Coach Snyder Continues To Coach

The following is a column by Lieutenant Governor Mark Parkinson:

Life’s lessons come at unexpected times and in unexpected places. I learned that recently at the K.U. / K-State Football game.

I’ve never been to the Sunflower Showdown as lieutenant governor, and I wanted to make sure I represented the state well.  So, I did what I was told to do.  Stacy and I spent the first half in the stands and said hello to friends as we saw them.  Then we worked our way up to the suites for the second half, and circulated among the alumni and university officials for the rest of the game. 

Lieutenant governors are, well, after all, lieutenant governors. So it was perfectly understandable that after being kindly greeted, the fans in the suite quickly turned their attention back to the game.

Until we entered the suite of former K-State football coach Bill Snyder.  There were nine minutes to go in the game.  KU was ahead by three points and K-State was driving towards a touchdown.  Stacy and I walked in; Coach stood up, and warmly greeted us.

He asked how we were doing; how was the governor; were we making progress with our initiatives; was our family holding up?  He introduced us to his wife and daughter.  And he did it all with a level of sincerity that no one could question.

Coach Snyder is a Kansas treasure. Record setting wins, a legacy of bowl trips and making K-State the second most successful program in the nation during his tenure. And, while his accomplishments are stunning, what I was struck by then – at that moment - was the lesson Coach Snyder taught me at that game: People are what’s important.

Long after I have forgotten the specifics of the game that day, I will remember how he showed me how people should treat other people.

Yes, life’s lessons come at unexpected times and in unexpected places.  And this is one I will always remember - Listening, caring, and providing support is always timely - no matter what is happening around us.

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