The late Jim Snyder was a pioneer wrestling sportswriter who promoted the mat sport in his columns during the 1950s. Jim Snyder was from the "old school." Using only a pen, pad, and typewriter, he put Mountain State wrestling on the map. A sportswriter for the Parkersburg News, Snyder spent nearly three decades covering area dual meets, tournaments, and the state championships throughout the state.
The late legendary coach of Parkersburg South, Rod Oldham, once stated, "Jim was doing more to promote wrestling in its beginning than any other newspaper man. He's truly the 'father of wrestling sportswriters' in the state."
Joe Handlan, the former ultra-successful mat mentor at Parkersburg High School, said of Snyder, "He began covering high school wrestling in West Virginia at a time when no other sportswriter in the state could take the time. He was there when wrestling needed him the most."
With the advent of the technology age, West Virginia wrestling was then blessed with the "new school" arrival of Dr. Tim Miller. If you want to know anything about the mat sport in the Mountain State, you need only to click onto Doc Miller's www.wvmat.com, the most informative state wrestling website in the country.
With the support of every wrestling coach in the state, Dr. Miller's "WV-Mat" premiered on the internet in 1996, and like the universe, has never stopped expanding. Below are just a few of the initial responses from coaches regarding the site:
"…great idea, you can count on my support…"Due to their undaunted efforts in the promotion of West Virginia wrestling, we honor the late Jim Snyder and Dr. Tim Miller in naming the sportswriter of the year accolade: THE SNYDER-MILLER MEDIA AWARD.
Roy Michael, North Marion High School
"…I think this is a fantastic idea…"
Horace Blankenship, Berkeley Springs High School
"…I support your efforts 100%..."
Garry Bender, Roane County High School
"I am deeply honored by this award. I am glad a hobby has turned into a useful tool for our students and their coaches," Miller said.
