrestling coach; Marlin Ellis, middle school girls wrestling coach; Todd Mustain, volunteer wrestling coach; Dean Duros, volunteer boys basketball coach and Jason Wynne, volunteer boys and girls golf coach.
Snyder was pleased to learn that he was approved to continue coaching wrestling at Washington High School.
The Record-Herald spoke with Snyder, who was not at the meeting, later Monday evening.
“The main thing I thought about was, I was proud of the kids,” Snyder said. “The kids are the ones who really matter to me. They showed up and they understood their voices count.
“I was proud of them because I know it’s not easy for them to get up and speak in front of a bunch of adults like that,” Snyder said. “For them to do that, that meant a lot to me. Those are the ones who matter to me — the kids.
“To know that I have that kind of a bond with them, to where they have my back and they know that I have their backs,” Snyder said. “I think everything worked out the way it was supposed to. We just stayed positive. I think the kids getting up (in front of the school board) like that was huge.”
