2011Football Coaching Staff

Here we have all there is to know about the Snider Football team, for stats, scores, and a game summary, visit the unofficial Snider Football website at http://sniderfootball.org.

Tippmann | Arrington | Bergeron | Bowen | Bush | Burton | Cline | Danely | Davis | Dinan
Ehle-Fails | Fails | Gerbasich | Hirschelman | Hollandsworth | Honig | Ludwig | Martin | Murphy
Neddeff | Shackow | Sellhorn | Somers | Till | Vogt | Welklin | Wilson

Head Coach Kurt Tippmann 1st year as Head Coach 16 years coaching
15 years at Snider
Outside Linebacker Coach
Special Teams Coordinator

Assistant Head Coach Russ Bush 39 years coaching
40 years at Snider
Defensive Back Coach

Assistant Coaches:
Merrell Arrington 1st year coaching; 1st year at Snider; Inside Linebackers

Bob Bergeron 24 years coaching; 12 years at Snider; Wide Receiver Coach; Deep Snappers’ Coach

Quentin Bowen 7 years coaching; 6th year at Snider; Running Back Coach;
Reserve Special Teams Coordinator

Willie Burton 11 years coaching; 7th year at Snider; Inside Linebackers

Lance Cline 15 years coaching; 15 years at Snider; Offensive Line Coach,
Frosh Offensive Coordinator

Mike Danley 28 years coaching; 15 years at Snider; Defensive Line Coach

Neil Davis 19 years coaching; 1st year at Snider; Wide Receivers, Special Teams Assistant

Christina Ehle-Fails 10th year at Snider; Athletic Trainer; National Trainers Athletic Association Certified Athletic Trainer since 1995

Mike Ellinger 34 years at Snider as Video Technician

Craig Fails 7 years coaching; 7 years at Snider; Defensive Backs; Defensive Coordinator;
Special Teams

Mike Gerbasich 10 years coaching; 10th year at Snider; Quality Control Coach

Bob Hirschelman 2nd year at Snider; Athletic Trainer; National Trainers Athletic Association Certified
Athletic Trainer since 2000

Mike Hollandsworth 5th year at Snider; Defensive Assistant Coach, Special Teams Assistant;
Outside Linebacker Coach

David Ludwig 4th year coaching; 4th year at Snider; Quarterback Coach; Assistant Offensive Line Coach

Aaron Murphy 2nd year coaching; 2nd year at Snider; Offensive Line Coach

Jim Neddeff 13 years coaching; 13 years at Snider; Kicking Coach

Terri Schackow 11th year at Snider; Defensive Statistician

Tyler Sellhorn 4 years coaching; 1st year at Snider; Offensive Line, Tight End Coach, Special Teams,
Frosh Special Teams Launcher

Sam Somers 1st year coaching; 1st year at Snider; Assist with Offensive Line

Mike Till 7th year at Snider; Offensive Statistician; Video Coordinator

Gail Vogt 6th year as Snider Director of Football Operations

Dave Welklin 13 years coaching; 9 years at Snider; Offensive Tackles Coach

Ron Wilson 15 years coaching; 8 years at Snider; Defensive End Coach;
Reserve Special Teams Coordinator & Launcher

Meet the Coaches

Assistant Coach Merrell Arrington is in his first year with the Panthers. He works with the inside linebackers.. Merrell graduated from North Side High School and is a Fort Wayne a firefighter for the City of Fort Wayne. He and his wife, Angela, have four children that attend Concordia Elementary School; Madison, age 13; Maria, age 8; Maleena, age 5; and Johnnie, age 4.
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Assistant Coach Bob Bergeron is in his twelfth year with the Panthers, joining the Snider coaching staff after head coaching stints at Riverton Parke and Southern Wells. He works with the wide receivers. Coach Bergeron graduated from Bishop Luers in 1980 and the University of Michigan in 1984. He was the All-Big-Ten Kicker in 1983-84 and was Second-Team-All-American in 1983. He holds the career record for field goal percentage at the University of Michigan. He is married to Dr. Lisa Bergeron. She is an Indiana University Medical School graduate specialized in developmental pediatrics. Her office is by Parkview at Maplecrest Pediatrics. Bob and Lisa have one son, Robby, age four, and one daughter, Mary, age three years.
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Assistant Coach Quentin Bowen is in his sixth season at Snider this year. Quentin is a 2001 graduate of Snider. Quentin was a great tailback at Snider. He is in the record book for a season rushing record, and a career rushing record. After graduation, Quentin attended Rochester Technical Community College and played football there. He is currently employed at Lakeside Middle School, and has a new daughter.
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Assistant Coach Russ Bush counts this year as his thirty-ninth season on the Snider football staff. Coach Bush is the Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Backfield Coach. He is the senior member of all the Snider High School coaching staff. He teaches Biology at Snider. He is a 1967 graduate of Elmhurst High School and received his B.S. and M.A. degrees from The University of Saint Francis and Purdue University, respectively. His son, Doug, played football for Snider in 2002. Doug is married to Christine and resides in Florida. Russ’ wife, Georjean, retired from FWCS after thirty-four years of teaching.
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Asistant Coach Willie Burton begins his seventh season at Snider after spending three years on the Manchester College Football Staff, and one season with Wayne. Willie coaches Linebackers, Special Teams and is the Frosh Defensive Coordinator. Willie is a 1994 graduate of Snider. He was named All-State and played in the All-Star game. He was a starting Defensive Back on the 1992 State Championship team. He earned a scholarship to Bowling Green State University. He is a Manchester College graduate with a degree in education. Willie is a firefighter for the City of Fort Wayne, and has one son, Darnell, age twelve, and a stepson, Bryson Olden, a sophomore on the Snider football team.
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Assistant Coach Lance Cline is in his fifteenth year with the Panthers. He coaches the offensive line, and is the Head Frosh Coach, as well as the Frosh Offensive Coordinator. Lance was a player at Snider. Coach Cline is a 1989 graduate of Snider and a graduate of IPFW. He is self-employed as a self-defense instructor for many area organizations and sells fundraising for the Pizza Man Fundraising Company.
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Assistant Coach Mike Danley is in his fifteenth year with the Panthers. Coach Danley coaches the defensive tackles and serves as the Varsity Scout for Defense. A ’67 South Side High School graduate, Mike attended Western Michigan University and graduated in 1971 with a B.S. in Business Education. He completed an M.S. in Education from Indiana University. While at WMU, Coach Danley earned All-MAC honors as a defensive lineman. Coach Danley brings years of coaching experience to the Snider staff having coached at Northrop from 1972-1985. He is the DECA Coordinator at Snider. He and his wife, Christine, are the parents of a son and daughter. Brandon played football at Snider and graduated in 2000. He is a graduate of Indiana University majoring in Business Management and Marketing, and is employed by Bosten Beer Company in Boston as a Senior District Manager. Richelle studied special education and hearing impairment at IUPUI, and is currently working in Indianapolis for the Warren School System. His wife, Christine, teaches at Holland Elementary.
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Assistant Coach Neal Davis is in his nineteenth year of coaching; his first year at Snider High School. Coach Davis works with the Wide Receivers and assists with the Special Teams. Neal graduated from Purdue University with a BS degree; and from Indiana University with a MS degree. Coach Davis coached at Concordia High School from 1986 – 1988; North Side from 1990 – 1999; and most recently at Hamilton Southeastern from 2003 – 2007. He is a great addition to the Panther Coaching Staff.
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Assistant Coach Doug Dinan is in his seventeenth year on the Snider Football Staff. Coach Dinan is a 1985 graduate of Zanesville Rosecrans HS. He graduated from Ohio State University in 1990. He currently teaches mathematics at Snider High School. He and his wife, Charlotte, are the parents of a daughter, Danielle, 16; and two sons: Cody, 11, who serves as one of the ball boys for the varsity team, and Cade, 7. Danielle will be a junior at Snider High School, Cody will be in the sixth grade at Lane Middle School this fall, and Cade will be in the first grade at Glenwood Park Elementary.
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Assistant Coach Christina Ehle-Fails is in her tenth year with the Snider Football Program as the Athletic Trainer. She attended the University of Indianapolis earning her B.S. in Biology with a minor in Athletic Training. She passed her National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification Exam in 1995. She attended Indiana University and completed her teacher certification in 1996. Christina has completed her Masters degree in School Administration. She student taught at Snider in Biology with Coach Russ Bush and served as a volunteer Athletic Trainer in 1996. She teaches Biology and Sports Medicine. She developed the curriculum for the Snider Sports Medicine Athletic Training Program. She is married to Craig Fails who coaches baseball and football, and teaches math at Snider High School.
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Assistant Coach Craig Fails is in his seventh season on the football staff after arriving at Snider in the fall of 2002. This is his thirteenth year with FWCS teaching mathematics. Craig graduated from the University of Indianapolis in 1996 with a B.S. in Education and was an outstanding baseball player. He has completed an M.S. in Educational Administration. Craig is married to Christina, the Athletic Trainer for the Football Program.
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Assistant Mike Gerbasich begins his tenth year at Snider; and is the Panthers’ Quality Control coach. He is married to Michelle who is an English teacher for Snider and the boys golf coach. They have two children; Katie, age four; and Bryce, age eighteen months.
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Assistant Coach Bob Hirschelman is in his second year with the Snider football staff. He has been a certified trainer since the summer of 2000, and has been known as “Trainer Bob” ever since. Bob has been working for SportONE, a division of Orthopaedics Northeast. He and his wife, Stacy, have been married for ten years and have two children – Kyle, age six, and Cali, age four. Bob grew up in the Philippines and his hobbies include paintball and scuba diving.
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Assistant Coach Mike Hollandsworth is in his fifth year as an assistant coach working with the outside linebackers. Mike is a graduate of Snider where he played football and baseball. Mike coached football previously at New Haven High School and still coaches baseball here in Fort Wayne. Mike works at Snider High School while his wife, Michelle, works for Life Touch National.
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Assistant Coach Rich Honig is beginning his ninth season doing defensive statistics at football games. Rich is the Academic Advisor for the Snider Football Program this year. His wife, Kathi, is a teacher at Snider. They have four daughters, Meg, Katie, Anna, and Rachel. Meg is married to a former Snider football player, Marcus Heminger, and is currently employed as a special education teacher at Ithaca High School; Katie graduated from Point Loma College in San Diego and will begin her teaching career at Elmhurst High School this fall; Anna is a junior at Pepperdine University and Rachel is a senior at Snider and serves as one of the student trainers this year. Rich is co-owner of Berne Apparel.
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Assistant Coach David Ludwig begins his fourth season with the Snider Panther Football Program. David works with the Quarterbacks. David was a four-year member of the Snider Panther Football Program and graduated from Snider in 2006. He owns his own landscaping business, Three Rivers Landscape Co.
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Assistant Coach Lamar Martin begins his fourth year with the Panthers; and his fifth year in coaching. Coach Martin coaches the Defensive Tackles, Reserve Team Defensive Coordinator, and the Head Reserve Coach. Lamar earned a scholarship for football to Ohio University and earned a degree in Organizational Communications, as well as a minor in Sport Administrative and Business Administration. Coach Martin played defensive end for the Arena Football Fort Wayne Freedom Team, and is the current defensive coordinator for the Fort Wayne Freedom Team. Lamar teaches at Snider in the special education department, and is working towards his Masters in Special Education.
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Assistant Coach Aaron Murphy begins his second season on the Snider coaching staff. Aaron is a 2007 graduate of Snider. He will work with the offensive line. He is currently a student at IPFW.
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Assistant Coach Jim Neddeff is in his thirteenth year at Snider as the kicking coach. Coach Neddeff played high school football at Homestead. He continued his career at Ball State University as a walk-on kicker earning a scholarship in his sophomore year. Coach Neddeff earned three letters at Ball State as a varsity kicker. He was selected All MAC in 1976 and Academic All MAC in 1977. He holds the B.S.U. record for most extra points in a game – 9 – and in a season – 40. He and his wife, Julie, have two daughters, Kristen and Laura. Kristen graduated from Ball State University and is employed by Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, and Laura will be a senior at Snider this fall.
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Assistant Coach Terri Shackow, in her eleventh season with the Panthers, is the Defensive Statistician. She and her husband, Terry, are the proud parents of two sons, Brian, and Jason, and four grandchildren. She received her Associate Degree in Nursing from IPFW, and works at Appleseed Pediastrics. Brian graduated from Snider in 1995 and is the business manager for the Fort Wayne Wizards. Jason graduated in 1998 and is the co-defensive coordinator for the Lakeland High School football team.
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Assistant Coach Tyler Sellhorn is in his fourth year of coaching; and his first year with the Panthers. He is coaching the tight ends, offensive line, works with the Special Teams and is the Frosh Special Teams Launcher. Tyler was a GA at Taylor University; coached for one year at Chicago Hope Academy; and for one year at South Side High School. Tyler is employed by FWCS and is married to Brooke Sellhorn, head coach for the Panther Volleyball Program.
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Assistant Coach Sam Somers is in his first year with the Panthers and is working with the offensive line. Sam is a 2008 Snider graduate and played on the offensive line for four years for the Panthers. He is currently a student at IPFW.
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Assistant Coach Mike Till is in his seventh season with the Panthers as an Offensive Statistician. Mike is a 1986 Snider graduate and played football for the Panthers. He has five children; Julie graduated from Snider in 2007, and Michelle will be a junior at Snider in the fall. Mark, Michael and Jacqueline attend St. Charles Elementary.
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Assistant Coach Gail Vogt begins her sixth season with the Panthers as the Director of Football Operations and Statistics Coordinator. Gail graduated from Dupo High School in 1966 and from TWA Airline School in 1967. Gail has been at Snider since 1987 and is currently serving as the Athletic Administrative Assistant. Her husband, Dan, is retired from Kroger Company and they have three children - Lisa, Cheryl and Andy - as well as six grandchildren.
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Assistant Coach Dave Welklin begins his nineth season with the Snider coaching staff. He is a 1984 graduate of Snider. He earned his BS from Indiana University in Education. Coach Welklin swam at IU under Doc Counsilman. His football experience includes coaching the offensive line and defensive ends at North Side. He also coached the defensive line at Northrop. He is currently working as an insurance agent at Leland Smith Insurance Agency. He has one son, Zachary, who is a senior at Bishop Dwenger.
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Assistant Coach Ron Wilson begins his eighth season at Snider. Ron was an all conference player at Heritage High School. Following high school, he earned his BA in Education from I.U. Ron is married to Jennifer and they have two children; Jared is a sophomore at Snider and is a member of the football and wrestling teams. His daughter, Rachel, is thirteen and attends Blackhawk Middle School. Ron sells real estate for ReMax Home Connection.
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Panther
Football History

2008 marked the 44th season of varsity football competition for Snider High School. During 44 seasons, the Panthers have compiled a 377-109-3 win-loss record for a 77% winning percentage, with only two losing seasons in this 44 year period.

The Panthers have won thirteen Summit Athletic Conference Championships (1981,1982,1985,1986,1992,1994,1995,
1997, 1998,1999,2002, 2004, 2005), one North Division SAC title (1976), and prior to the formation of the SAC, one City Series Championship in 1966. In addition, Snider advanced to the IHSAA post-season playoffs three times before the open tournament began. Snider was State Runner-Up in Class 3A in 1981, State Runner-Up in Class 5A in 1986, 2002, and 2004, and State Champion in 5A in 1992. The post-season record for the panthers is 72 wins and 24 losses.

Snider’s first football season was led by Don Bruick. This team competed at the Junior Varsity level in 1964.

Snider has been led by four head coaches during the past 40 years. Bill Griffith was the initial varsity coach, heading the program from 1965 through 1970. Coach Griffith compiled a 34-16-3 record in his six years with the Panthers, including a City Series Championship.

Gary Patterson was Snider’s head coach from 1971 through 1975. Coach Patterson’s record during those years was 25-20-0.

From 1976 through 1990, Mike Hawley
served the Panthers as head coach. He compiled an overall record of 123-41-0, including four SAC Championships, four Sectionals, four Regional, two Semi-State, and two State Runner-Up titles.

Russ Isaacs became the Panthers’ fourth head coach in 1991. He directed the Panthers to a 194-32 record. Under Coach Isaacs’ leadership, the Panthers won nine SAC titles, thirteen Sectional titles, seven Regional titles, three Semi-State titles and one 5A State Championship.

Former Players
Continue Football Careers

2009 Panther Football Managers

2009 Panther Ball Boys

Cody Dinan, Colton Painter

Past Coaches

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Updated: December 9, 2008
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Athletic Director:
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Gail Vogt