By Gail Wood
He’s a coach with a sense of humor.
Curt Snyder, Shelton’s girls bowling coach for the past nine years, isn’t afraid to laugh. He’s not too serious about winning to forget to smile.
“I tell my girls on the team that if they’re not having a good time, they shouldn’t be out here,” Snyder said with a chuckle, of course.
But he doesn’t let humor get in the way of winning either. He’s serious about his team doing their best. Since Snyder became Shelton’s head coach in 2003, his team has advanced to state ever year but once, winning a state title in 2007.
“I’m also very serious about bowling correctly,” said Snyder, a 1966 Shelton graduate.
Since 1972, bowling and Synder are like coffee and cream – a perfect match. Besides coaching every week day during the winter, he bowls in two leagues each week, bowling in a men’s league on Thursday nights and in a coed league on Friday nights.
He’s bowled a perfect 300 game three times, most ever in Shelton. His average has been over 200 for the past 40 years, carrying a 210 right now at age 64.
Until three year ago, he brought his 92-year-old mother to bowl once a week. Now, 95, Louise Snyder has finally given up bowling.
“She’d still be bowling if her knees didn’t give out,” Snyder said. “Once the bowling alley here burned down, she gave it up.”
A message on Snyder’s answering machine is only a slight exaggeration. “We’re either bowling, golfing or in the hot tub.”
Bowling is a family event for the Snyders. Curt’s son, Curtis, daughter, Toby, and daughter-in-law, Clarissa Snyder are all on a coed team. Bowling is a big part of Curt’s life.
“It’s definitely a family outing,” Clarissa said. “He loves to bowl.”
Curt said the only way he’d approve of his son’s marriage was if Clarissa started bowling. Of course, he’s only half kidding.
“Our family is such a bowling family that we told Curtis that he better marry a girl who is a bowler,” Curt said, letting out another chuckle. “If not, then she better be willing to learn anyhow.”
Clarissa, who like her father-in-law, has a good sense of humor. In her first league bowling match, she rolled a 60. But after listing to Curt’s coaching advice, Clarissa has improved, rolling a 160 not long ago. Curt keeps telling her it’s not about power, blasting down pins.
“There was this older woman in the lane next to us who was in her 70s,” Clarissa said. “She was rolling what must have been an 8 mph ball and getting strikes. Curt is always telling me it doesn’t matter how hard you throw it.”
Not only are Curt’s kids good bowlers – Curtis averaging 220 and has rolled one perfect game. Curt’s two granddaughters – Toby’s daughters – are the two best bowlers on the Shelton High School team. Last year, Mishawn Ewart was the Narrows League’s top bowler, averaging 177. This year, Mishawn’s younger sister, Danielle Ewart, is No. 2 in the league with a 177 average. Mishawn is averaging 177.
“I’ve got to brag a little,” Curt said. “They’re pretty good.”
With Curt’s granddaughters leading the way, Shelton is 11-2 with two matches left and has nearly clinched another league title and another trip to state. Earlier this week, Shelton avenged a loss to Mount Tahoma and won 6 ½ to ½.
Curt helps keep his team loose by letting them put red and black ribbons in his gray hair.
“He doesn’t care,” Clarissa said. “He’s pretty funny.”
Curt said he enjoys bowling for a number of reasons.
“I think one of the things I like is I’m good at it,” Curt said. “But I enjoy golf too and I’m no good at that.”
And that’s like Curt’s approach to life and to coaching. He’s serious about winning, but he’s not so serious that he forgets to have a good time.
