The Tennessee State Soccer Association (TSSA) is proud to announce that John Snyder has officially been inducted into the TSSA Hall of Fame. The enshrinement ceremony for Snyder, who has served as TSSA President since 2017, recently took place at the 2024 TSSA Awards Dinner that was hosted at Middle Tennessee State University.
“I have had the pleasure of serving with a dedicated group of volunteers and professional staff who are focused on making a difference for the game of soccer, leading their various areas of responsibility, serving our members, players and referees, and inspiring those who are involved in the game,” said John Snyder following his Hall of Fame induction. “Tennessee Soccer is poised to continue to excel in its mission and lead as the Premier state association known for partnerships, promotion and pioneering the next movement of soccer. As the United States Youth Soccer Association was founded in Tennessee, our family is celebrating its 50th year and is looking forward to continued successes both on and off the field. I am so grateful for this honor. Soccer has certainly been good to the Snyder family. God Bless!”
A United States Military Academy (West Point) graduate, John Snyder has faithfully and loyally served TSSA for more than 21 years. He first began his service to the state association in 2002 as its Western District Director. Over the next nine years, he not only watched his own kids grow up playing soccer but also became an instrumental figure in the growth of the game throughout the entire state. Among the many contributions he made included the development of new fields, helping to bring professional soccer to Tennessee and also refereeing in Memphis. Snyder became the TSSA Vice President of Competitive in 2011, and he served in that role for six years. During his time in that position, he helped to grow the Tennessee State League, improve the Tennessee State Cup format and also hired the current TSSA CEO, Hans Hobson.
“This is a well-deserved honor to a person who has lived the Tennessee State Soccer Mission over his tenure,” said Hans Hobson, CEO of the Tennessee State Soccer Association. “John has led, served and inspired the soccer community across Tennessee. He has made such a difference to our game over the last 21 years.”
Following great success as VP of Competitive, Snyder took over as President of TSSA in 2017. Under his guidance, the TSSA Board of Directors quickly advanced from an operational level to a strategic and advisory level. His focused leadership on the things that matter most, specifically taking care of the employees serving TSSA, created an environment where the organization was able to flourish and expansively grow the game. Snyder constantly praises the hard work and dedication of the TSSA staff and Board of Directors, and he takes great pride in TSSA being regarded as one of the top performing state associations in the country.
Snyder joins a highly acclaimed TSSA Hall of Fame that has most recently inducted former U.S. Women’s National Team player Cindy Parlow Cone, who was elected as the first female President of U.S. Soccer in 2020, and Carey Tally, a Memphis native who enjoyed a 13-year career in Major League Soccer.
