Steve Snyder

Steve Snyder
Queen's Gaels
Born:London, Ontario
Career information
Position(s)Head coach
UniversitySt. Francis Xavier
CJFLLondon Beefeaters
High schoolH. B. Beal Secondary
Career history
As coach
2010–2011Osnabruck Tigers
(Offensive coordinator)
2012London Mustangs
(Running backs coach)
(Special teams coach)
2012–2013Windsor Lancers
(Special teams coordinator)
2013Essex Ravens
(Interim head coach)
2014–2016St. Francis Xavier X-Men
(Offensive coordinator)
2017–2018Western Mustangs
(Offensive coordinator)
2020–presentQueen's Gaels
(Head coach)
As player
2010–2011Osnabruck Tigers
AwardsCoach of the Year (2021)
HonoursVanier Cup champion – (2017)

Steve Snyder is the head coach for Queen's University's football team, the Queen's Gaels.[1] He was named U Sports football Coach of the Year in 2021 and won a Vanier Cup in 2017 with the Western Mustangs as the team's offensive coordinator.

Amateur career

Snyder played at quarterback with the London Beefeaters of the Canadian Junior Football League for Joe D'Amore in 2004.[2] He then enrolled at St. Francis Xavier University and played for the X-Men from 2007 to 2009.[2][3] He completed 347 of 636 pass attempts for 5,151 yards over the course of his three-year career with the X-Men.[3]

Coaching career

Early career

Following his university career, Snyder signed a contract to play for the Osnabruck Tigers of the American football Regionalliga in 2010 and also coached for their U18 team.[2] After two years with the Tigers, he returned to London to serve as the running backs coach and special teams coach for the London Jr. Mustangs of the Ontario Varsity Football League (OVFL).[2][4]

Windsor Lancers

Snyder earned his first opportunity to coach in U Sports when he was hired by Windsor Lancers head coach, Joe D'Amore, to serve as the team's special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator for the 2012 season.[5] He also served as the interim head coach for the Essex Ravens of the OVFL in 2013.[4]

St. Francis Xavier X-Men

On December 12, 2013, Snyder was named the offensive coordinator for the St. Francis Xavier X-Men.[5] After missing the playoffs in 2013, the X-Men made the playoffs in each of the three seasons that Snyder was with the team and also won Loney Bowl championships in 2015 and 2016.[6]

Western Mustangs

Snyder was named the offensive coordinator for the Western Mustangs on December 21, 2016.[6] In his first year with the team in 2017, the Mustangs won the 53rd Vanier Cup over the Laval Rouge et Or, which was Snyder's first national championship and Western's first since 1994. In 2018, the Mustangs again qualified for the Vanier Cup, but were defeated in the 54th Vanier Cup in the rematch against the Rouge et Or.[1]

Queen's Gaels

On December 19, 2018, Snyder was named the head coach for the Queen's Gaels.[7] In his first season, the team finished with a 3–5 record, which was the same as the year prior. He did not coach in 2020 due to the cancellation of the 2020 season.

In 2021, Snyder led the Gaels to a perfect 6–0 record and first place in the OUA East Division.[8] The team qualified for the Yates Cup, but were defeated by his former team, the Mustangs.[8] Despite the loss, Snyder was awarded the Frank Tindall Trophy as U Sports football coach of the year for the team's turnaround.[8]

In the 2022 season, Snyder again led the Gaels to a strong finish with a 7–1 record, but were again defeated by the Mustangs in the Yates Cup. In 2023, the Gaels had a fourth-place finish with a 5–3 record and lost to the Mustangs in the OUA semi-final.

References

  1. ^ a b "Steve Snyder". Queen's Gaels. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "Getting to know your U Sports coaches: Steve Snyder, Queen's Gaels". U Sports. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "X-Men all-time records". St. Francis Xavier X-Men and X-Women. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Steve Snyder". St. Francis Xavier X-Men and X-Women. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Steve Snyder named new X-Men football assistant coach; Waterman renews head coaching contract". St. Francis Xavier X-Men and X-Women. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Mustangs Football adds Steve Snyder to coaching staff". Western Mustangs. December 21, 2016.
  7. ^ "Steve Snyder to lead Gaels football into new era". Queen's University. December 19, 2018.
  8. ^ a b c "Queen's Gaels' Steve Snyder wins Frank Tindall Trophy as U SPORTS Football Coach of the Year". Queen's Gaels. November 28, 2021.