Westmoreland high school notebook: Greensburg Salem honors coach Snider

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, March 12, 2022 | 5:31 PM

Maybe the “Snider Mile” will become a thing in the future.

Greensburg Salem will honor the memory of one of its top coaches and mentors by naming its track after longtime cross country and track & field coach Steve Snider.

Snider died Feb. 28 after struggling with heart complications. He was 72.

The “Steven E. Snider Track & Field” will be dedicated April 20, before the Golden Lions’ meet against Hempfield.

Snider’s two sons will be coaching in the meet, and his two grandchildren will be competing.

“Greensburg Salem lost more than a great coach and teacher, but a truly great man,” Greensburg Salem athletic director Frank Sundry said. “The way he carried himself — as a man, educator and coach — made you want to do better, be better, because of the example he set. I ran for him and can attest to how great of a mentor and role model he was.”

Snider took a struggling program and flipped it into a winning one.

The Golden Lions girls won a PIAA title in 1993. His son, Nathan, guided the boys team to a state title in 2018.

Steve Snider was known for his ability to motivate his athletes while always keeping a positive vibe.

One popular “Sniderism” passed down is, “This ain’t no walkathon.”

PIHL all-stars

A number of local players were selected to play in the PIHL all-star games.

Three Burrell players made the D2 game: forward Caden Canfield, defenseman Riley Wislie and forward Joe Solaro.

Norwin’s Logan Fear (F), Alex Thomas (F), Ty Shigo (F), Owen Burmeister (GT) and Jake Meier (D), and Kiski Area’s Aiden Sites (D), Kyle Guido (F), and Ethan George (F) were picked for the Class A game.

The 2A game will feature Latrobe’s Vince Amatucci (GT), Josh Coffee (F), Fletcher Harvey (D), and JD Robinson (F); Jackson Kerrigan (GT), Ryan Crombie (F), Nate Loughner (F), Damian Dynys (D), and Bryce Kropczyski of Penn-Trafford; Chase Williams (F), Matt Knizer (F), Noah Shilling (GT), and Luke Beatty (D) of Franklin Regional; and Hempfield’s Damian Busch (F), Aidan Dunlap (F), and Nick Eberhart (D).

The games will be April 3 at Alpha Ice Complex. Division 2 will start the day at noon, followed by Class A at 2 p.m., 2A at 4 and 3A at 6.

Several local coaches will also take part in the games: Mark Hastings of Kiski Area, Eric Grant of Hempfield, Chris Cerutti of Penn-Trafford and John Winebrenner of Franklin Regional.

Recruiting 

Carlow doubled down on a pair of basketball recruits from the same school.

The Celtics picked up commitments from Monessen seniors Kody Kuhns and Kiantae Robinson.

Kuhns played small forward and guard for the Greyhounds, and Robinson contributed to an athletic backcourt.

• Ligonier Valley senior Miles Higgins committed to continue his track and field career at North Carolina Wilmington, a Division I program. Higgins won the WPIAL Class AA javelin title last season with a throw of 169 feet, 10 inches. He ended up fourth at the PIAA meet with a mark of 183-6.

He was the Westmoreland County Coaches Association champion in the javelin last year with a throw of 180-4.

• Greensburg Central Catholic football player Joe Semelka will continue his playing career at Grove City. Semelka is a 6-foot-2, 270-pound offensive guard and defensive end.

• Latrobe senior soccer player Claire Gerard committed to play at West Virginia Wesleyan.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Latrobe, Norwin, Penn-Trafford