Athletics

Coaching from Experience

N Our Voice by Bryan Snyder

Coaching from ExperienceJordyn Senstock

I grew up in a wrestling family and wrestled at Nebraska, but I didn’t realize how much I wanted to coach the sport until I stepped away for a moment.

Two years after graduating from Nebraska, I decided to continue my education. 

I left my graduate assistant coaching position to pursue a PhD at the University of Colorado Boulder.

A few years into the program, I found myself back near the mat, this time to study amateur wrestling from a sociological perspective. 

I worked with an inner-city high school program in Denver while researching for my dissertation. 

There, I watched wrestling transform kids’ lives. 

Many of the athletes didn’t have any experience or the right wrestling shoes, but their coach understood the sport’s power to change their lives on a grassroots level. 

I felt rejuvenated.

I knew I wanted to get back into coaching, and there was no better place to do that than at my alma mater.

After a year of coaching at Arizona State, Coach Mark Manning recruited me to come back to Nebraska.

And I couldn’t be more grateful.

Competing in college

I moved halfway across the country from Pennsylvania to compete in the Big 12, but every moment made it worth it.

I was surrounded by a strong support system — my coaches cared about me and my growth as much as I cared about competing. 

They helped my teammates and I develop physically and psychologically.

I was fortunate to have a strong work ethic. 

I learned that from my dad who wrestled at Penn State. 

But work ethic only takes you so far. 

My coaches and teammates challenged me and helped me find that next level.

But one of my favorite memories competing at Nebraska came before all the accolades. 

We were kind of a scrappy team my freshman year. 

No one expected a lot from us. 

We hosted a match against Iowa State, who was ranked fourth in the country at the time.

The match came down to me.

If I won, my team won. 

Thankfully, I was able to win a really close, tightly contested battle, 3-2.

That moment was special to be a part of because we forced some upsets and gritty wins to pull off a team victory.

Two decades later, and I’m still making memories here.

A coach's perspective

There’s nothing like coaching at your alma mater, especially when your alma mater is Nebraska. The Cornhusker fans’ support is unmatched.

It’s been awesome to watch guys come through the program as walk-ons and leave as All-Americans.

I was in Aaron Studebaker’s corner as he won his match to become an All-American.

It’s tough to match those feelings when you can see the joy that pours out of someone when they accomplish their goals.

Austin Wilson also had a great story — a small-town Nebraska kid who came to Lincoln with a dream. 

Watching guys’ dreams come true, knowing the training it took to get there, that’s why you coach.

Additionally, one of the biggest privileges for me as a coach is recruiting the next generation of Huskers.

It’s easy for me to “sell” the Husker experience because I’ve lived it.

I know this place is special, its fans are special and the support for student-athletes is unparalleled.

But overall, when I think about my legacy as a coach in this program, I hope I can say I helped people do more than they thought they could do.

I hope I was always an approachable resource and support system for the guys, both on and off the mat.

If they can say that Coach Snyder made them a better person during their time with me, then that’s a legacy I will be proud of.

Unfinished business

I’m excited to see where our program goes this season.

I know we can put more guys on the podium at NCAAs than we ever have. 

We can have more All-Americans than ever before. 

We have a team that’s capable of that.

But, l want our team to continue to grow every day and embrace the model that we’re unfinished products.

Tomorrow, we get to compete against #1 ranked Penn State.

And we couldn’t be more excited.

With my dad being a former Penn State wrestler, too, it just adds to the significance of the dual tomorrow.

We can’t wait for our fans to show up and cheer us on.

It’ll be a blast either way, so let’s show Penn State what we’re made of.

Go Big Red!