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Touching all the Bases

Snider promotion a fitting move

Posted by: Jeff Huth

Monday, October 13, 2008 4:12 PM

Eric Snider has been an associate head coach in deed, if not in word, for years with the Illini baseball program. Now, fittingly, he has the title, too.
Illini head coach Dan Hartleb made that announcement Monday. The promotion of the 11th-year UI assistant was, we would argue, long overdue, considering the many hats Snider wears with the program and how well he performs so many vital duties.
On game days at Illinois Field, fans see Snider coaching at third base. That only scratches the surface of his contributions.
He's the hitting coach, the defensive instructor for infielders and outfielders, a recruiter with a proven track record (Big Ten players of the year Drew Davidson and Lars Davis were among his big catches, along with third-round pick Chris Robinson and multiple Freshman All-Americans).
He also handles the important, if unsung, behind-the-scenes work of coordinating the team's off-season conditioning program and the placement of players in summer collegiate leagues.
In sum, the guy is an invaluable member of a program that can be counted on to be in the Big Ten's upper echelon. And he has been for years.
In the summer of 2006, when Snider was a finalist for the Evansville head coaching position, he had to be disappointed when he wasn't hired. While reporting on Evansville's decision, I remember thinking Illinois should feel fortunate to be hanging onto Snider for at least a while longer.
Monday's announcement of Snider's promotion is a public acknowledgement of what he means to Illini baseball. He's Hartleb's invaluable right-hand man. Now he has the job title to go with it.