Robert Snook (Builder 2022)
Robert Snook started his physical education teaching career at Whitbourne All Grade in 1968. One year he was teaching at Horwood High School (Clarenville High School). At that time Clarenville was known as a hockey and basketball town but in 1969, Robert introduced the sport of volleyball to the school where the teams competed all over the Bonavista Peninsula. Robert moved to his hometown of Sunnyside in 1970. He started his storied coaching career at Sunnyside Integrated, later known as R. K. Gardner, for the next 27 years with the R.K. Gardner Scorpion Volleyball Program. R.K. Gardner was a small school with less than 100 high school students, male and female, and a gymnasium that was barely bigger than the outside boundary lines of a volleyball court.
Throughout the 70s and early 80s Robert built a program that competed in the Avalon West athletic district travelling to all parts of the province, from West Saint Modeste, Labrador to Harbour Brenton, to Cape St. George and beyond. The small population of R.K. Gardner was no deterrent or excuse for Robert. He trained his teams to compete against most of the volleyball powerhouses in the province and his Scorpions never shied away from competition. Having a high school population that classified them as an “A” school, Robert built a competitive team that eventually competed and won the provincial “AAA” title in 1988-89 season hosted by Bishops College. Leading with the philosophy that you only get better by playing up to stiffer competition, Robert moved the Scorpions up to the provincial “AAAA” the following year. The hard work and gamble paid off, but eventually they dropped the gold medal match to the much bigger school of Grand Falls Academy in 1989-90, bringing home the “AAAA” silver medals.
Throughout the 70s and early 80s Robert built a program that competed in the Avalon West athletic district travelling to all parts of the province, from West Saint Modeste, Labrador to Harbour Brenton, to Cape St. George and beyond. The small population of R.K. Gardner was no deterrent or excuse for Robert. He trained his teams to compete against most of the volleyball powerhouses in the province and his Scorpions never shied away from competition. Having a high school population that classified them as an “A” school, Robert built a competitive team that eventually competed and won the provincial “AAA” title in 1988-89 season hosted by Bishops College. Leading with the philosophy that you only get better by playing up to stiffer competition, Robert moved the Scorpions up to the provincial “AAAA” the following year. The hard work and gamble paid off, but eventually they dropped the gold medal match to the much bigger school of Grand Falls Academy in 1989-90, bringing home the “AAAA” silver medals.
When district rivalries were alive and well in the 80s and 90s, the Scorpions lead by Coach Snook were the perennial powerhouse. Competing and winning many invitational tournaments in Musgravetown, South West Arm and Random Island where they won back-to-back District Super Volley champions in 1988 and 1989.
In 1988 the Junior Scorpions came home with the Super Volley title. The championship was a result of the mentoring Robert offered to the younger coaches in the area. He created a great feeder system within the all-grade school. The junior teams looked up to the seniors lead by Snook and strived to be part of the senior program.
Volleyball was a family interest within the Snook household, coaching both his sons Blair and Corey and for one weekend, even got to coach his granddaughter, Emma.
Snook’s training program utilized anything within the school that could give the Scorpions a tactical advantage. He learned to use the low ceiling in the gymnasium forced the team to play a controlled passing game, but also forced them to run a low, speedy offense. The restricting walls around their home court meant there serving technique was one of limited approach and low trajectory, but of pinpoint accuracy.
Robert Snook was and still is a very active volunteer, whether it was on the court, or in the community. In 1985, he received the Newfoundland and Labrador High School Athletic Federation’s Certificate of Recognition for his dedication and commitment to his school’s sport programs in the Avalon West district. He served on the Avalon West executive committee in many capacities over the years, including President and Registrar. Later in 2012 he would be named a Newfoundland and Labrador Senior of Distinction. This recognition highlighted his involvement in his community church, Lions Club, area health boards, Sunnyside council, including being mayor, Memorial University School of Medicine selection committee among many other things.
