Longtime Simla coach Susan Snyder knows everything about everything.
At least, that’s what her players think. And with more than 20 years of coaching experience and the respect of her former players and peers, arguing that point might be, well, pointless.
“For every dilemma that we go through in games, she has an answer,” senior Kelsey Tucker said. “She’s got it stored away in her books, or something.”
Books? Perhaps they reside on the shelf at the 200-acre homestead Snyder shares with her family, somewhere near her greatest works, “How to win a state championship in 1994,” and the popular sequel, “How to do it again in 1996.”
In the past decade and the decade before that, Snyder and the Cubs have etched their names on the volleyball landscape from their town 24 miles southwest of Limon. No matter what kind of players Snyder is dealt, the Cubs have become synonymous with hard work and solid fundamentals – the great equalizers of Class 2A volleyball.
When the state tournament begins Friday at the Denver Coliseum, the Cubs (24-2) will be seeded third among eight teams. With just two seniors on a “taller than usual” lineup, the Cubs could set the table for greatness in 2007, or just start having a feast now.
“We just always seem to do the best with what we’ve got here,” Snyder said.
And what the Cubs have got this year is pretty impressive. Actually, to steal a phrase, they are a dandy little bunch.
All-state junior outside hitter RaeLynn Snyder gives the Cubs their height (5-feet-11), athleticism and a conduit to their coach. Snyder lives by the philosophies and tenacity her mother embodies (father, Al, is the girls basketball coach and athletic director), but is her own individual in terms of personality.
Just ask the teen what it means to play Simla volleyball and one is struck by the speed and thoughtfulness of her answer.
“I think we’re all about pride,” she said. “We’re pretty classy when we’re all together. We show our school we have pride in how we act and how we dress. I think that makes us pretty unique compared to other schools.”
Dress? Yes, tiny Simla, with now just around 85 high school students, has a strict dress code. It’s even stricter for athletes.
“We don’t show anything that doesn’t want to be seen,” RaeLynn Snyder said.
A year after graduating five seniors, four of which started, the rest of the Cubs are ready to be seen this weekend.
Tucker plays on the outside and as a middle blocker, similar to junior Elly Alexander. Dawn Jenkins, a 5-2 junior, is the Cubs’ libero, junior Mandy Webb is the right-side hitter and 5-9 sophomore Caroline Alexander has emerged into a solid and athletic setter.
Talent also permeates sophomores Tessa Hoggarth, Kelsey Carter and Christine Tompkins.
A dandy little bunch, indeed. Of course, it’s all by design.
Coach Snyder has been running her elementary school volleyball camp for the past 24 years. Four of her former players coach at the junior high or a lower high school level, so athletes know the Simla system and exactly what is expected of them.
This season especially, players have a direct link with the Simla success of 1996 in assistant coach and former standout Kelly Kocerha. Kocerha, who played at Northern Colorado, is a “defensive guru” and has shared her experiences and a video of winning state in 1996.
Coming up through the Simla system also teaches the kids how to play with the kind of never-say-die emotion their varsity coach possesses.
“She’s definitely a fiery coach, and you can tell her kids play that way,” said Byers coach Jolene Dodge, who has competed against Simla for 10 years.
“I’m pretty intense,” Susan Snyder admits. “As a farm kid, I always learned to compete, whether against the weather or against my brothers.”
Fortunately, it’s only about volleyball this weekend.
Volleyball
CLASS 5A
Math has long been the lowlight of many a high school day, but not to the degree it was last weekend. Pine Creek and Mountain Vista were forced to meet in a one-game playoff Monday to determine which team went to state after regional tournament officials used the wrong formula to determine the tiebreaker. When the dust and blushes faded, Pine Creek (21-2) is in as a No. 6 seed and Durango (20-3) gets the No. 4 seed for the state tournament. Mountain Vista’s breakout season, instead, ends a little earlier than the Golden Eagles had initially thought. So, now we move on to the official tournament pools. Eaglecrest (26-0) is back on top thanks to another incredible season and three – count ’em, three – victories over rival and two-time defending champion Grandview. The Raptors head Pool I along with Durango, Cherry Creek (22-4) and Doherty (17-8). Second-seeded Grandview (23-3) lead Pool II along with Heritage (23-3), Pine Creek and Lewis-Palmer (18-8). Of course, last year, Eaglecrest was in nearly the same spot, but couldn’t reproduce its regular-season form at state as Grandview returned to the final to face Chaparral.
CLASS 4A
If preseason predictions mean anything, 4A was the easiest to call – so far. Seven of the eight teams remaining were ranked at the start of the season in spots one through seven. The only wild card was Longmont (18-8), which emerged from the tough Northern League and holds down the No. 8 seed. Speaking of preseason, defending champion Sterling and Battle Mountain were the top choices among coaches and they share Pool I after the Huskies (25-1) slipped to the No. 4 seed. Sterling (25-1), which hasn’t lost to 4A competition since the 2004 state tournament, is the top seed in a pool that includes Northern leaguers Greeley West (23-3) and Longmont. Cheyenne Mountain (24-2) heads up Pool II along with two more Northern leaguers, Mountain View (23-3) and Skyline (20-6). Pueblo West (25-1) finally got over the regional hump but the Cyclones only managed a No. 6 seed for state.
CLASS 3A
Consider this your last chance to see one of the state’s best volleyball teams in recent memory, as Colorado Springs Christian says goodbye to its fantastic seniors. The two-time defending champion Lions are a treat to behold, and, win or lose, they are worth the price of admission for both days. Most coaches will tell you the top-seeded Lions (24-2) are practically untouchable, but stranger things have happened. Faith Christian (23-3) and Valley (24-2), both in Pool II, could eventually get a shot at the Lions in the knockout stage, in which one brilliant game could change everything. Fourth-seeded Basalt (25-2) is a fresh face in a field that looks familiar with St. Mary’s (18-8), Strasburg (21-5) and Platte Valley (16-11).
CLASS 2A
There will be a new champion here as Fowler bowed out of a very tough regional last week. So who will grab the Grizzlies’ vacated crown? Hoehne (25-1) gets the top seed and heads up Pool I along with Swink (21-5), Meeker (19-7) and Longmont Christian (21-5). Rangely (24-3) gives the Western Slope its second representative, sitting atop Pool II along with Simla (24-2), Sedgwick County (17-9) and Burlington (22-3). The experienced yet “new” Sedgwick County team is a co-op of defending 1A champion Julesburg and Revere. Burlington is probably more deep and talented than your average No. 7 seed, not to mention the fact the Cougars played in 3A last season.
CLASS 1A
With 2004 and 2005 champion Julesburg out of the picture all season, the battle for power has rarely strayed from what most anticipated back in September. All of this season’s big names will be here, headed by top-seeded Kit Carson (26-1) and No. 2 Fleming (25-1), talented programs that have yet to win a volleyball state title. Flagler (19-6), Otis (21-5) and Peetz (20-6) have previous titles in the bag, the most recent going to Otis in 2002. Slipping in a bit under the radar is Vail Christian (21-6) as the No. 8 seed. McClave (17-9) returns with a revamped lineup and the No. 7 seed.
(BRIAN FORBES)
