PA wrestling coach/icon Schnell passed away

[Tom McAndrew]

Carl Schnellenbach, the long-time coach at Ridley passed away. He basically started the wrestling program at Ridley HS, and went on to amass a PIAA record of 746-217-7.

Even in retirement, he continued to attend high school wrestling matches in the SE PA region.

One of his daughter's was a field hockey star at PSU (and I believe a LAX star as well). She was a manager of Ridley's wrestling team and around the program at Ridley 24x7. She told me a year or two ago that she regretted that she had come along too early, so to speak, as in today's world she would have been a member of the wrestling team, and figures she would have done pretty well, as she knew all the moves from years of watching and practicing.

Schnell's obit

 

[raslen007]

RIP - Coach Schnellenbach

 

[royboy]

What a great career and tributes from those who knew him.

Has Ridley been fortunate enough to produce a state champ? (can't recall one offhand)

 

[oldcougar65]

no state champions, not even a finalist.
Schnell could coach teams but never seemed to develop stars, so much. His teams accumulated a lot of wins over the years because almost every Ridley team looked alike: wrestling the same take no prisoners style.