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Show a publication of The Spanish Fork News The Coaches' Coach Steve Hardman EDITOR At first glance, having Doug Snell named as the best high school coach •doesn't make sense. Though Snell coached at Spanish Fork High School nearly a decade and a half, he has served off the field as the Athletic Director for the past 10 years. One thing's for sure, though — on the field or off, this gruff, goateed math teacher loves sports, and always has. He graduated from Spanish Fork High School as the outstanding athlete. That physical prowess landed him a scholarship playing football at Dixie. "It's kind of funny," Snell said. "I was going to walk on at Snow, but they wouldn't offer me a scholarship. Then they saw me play tennis and offered me a full-ride. I turned them down." Snell said Dixie decided to offer him a football scholarship after watching him wrestle. Later, he was named Ail-American while playing for. SUSC in Cedar City. "I told the counselor my first year at Dixie that I would be the head football coach and athletic director at Spanish Fork High School within 10 years," he said. "That was my plan, even though she didn't believe me." Snell's coaching philosophy was simple: teach fundamentals and love the game. "I've always believed that people from Spanish Fork are as good as anyone in the world," he said. "Not just in sports, but life in general. I've tried to help the kids understand that." That outlook also applies to his classroom. In addition to sports, Snell loves math — the more difficult, the better. He earned his Masters in Math Education from BYU. And he enjoys coaching the kids in algebra as much as athletics. "Math comes easy for me," he said. "It's logical. Common sense. Thought provoking." So whether he is on thefieldor fielding questions, Doug Snell has been an integral part of Spanish Fork athletics for years. "I hope I've had an influence somewhere," he said. "Oh, one thing though. I'm still a coach. I coach the coaches." COMMITMENT: Whether in the classroom, on the field, or on the golf course, Doug Snell approaches life with a passion. •mmmm Steve Hardman / Spanish Fork News |