The Fountain Valley High School Baseball program has produced greats such as Luke Hudson, Kevin Romine and Chris Tillman. The squad currently has fantastic leadership under head coach Gerardo Gonzalez.
The developing, teaching and molding of great ballplayers must start somewhere at the high school level. At Fountain Valley High School, it begins and thrives under Coach Mark Snyder, the freshman head coach. He is the freshman head coach.
I sat down with coach Snyder before a recent freshman game in December against Gahr High School. He graciously took time out of his helping with the varsity game so that I could ask him about his coaching career. Coach Snyder has been the head coach of the freshman squad for most of the past 15 years.
I asked Coach Snyder about his coaching philosophy. It was about baseball, of course, but it was about more than teaching the fundamentals of the game. He believes part of the job is “trying to make men.” He and his staff really try to develop his players and build good habits.
Coaching the FVHS frosh team is not the only job for Coach Snyder. He runs his own technology business. He is an alum of FVHS and a Baron for Life kind of guy. It “feels like home and keeps me young,” he mentioned about his coaching the Barons.
If you make it to a game, you will see him coaching third base. You may see him fixing catcher’s gear or shouting encouraging words to his players. Those are just a couple examples of the dedication and pride he shows with regards to this baseball program.
While hesitant to take credit and be in the spot-light, he dished out praise for those around him. Coach Mark Snyder, the freshman head coach says he likes working with a “great group of guys.” Gerardo (head varsity coach) is a great head coach, he said. Bobby Nankervis and Wayne Ritchie help coach the freshman squad.
One of the Baron Baseball mottos is “Fueling champions with passionate play.” When his team earns a championship, Coach Snyder loves the accomplishment and memory, but he is just as proud when he sees players succeed in higher level baseball. Seeing players develop as ballplayers and young men is what drives the Baron program.