Snyder: queen of chemistry and the pool

Breanna Snyder, a chemistry and engineering teacher at Samo, has a lesser-known athletic background. In high school, Snyder was an avid and successful water polo player and was inducted into The Ventura County Water Polo Hall of Fame in 2008. It just so happens that Snyder’s current husband, Barry Snyder, was inducted into The Ventura County Water Polo Hall of Fame the same year as her. Accomplishing such a feat is very rare and the couple takes great pride in their joint titles. Prior to receiving this title Snyder and her husband attended Royal High School in Simi Valley, CA.During Snyder’s senior year of high school, she was team captain of her water polo team which allowed her to further develop the leadership skills necessary to be an effective educator. With leadership, comes the ability to work effectively in teams which Snyder has also applied in the professional setting. Through their teamwork, Snyder and her teammates built lasting bonds. “I enjoyed my teammates the most. I practiced with both the girls and the boys often and I formed a family with [my teammates] and am still really close to them,” Snyder said. “I was also team captain my senior year and during that time, I found what is successful to make a team work. I think that is similar to my teaching style in that [I emphasize] working in teams and coming together.” While the connections between her passion for chemistry and water polo may appear slim, Snyder credits water polo with helping develop her ability to persevere through challenging periods and trials. This skill is advantageous when attempting to succeed in difficult subjects such as chemistry.“[Overall], the connection between chemistry and water polo is that if you work really hard, you can succeed. And I think chemistry is really tough for a lot of students but if they’re willing to work hard and struggle a little bit, they can succeed. In water polo, if you willing to work hard and to struggle, you can succeed as well,” Snyder said.  While Snyder has not continued to play water polo due to a shoulder injury, she continues to swim on a “masters’ swim team,” which she has been a part of for four years. The team is Southern California Aquatics which holds practices daily at Santa Monica College. While this team is competitive, Snyder does not participate in competitions as she swims for the purposes of exercising and leisure. In order to condition herself for swimming, Snyder does regular weight training with her teammates. Snyder’s involvements in water polo and chemistry demonstrate that she possesses a dedication and desire to challenge herself through both her professional and leisurely activities.