PROCTORVILLE, Ohio -- A man who roams the hallways at Fairland High School is known to his colleagues, players and students simply as "Coach."

It's a simple five-letter word, but the impact of Roger Snyder has been monumental.

After 41 years of coaching and teaching classes in health, history and physical education, Snyder will retire at the end of the school year. He will take a lifetime of memories with him.

"I got into coaching because I wanted to coach and it seems like people get into it today to make money," said Snyder, who coaches baseball and football while also serving as the Fairland athletic director. "It's all I wanted to do since I was in high school, and I just love helping kids.

"I try to have a system where kids are learning just as much about life as they are playing baseball. I have always tried to teach values and stress how important the classroom is."

Snyder has not only coached 41 years, he also has been married 41 years to the love of his life, Donna Snyder. He said she wasn't a big sports fan at first, but eventually his wife was keeping scorebooks and even scouting for him.

"I couldn't have done all this without my wife's help, support and everything she has done for me," Snyder said. "The first 20 years I was married my wife and I never even had a summer vacation because I was so busy with coaching."

With retirement looming, Snyder said he plans to make things up to his wife by taking some long overdue trips that involve lots of relaxation.

Donna Snyder said she enjoyed the journey.

"If your husband is a coach and you want to see him then you have to get actively involved," she said. "I wouldn't trade the experiences we've had together for anything in the world."

Donna Snyder also coached four years of volleyball at Fairland and umpired baseball games for Little League, Big League and Senior League.

This baseball season, Snyder eclipsed a historical mark when he reached 400 victories. In 30 years of coaching baseball, he has a 410-213 record. Snyder has been the baseball coach at Fairland for the past 22 years. The Dragons have a 13-1 record this spring.

Fairland plays a home game Friday in the Ohio Division III sectionals.

"My baseball wins are a product of a lot of years with good players and good assistant coaches," Snyder said. He also said he couldn't have had the success he's had without Bryan Ward, his assistant for the last 22 years.

Snyder was a head football coach for 21 years, with 13 of those at Fairland. His overall football record stands at 129-83. Snyder also had stints as an assistant basketball coach and even coached track and field.

Along with his busy teaching and coaching schedule, Snyder has been the athletic director at Fairland for 20 years.

Some of Snyder's fondest memories as a coach include winning a state football championship with Ravenswood High School in West Virginia and making it to the regionals as the coach of Fairland's baseball team.

Through his long and distinguished tenure, Snyder has not only been a coach, but he has also been a father figure. When Snyder was in high school, the positive experience he had with his coaches made him want to follow in their footsteps.

"My high school coaches at Ravenswood had a lot of influence on what I wanted to do in my life, as far as becoming a coach," Snyder said. "I have so many kids that I have coached that have went on to become coaches and teachers themselves."

A perfect example of that is Chad Belville, who Snyder coached in baseball and football from 1987 to 1991. Belville now teaches and has coached at Fairland. The torch will be passed, as Belville will replace Snyder as athletic director.

"Not only was he my coach in high school he also gave me my first coaching job," Belville said. "He taught me and groomed me and it's a tremendous honor to take his place because he has been a father figure to thousands of kids.

"For me there is no replacing Roger Snyder. I can only hope to keep the atmosphere of excellence that he has created as athletic director."

Snyder said he and his wife might eventually move down south to be closer to their kids. His son, Brent, lives in North Carolina. Their daughter, Kellie, resides in South Carolina.

But wherever Snyder goes he will always be remembered by the Fairland faithful as "Coach."

AP Video

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Fairland coach Roger Snyder watches on during the baseball game against Chesapeake on Wednesday, April 22, 2009, at Fairland High School. After 41 years of coaching and teaching classes in health, history and physical education, Snyder will retire at the end of the school year.

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