A familiar face in St. James is taking over as the top dog at the Rolla High School Athletic Department.

Longtime St. James High School teacher and coach Shannon Snitker, who served in the St. James school system 13 years, was named Rolla High’s Athletic Director starting in the 2026-27 school year, it was announced last month. He will replace Mark Caballero, who is retiring at the end of the current school year.

For the past five years Snitker has been a teacher/coach at Rolla High School and Rolla Junior High School. The past three years he has also served as Rolla’s Assistant Athletic Director.

Prior to coming to Rolla, Snitker spent 13 years in the St. James School System teaching and coaching. As a Tiger, he coached in the boys’ basketball program for 10 years, was the high school baseball head coach for six years and assistant football coach for 10 years.

A popular teacher/coach the past five years for Rolla, he has coached freshman football and freshman basketball and taught a careers class at the junior high school and health for seventh-graders.

“I’d like to thank (former St. James teacher, coach, A.D. and Principal) Phil West for being a big influence on my coaching career,” Snitker said. “And (former St. James teacher, coach, A.D. and current Principal) Greg Harlan and (current Rolla High Assistant Principal) Josh Smith for the help I’ve received from them. They helped make my transition smooth. Same deal with (former Rolla High football head coach and current St. James assistant football coach) Jon Franks and (current Rolla High boys’ basketball head coach) Mark Miller. They all allowed me to do my thing and try to make a positive influence on kids.

“And Cabby (Caballero) has done so much to help me prepare for this, and I thank him. I think Cabby has done a good job here and I’m proud to be his successor. I look forward to trying to build on the successes he’s had over the years. And I hope to use my people skills to grow our numbers and help the coaches and student-athletes as much as I can.”

Snitker, age 48, graduated from Owensville High School in 1996. He went on to play baseball at Lincoln University as a pitcher for four years, earning NCAA Division II All-America honors as a sophomore. He received his B.S. Degree from Lincoln and a Masters Degree in teaching at Missouri Baptist.

Shannon’s wife, Dr. Tori Snitker, is Rolla Junior High School Principal.

“My biggest goal is to be a good liaison to the student-athletes, coaches and administration,” Shannon Snitker said. “I’d like to see us be streamlined from junior high to high school in the weight program. And I want to be a good liaison between the school and community, to help that continue to grow.”

There will be immediate attention needed to be given to certain areas as the transition from Caballero to Snitker continues on through the rest of this school year into next.

Rolla High School has been without an athletic conference the past two school years, playing an independent schedule during that time. Talks about a possible conference hookup for the school has been heating up, although nothing is confirmed at this time.

“We are looking at trying to have a conference solidified by the 2027-28 school year,” Snitker said.
And currently Rolla High’s Lions Memorial synthetic turf field, used by the football team, soccer teams, band, choir, P.E. classes as well as for a variety of other things, is currently having a drainage problem fixed and a new turf installed. Later this summer the grass soccer field and a part of the baseball outfield at the RHS Bray Sports Complex will be shut down for work on the drainage system.
Also, the school’s softball field, heavily damaged by last year’s tornado and not usable this school year, is in the process of being put back together. A new press box is in place as well as fencing.
“As far as the football and soccer drainage system, the football field will hopefully be completed in May, along with new lighting, and the soccer and baseball field will be completed in the summer,” Snitker said. “The softball field is to be completed by next fall; work is underway.
“All of our outdoor facilities will have new lighting installed.”