Pair of Yellowjackets ink letters to play D1 football

Posted 12/24/20

Twenty minutes before Mineola High School athletes Jackson Anderson and Trevion Sneed signed their letters of intent accepting scholarships to the University of Colorado and Southern Methodist University, respectively, there was a crowd of 75 family, friends and supporters in the Mineola gymnasium.

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Pair of Yellowjackets ink letters to play D1 football

Posted

Twenty minutes before Mineola High School athletes Jackson Anderson and Trevion Sneed signed their letters of intent accepting scholarships to the University of Colorado and Southern Methodist University, respectively, there was a crowd of 75 family, friends and supporters in the Mineola gymnasium.

Then, the balance of Mineola high school showed up as well.

The support these two young men garnered is a testament to their athletic prowess and character. As Athletic Director Luke Blackwell stated to the crowd, “The outpouring of support demonstrates what these two have meant to the school, the community and our program.”

Blackwell described how each of them embodied the characteristics of effort, attitude and toughness which are emphasized in Mineola athletics. 

“I feel toward these two young men like they were my own kids,” Blackwell admitted.

Eric Sneed, Trevion’s father,  offered without hesitation what made his son so special: “family.”

The pride in the eyes of Eric and Toscha Sneed and Leon and Amy Anderson was beaming.

Leon Anderson described his son as “the kindest young man you’ll ever know.” He expressed gratitude that Jackson and his family will have a new opportunity to represent the community through this dream come true.    

Toscha Sneed, who led a large contingent of Sneed family members sporting custom t-shirts, was exuberant. Asked what she was feeling at the moment she responded, “Excited, proud, happy and thankful.”

Trevion Sneed accepted a four-year athletic scholarship to play football at SMU. Despite receiving 14 scholarship offers, Sneed will be going to the first school to extend an offer.

Toscha Sneed explained, “They showed us the love from the first moment and never wavered in their support of Trevion.” Eric Sneed added, “SMU established a bond with the family.” 

The family connection was also at play in the relationship between Jackson Anderson and the University of Colorado.

Jackson’s father played college football at the University of Southern Mississippi under a line coach by the name of Ron Reed, who is associated with the Colorado program. 

“It didn’t overly influence Jackson’s decision,” stated his father, “but it helped.”

His father described how Jackson had wanted to play at a Power Five conference school and was likely sold after visiting Boulder, Colo. (Colorado plays in the Pac-12 conference.)

The standout lineman accepted a four-year football scholarship to hone his skills as a lineman at Colorado.   

The official event concluded with a final “Whooo–woo—WOOOO–woo,” from Toscha Sneed and congratulations at every turn to the young men and their families.