Clyde Snow likes to put things in writing.

Some coaches will say they’ve learned a lot from the mentors they’ve worked with but Snow puts ink to paper, noting each coach and what Snow’s gained from his relationship with them.

He also has — in writing — what his responsibilities are to the program, along with responsibilities of the assistant coaches and players. These responsibilities are broken down by in-season and out-of-season duties.

Snow takes over the East Clinton boys basketball program, following Phil Shori who resigned after two years in Lees Creek.

“That’s how I want to be as a coach and educator,” Snow said in a telephone interview with the News Journal earlier this week. “I want to be prepared as I can be. I want my players and my students in the classroom to be as prepared as they can be to succeed.”

A mathematics teacher, Snow has coached basketball and football at both East Clinton and Hillsboro high schools. He graduated from East Clinton in 2015.

“I’m super excited to become an Astro again,” he said. “I’m excited to work with these kids. I know there is potential in this school.”

As a student-athlete at East Clinton, Snow was a tough, in your grill competitor, but he had no interest in coaching. He attended Wilmington College to become an athletic trainer.

But Snow’s principal at ECHS, Matt Baker, who is now superintendent of Clinton-Massie schools, kept on him about his future.

“He’d say you need to become an educator and coach,” Snow recalled. “That’s not what I wanted to do (at the time).”

Snow, however, switched gears when he got his first taste of coaching with Jeremy Yankey and the EC football program in the fall of 2016.

“I fell in love with coaching then,” Snow said.

Later, Snow became an assistant basketball coach with Miles Burton at Hillsboro High School and “he’s the one who pushed me to become a head coach,” Snow added.

Snow also has a plan for the entire boys basketball program at East Clinton, from elementary school age through the high school, and what he expects out of each team along the way.

“I’m going to give my expectations for parents, players, coaches, everybody,” he said. “I also want them to see the expectations I have for myself. I’m a workaholic when it comes to basketball season. I’m going to dedicate a lot of time to this, practice plans, watching film, putting together scouting reports. They can expect me to hold myself accountable as well.”

Snow said on the court his teams will be hard-nosed and play with great energy, effort and attitude. “We’re going to get after it,” he said. “We may not be the most athletic team, but we’re going to outplay every team. You’re going to know you’ve played East Clinton when the game is over.”

For the former EC standout, coming home to Lees Creek is a dream come true, one he won’t wake up from until he’s had the chance to get East Clinton basketball back to the prominence it once held.

“This isn’t a steppingstone to anywhere,” he said. “I want to build the culture here to what East Clinton once had. I’m super excited to be home to try and build something at East Clinton that will last.

“I want to build a program the community is proud of, a program the community is willing to come out and support. I want to fill that gym up. I want the community to come back. I want to get the alumni involved, the community involved and keep them involved.”