Coach keeping son's memory alive
EDMOND — Never far from his mind, Andy Schneider turned to his computer to send his son a note.
After Edmond North had a tough start to the wrestling season, Schneider was on a high after the Huskies dominated the Three Dog Night tournament between rivals Edmond Memorial and Edmond Santa Fe.
A lineup filled with new faces, Schneider was thrilled with how his guys were encouraging and celebrating with each other. A couple freshmen rose to the occasion, seniors embraced underclassmen and the whole team just clicked.
After the win, Schneider launched his Twitter account and typed out a message to Colton.
“You would've been so proud of your teammates,” he wrote. “They wrestled their hearts out tonight.”
He added #CJS, Coltons initials, and #SeniorYear before attaching a photo of his then 15-year-old son, crouched on a wrestling mat.
It's been more than three years since Andy and Angie Schneider lost their son. Colton Schneider died in an all-terrain vehicle accident while on a hunting trip in October 2015 just a few weeks before he would've had his first high school wrestling match with his dad as head coach.
Colton would be a senior this season and probably one of the Huskies' best wrestlers, too. In middle school, Colton went 33-1 and took second place at the state tournament,
one of the best seasons in program history.
He made friends everywhere he went and with just about anybody he wrestled against.
Andy Schneider doesn't shy from thinking about his son. He loves the chance to talk about him and the life he lived.
As Edmond North prepares to head to Dual State on Friday and Saturday at Firelake Arena in Shawnee, Schneider has been thinking a lot about what should have been Colton's last few varsity matches.
“I wonder how well he would be doing, how big he would be,” Schneider said. “I watch kids he used to compete with and do well against and they are winning state titles.
“You wonder... I think that's just a natural thing.”
What Andy and Angie Schneider have never had to wonder about is the community around them.
Edmond North has hosted a memorial tournament in Colton's honor each year since his death, his initials CJS were made into a logo, which is featured on dozens of cars in the school parking lot.
Wrestlers who have won state titles have handed over their medals to Schneider in honor of Colton. An Edmond North cheerleader left her state medal at his grave.
Losing a child is an unnatural event for parents. Both Andy and Angie Schneider acknowledge that life isn't the same since they lost their son.
But seeing how much he was loved and still remembered means everything.
“His memory is still very much alive,” Angie Schneider said. “It's awesome that after four years that they ... keep him as part of the team. Some of the wrestlers tell me they compete in honor of him. That means a lot.”
Jake McCoy is one of those seniors this year that was friends with Colton. Going through the grind of wrestling season, McCoy said he's looked to Colton for inspiration.
“Sometimes you want to throw in the towel because of how tough this sport can be,” McCoy said. “But remembering Colton, that gives us an extra drive and an extra gear.”
Many moments are still tough for the Schneiders.
During senior night this season, Andy and Angie stood out on the mat with the other four Husky seniors and their families while the public address announcer read a brief bio of each boy. They gave a special dedication to Colton.
“My biggest fear is him being forgotten,” Andy Schneider said. “I don't want to forget about Colton. He was an awesome kid, and I loved him, and he was loved by so many.”
The family has had many great moments, too, including last weekend when their younger son Layton capped off an undefeated season with a title at junior high state.
Andy Schneider said he and wife made sure to celebrate that night and really enjoy the moment.
“The best of times are never going to happen again,” Andy Schneider said. “But there are still good times. That was one of those. We celebrated, and we knew Colton would have loved to be there.”
Now in his 20th season as a coach at Edmond North, Andy Schneider says he still gets a lot of joy working with the guys and seeing them find success.
“I wish Colton would be here competing on our team,” he said. “But watching our guys be successful, it's kinda like watching Colton through them.
“There's no right way to grieve. But it's helped being around where he would be.”