Work ethic drives San Dieguito Academy hoopster Snider

It’s easy to have big aspirations. Doing the work required to achieve them is the hard part.

It’s Travis Snider’s willingness to put in the work that sets the incoming San Dieguito Academy sophomore apart, according to Mustangs basketball coach Jason Stewart.

“Tons of kids will say ‘I want to play varsity, and I want to do this and I have these aspirations and goals,’ but when it comes time to work out and you go the gym you see they’re not there,” Stewart said. “They’re at the beach, they’re at the movies or they’re hanging out with their buds.”

Snider, who last season played on the SDA JV team, is a strong candidate to make varsity as a sophomore during the mid-November tryouts. At 6-foot-4, he stands out, and his work ethic and determination have set him apart. So far, Stewart likes what he sees.

“It’s rare when you come across guys who want to be coached and who consistently want to get better, not just with their words but with their actions, that’s what makes him special,” said the third-year SDA head coach. “He’s the one who’s consistently asking and doing the things that will make him a better player.”

Snider is already very good. Despite his young age, he’s attracted the attention of collegiate scouts and is a Division I prospect with tremendous upside, according to Stewart.

Snider is part of a talent-rich, incoming sophomore SDA class that also includes guards Yarin and Ron Arbib (identical twin brothers) and Baylor Brimmer, who’s also 6-4.

“I’m definitely excited about the potential of San Dieguito Academy,” Stewart said.

Snider has been playing competitive ball since he was in fifth grade. Early on in his development, he played point guard, a position that helped him develop his ball-handling skills, court awareness and basketball IQ.

“Because he was a taller guy playing point guard, he had to have more basketball IQ,” Stewart said. “Travis has the ability, because of that experience, to be able to comprehend what’s going on on the floor.”

Snider, who projects to play a stretch four position in college, says he remains committed to developing those skills.

“I’ll definitely be more versatile if I can get my ball-handling skills up to speed,” Snider explained. “Both my parents have instilled that in me, making sure that I can be an asset on all parts of the court.”

Snider works hard off the court too. He’s a straight-A student who says he puts academics ahead of basketball. He’s hoping to leverage his basketball skills to help him land a scholarship at an elite college, and plans to attend law school.

“If basketball doesn’t work out, you’ll have your education forever,” he said.

But these days basketball is working out very well for Snider.

He just concluded a summer playing for the Gamepoint club team and is attending player development camps ahead of the fall SDA tryouts.

Snider also referees youth recreation league games and wants to coach a youth-level team (8-to 12-year-olds) next year.

“I want to instill my love of the game to younger kids, I want to pass that on,” he said. “I want to show them how much fun basketball is and what it can do for you overall.”

If his work ethic rubs off, Snider should be a pretty good coach.

“You can have all the talent in the world but you have to have a work ethic or you won’t make it very far and that doesn’t just apply to basketball,” Snider said. “That applies to all aspects of your life. My parents instilled that in me, they showed me that I wouldn’t be anywhere without work ethic and determination and hard work.”

Stewart has seen those qualities become part of Snider’s identity.

“Travis works out consistently,” said the coach. “You can stick your head in the gym and find Travis there eight out of 10 days. That’s who he is and that’s the first step of any progression in any profession.”