Ringer’s Schneider gives back to community
Ringer’s Schneider gives back to community
Denver — Three times each week Gene Schneider trades his phone headset for a sweatband and transforms from produce sales agent to college handball instructor — something the Ringer & Son brokerage veteran has done quietly but regularly for nearly a decade.
“I’ve been doing this for nine years,” Schneider said. “I teach at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, and I have 21 students in three classes. I teach two classes on Tuesday and one on Thursday, and I also play five or six times a week at the Jefferson County YMCA.”
His love for the sport becomes obvious as he begins talking about how he got started as an instructor.
“Well, Mines is one of the few colleges that still requires physical education classes for a student to graduate. You need four PE credits, and each of my one-semester handball classes provides one-half credit. The classes are 90 minutes long, and we also have a handball club for students after class.”
Mines, Schneider said, had a handball program many years ago but disbanded it.
“Several people I play with at the Jeffco Y were part of that program, and nine years ago we were able to get it reinstated at the college. I’ve been teaching since then, and we also have collegiate tourneys every year.”
Though he plays out of love for the sport, Schneider said he got into teaching because of his own kids.
“I coached them when they were younger, and I was motivated to stay with it. I have always loved teaching and working with young people,” he said.
