St. Alban's capped a 5-5 season last Saturday in a crushing, one-point loss to IAC opponent, Landon. And in that season finale, came the last game of defensive end/wide receiver Charles Snowden's high school football career.
It's a bittersweet end for the senior, who joined the team after feeling captivated by the soulful spirit surrounding Bulldog football.
"I was at the first football game and we had the new stadium and all of our friends came out. I was in the stands and I just...I caught the football fever. Seeing all my friends out there on the field having a good time..." Snowden recalled.
That epiphany-type moment hit Charles hard. The former Blake High School basketball player transferred to the D.C.-based private school after his freshman year, with the intent to continue along with the same sport. But, he couldn't help but follow through with the urge to dip back into the pigskin game, for the first time since grade school.
"He's had to work very hard at it. He's had to relearn a lot of things. We moved him to a defensive position that I'm not sure he played before," said eleven-year St. Alban's coach Gary Schnell.
There was a learning curve, but not a very steep one. Charles was quickly embraced by his teammates, voted by the Bulldogs as 'Most Admired' at the end-of-season banquet. All factors combined, he managed to not only learn quickly, but excel quickly on the field.
His first year with the basketball team further proved the valued presence he brings to the activities he commits to, and the people he chooses to tackle accompanying goals with, as his buddies on the court voted him 'Best Teammate.'
"I thought (his receiving the award) spoke volumes because the majority of our varsity team had already played together for a year and for Charles to be a first-year player and get that recognition speaks volumes about his overall character," said head basketball coach OJ Johnson.
Coach Johnson and Coach Schnell raved about the character, work ethic, intellectual abilities, and athleticism the multi-talented Snowden brings to their teams. His skills and characteristics lent to quick learning on the gridiron...and colleges began to take note.
Recruiters had looked at Charles for basketball, the sport he had always envisioned himself playing at the college level. But as his football skills developed quickly, recruiters for what was essentially his 'add-on' sport, began to take note. Charles had no choice but to reconsider his options.
A successful start to this now-past 2016 football season helped solidify his mind in terms of which sport he wanted to pursue the upcoming four years.
"I think this season with this football team and this coaching staff really showed me that I love football enough to play (at the college level.)"
The newfound inspiration for a potential future in football is understandable, considering the team's upturn from the previous two seasons, in which the Bulldogs went a combined 2-18.
Having had very similar past experience, Coach Johnson played a helpful role in Charles’ decision-making. A former Bulldog himself, he played the same two sports while at St. Alban’s and even went on to the University of Virginia for football….the same school that offered Charles a scholarship this past October.
“I remember meeting with his parents after they met with Coach Schnell to confirm going through the process of him joining the football team and I told him mom and dad, I said ‘Do not be surprised if Charles gets a great football opportunity for college’ and they both looked at me as if I was crazy,” Johnson said. “Just knowing how hard of a worker Charles was and special athlete, I knew he had big things in store for him.”
Charles officially made his decision to become a Cavalier in mid-October. Knowing his history entrenched in basketball, all kinds of reactions were spurred in school and on social media.
“A lot of people were very confused. They said ‘Virginia for basketball…football…? Are you played receiver, D-end…do you even have the grades to go to Virginia…?” Charles admitted with a big smile.
While UVA holds pretty high standards for incoming student athletes, Charles’ ability to meet that standard really isn’t much of a question. In fact, he transferred schools for the purpose of a higher academic challenge.
“He’s really bright. He’s got a great analytical mind…he can put things together, he can synthesize material,” said history professor John Campbell. “In history, you have to project how others might have felt in certain situations that are foreign to you as we’re sitting in the classroom thinking about things that happened in the past and the way people felt. He has a tremendous ability to empathize and that makes him a really strong history student.”
A common point emphasized between Coach Schnell, Coach Johnson, and Campbell is Charles’ strong character – something people are drawn to, helps guide us in making life’s biggest decisions, and can be applied to whichever paths we ultimately choose.
“He’s tremendously bright, but I think what’s most exceptional about him is he’s got a great moral compass and he’s really a tremendously kind, compassionate young man,” said Campbell, also a St. Alban's alum.
“I got a phone call from the recruiting coach and all kind of person Charles was," Coach Schnell remembered.
Schnell’s response could very easily have been what sealed the deal for that official offer to come through. But it’s the years of work and care put in by the soon-to-be high school graduate that afforded his next opportunity.
Now that the football season has ended, time and sweat are being put in on the court.
Coming off a 14-12 season, the Bulldog basketball team begins this year's slate with a tall order -- an away, non-conference game against H.D. Woodson: the DCSAA's defending state champions.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:15 on December 2.
