Former Blacksburg High School and Virginia Tech receiver Sidney Snell passed away this past weekend at the age of 61 after a short hospital stay.
Snell joined the Hokies in 1977 after rewriting the record book at Blacksburg High School.
Dave Crist, who retired in 2014 after coaching at Blacksburg High School for 40 seasons, remembers Snell not only as a player but also as a human being. “He was just everybody’s friend,” Crist said by phone Sunday night. “He (Snell) had unusual characteristics for both off and on the field where he was an extraordinary athlete.”
In 1979, Snell had 10 receptions in one game against Virginia to place him seventh on the single-game record list at Virginia Tech. Snell also ranks fourth in the Tech record books for receiving touchdowns in a single season with eight in 1980. He finished his Tech career with 15 touchdown receptions over three seasons from 1977-1980.
Snell (6-1, 200) was a starter at Blacksburg High for three seasons and was named the New River District Offensive Player his sophomore year.
Snell was recently inducted into the Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame and was a member of the inaugural sports hall of fame class at Blacksburg High School.
Snell narrowed his final college choices to the Hokies and N.C. State and decided to stay at home.
