Most of us think about retiring from the workforce sometime around age 60 or later. Some people really love their jobs and continue to work even longer. But, in the highly stressful profession of being a head football coach at a major university, it’s hard to believe that the love for your job and your players is so strong that you just can’t seem to give it up eventually.
Meet Kansas State’s legendary football coach, Bill Snyder. He turned 78 years young last October and just led his K-State Wildcats to an 8-5 season after winning the Cactus Bowl over UCLA, 35-17. The same Bill Snyder who is already in the College Football Hall of Fame and whose football team plays in a facility named, “Bill Snyder Family Stadium”.
In a statement on Tuesday where he announced yet another season at the helm of Kansas State University, Coach Snyder said, “As I have stated many times, as long as I remain in good health, am wanted and have a positive impact on the young people in our program, I will continue to be the head coach at Kansas State University”.
Penn State’s legendary coach, Joe Paterno, remained as head coach of the Nittany Lions through age 84. Florida State’s Bobby Bowden hung-up his coaching whistle at age 80. K-State’s Bill Snyder, at age 78, is now concluding his 26th season as head coach and sports a record of 210-110-1 in Manhattan, Kansas.
After a successful ten-year run as the offensive coordinator for coach Hayden Fry and the Iowa Hawkeyes, Bill Snyder was handed the reins of the Kansas State Wildcats football program in 1988. At the time, the school had the most losses in the history of Division 1-A. The football team was so bad (“How bad were they?”) that Kansas State was dubbed by one magazine as “Futility U”. The team had gone 0-26-1 prior to Bill Snyder’s hiring. Yes, they were that bad.
Snyder’s Wildcats eventually learned how to win and finished his third season with a 7-4 record in 1991. After that campaign, K-State remained a top 25 program for the next ten years. He announced his retirement after the 2005 season and a 5-6 record.
To thank their beloved football coach, Kansas State officials planned on renaming the stadium in Coach Snyder’s honor for his role in making football relevant at the university. Snyder said, “If you are going to do it, name it after the people that I care about the most.” So, the University’s regents agreed to rename the stadium “Bill Snyder Family Stadium” to honor the family of the coach who had led the team for the past 17 years (at least, at that point).
After watching the football program flounder after his retirement, Snyder agreed to return to coaching the Wildcats in 2009 as he turned the tender age of 70. Since his return, the team has climbed to as high as #2 in the Associated Press weekly college football rankings in 2012 before finishing that season with a stellar 11-2 record.
Snyder’s teams are not filled with 5-star athletes. For that matter, 4-star athletes are rare at K-State as it’s not exactly the most glamorous location for highly recruited college athletes to enjoy the nightlife. Coach Snyder’s ability to get his players focused and to buy into his “family” system has helped the team achieve great success nearly every season. His defenses are widely known for their gang tackling and helping cover for each other. K-State’s offenses are usually built around a versatile leader at quarterback who makes good decisions, can run the ball with authority, and throw accurately downfield.
But, the real reason which the players, fans, and Kansas State officials love Bill Snyder is that Bill Snyder, the man, is a solid leader of young men who respects and encourages his players to learn to become better citizens. Snyder has generously donated and raised funds for the K-State library and has become chairman of a mentoring program at the university.
About a year ago, Bill Snyder announced that he was being treated for throat cancer. Some 33 treatments later, the K-State football coach went back to work getting ready for this past football season.
So, who cares if this man is now 78 years old? After I have attended three funerals in the past few months, it really drills home how important it is to utilize your remaining time to make a positive difference. Bill Snyder loves his job, while his players, staff, and thousands of fans love him back. No wonder he wants to keep coaching!
Plus, how cool is it to come to work every day and see your name on the front of the football stadium?!!
Party on, Coach Snyder!