MORGANTOWN — Newly-named head football coach at University High School, Eric Snyder, has served as an assistant on Baker’s Ridge for 20 total years, beginning in 2002 as a 19-year-old student atending WVU.
Snyder coached with the Hawks every season from 2002 until the end of 2018 when he stepped down to have more time with family and see his children participate in their own sports and activities.
“My oldest stepson, Jack (Hudson) was a senior at Morgantown High in 2018 and a member of the golf team in the fall and was about to graduate,” Snyder said. “I missed a lot of his matches. Sometimes I would get to The Pines with two or three holes left and while I was glad to see that much, it was tough. He was blessed enough to make states that year and that’s when I realized Luke (Hudson) was going to be it for me as far as my kids and going through their childhood and I felt like I couldn’t miss that.”
While the decision was surely a difficult one for Snyder he knew it was time to step back and enjoy his youngest son’s last year as a middle schooler.
Eventually, Hudson entered his freshman season at University and during the summer before school began, decided he wanted to give football a try.
“He expressed some interest in playing and I thought he could be a good wide receiver initially but when he went to the first practice Coach John Kelley told him he had a future at quarterback,” Snyder said. “I started working with him a little bit before the season and he went out and impressed everyone his freshman year on JV.”
After his freshman year with UHS, Hudson approached his stepfather with a simple proposition.
“He and I were talking and he asked me if I would come back to coach,” Snyder said. “At first I said ‘What?’ but then told him I would think about it. It took me a night to do it but at the end of the day I thought my stepson was asking me to go do something with him, how could I not do it?”
What it meant to Hudson as a new football player was more than anyone could know.
“I had only started playing football that year and the reason I did is because of how much he brought me around and taught me while he was a coach,” Hudson said. “I think the absolute world of him and he’s one of the smartest sports-minded people I’ve ever known. One thing people don’t see about him is how much he impacts people, especially kids. He works so hard and is the most deserving person for this chance. I’m so happy for him to be the leader of UHS football.”
Snyder said he and Kelley had a discussion and agreed that he would come back to take over offensive coordinator duties.
“I enjoy the game of football thoroughly and it’s been my life since I was five or six years old,” Snyder said. “For my child to be able to enjoy that and experience that with me is priceless. It meant the world to me. Even Jack was heavily involved in supporting his brother and always being there every step of the way. It was a great family bonding experience for us and a big reason I am in the position I am in now as head coach.”
Hudson, a senior this year, was a multiple-season starting quarterback for the Hawks, setting several school passing record. As his stepfather has done, Hudson will also take the next step in his football career as he continues to Waynesburg University in the fall.
“I think he’s ready for the challenge of playing NCAA football,” Snyder said. “For him to get the experience to play at that level is magnificent. The coaching staff at Waynesburg are great people and Luke is happy to be heading there and I’m so excited for him.”
