Not long after announcing the retirement of Howell’s head football coach, Bryan Koch, the search for his replacement ends after Westminster Christian Academy’s Cory Snyder accepts an offer for the position.  

Koch announced his retirement, Feb. 26, and was quoted by Mid Rivers Newsmagazine saying the reason for leaving was to focus more on his growing family of six.

“At the end of the day I have a 5-year-old, a 4-year-old, and 3-year-old twins and they have sports and activities six days a week,” Koch said to Mid Rivers Newsmagazine. “The job of being the head football coach at Francis Howell with a program of our caliber is extremely time consuming responsibility and over the last two years ultimately, I had to make the decision to spend time with my family and my biggest sounding boards were my oldest kids.”

Under Koch’s leadership, Howell’s football team became a force to be reckoned with, winning four district titles, and leading his team to the state semifinals for the first time in school history in 2011.

Westminster’s Snyder however, was among the key leaders who led Westminster’s football program through its early stages and oversaw its development into one of the most highly respected programs in the state, according to westnewsmagazine.com.

Koch’s shoes might seem hard to fill, but Snyder isn’t shying away from the challenge.

“When I saw Bryan stepped down, and I don’t know him personally but I have a lot of respect for him, it was intriguing to me,” Snyder said to westnewsmagazine.com. “We live in that district. My kids are in the third grade (son) and second grade (daughter). So that was important. I wasn’t sold on that was what I wanted to do. I thought it was worth a phone call and email. The more I learned about it, it became more appealing. Doors were opening and I went in that direction.”