Hall of Honor inductees proud of Snyder

Mike Martin fought back tears, but expressed joy for his six seasons leading the Snyder High School girls’ basketball program during the Snyder Athletic Hall of Honor induction ceremony at Martha Ann Woman’s Club Friday.
Football players Chris Garrett and Trey Tippens, golfer Brooke Lowrance and volleyball player Sherry Bilderback joined Martin in the 2016 class. Snyder athletic department secretary Rhonda Ward received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Martin led Snyder to a 129-55 record, three district titles and the program’s only regional championship appearance during his six years at the school. Parents and former players signed and presented a collection of photos of Martin following the ceremony. Some of this former players escorted Martin to the podium prior to his induction speech.
“It has been a pleasure to come back and see a lot of familiar faces,” Martin said. “I had a lot of success with great players. Snyder was the best place that I’ve coached. Mr. (Larry) Scott was the best principal that I ever worked for. I remember one day being called to the superintendent’s office and he told me that he wanted a good girls’ basketball program. He told me to do it my way and he would support me.”
Martin, who is battling ALS, said his induction into the Hall of Honor was the highlight of his 42-year coaching career.
“I remember attending the first Hall of Honor induction and thought it was a good deal,” Martin said. “This is a personal huge honor for me. I appreciated everyone in Snyder and this town will always be a special place to me. I’m honored to say that I coached at Snyder.”
Garrett, who played football, basketball and track and field at Snyder, played tight end at the University of Nebraska for three years A leg injury ended his football career..
“I would not have become the person that I am today without this community,” Garrett said. “That includes everyone from elementary to high school teachers and my coaches. They taught me discipline to excel in life.”
Garrett joked about his relationship with Tippens during their high school years.
“We always tried to do things that made each other better,” Garrett said. “That’s my mentality today to help other people. My coaches always knew how to push the right buttons. I would not be standing here without them. They taught me how to be a man.”
Tippens, who fought back tears during his induction speech, was a four-year starter for the Snyder football and basketball teams and also competed in track and field. He played on the defensive line at Oklahoma for two years.
“Chris and I didn’t win any championships at Snyder, but we learned how to compete in life,” Tippens said. “We gave our all. I’m proud to become a part of the Hall of Honor. This community provided a lot and enabled me to accomplish what I have today.”
Lowrance was an all-American at Texas Tech and won the 1996 Texas State Amateur championship. She played on the United States NCAA team in South Africa at the 1997 NCAA World Golf Championship.
“Golf is considered an individual sport, but it takes teamwork to be successful,” Lawrence said. “I appreciated how my parents, teammates and coaches stood by me. My teammates kept it fun and  coaches paved the path to success. I’m proud 20 years later you remembered me and gave me this honor.”
Bilderback helped the Lady Tigers to a 99-11 record in three years and two state volleyball championships. She was named to the 1980 all-state team and the all-state tournament team.
“I played basketball until the seventh grade,” Bilderback said. “I made a basket for the other team and decided to focus my time and effort on volleyball.”
Bilderback said her high school coaches  prepared her teammates and herself for adulthood.
“Our coaches taught me three important things that I carried into adulthood — respect, teamwork and community,” Bilderback said. “They were timekeepers, laundry assistants, nurses, second moms and getaway drivers. They did it without social media and cell phones and knew where we were.”
Ward was the supervisor of the afterschool program in 1998 and was also the Snyder High School cheerleading sponsor. She has been the athletic department secretary since 2001.
“I looked up the definition of achievement and it was a result of hard work, effort and courage,” Ward said. “I survived five years of teaching first though fifth graders in the afterschool program and 12 years of driving, coaching and counseling cheerleaders.
She said she has worked with several good coaches over the past several years.
I’m also working for someone who I helped raised,” she joked about current head football coach/athletic director Cory Mandrell.