Former Edinburgh three-sport athlete Dakota Sneed was a fixture on the offensive line during his time at Butler University.
Submitted photo
As a physical therapist, Dakota Sneed’s day-to-day interaction with patients has a way of leading to the same question.
Were you a football player?
Even as a somewhat svelte 255-pounder — or 35 less than when he played on the offensive line for Butler University — the 6-foot-3 Sneed, a former three-sport athlete from Edinburgh, continues to look the part.
“Only now, they think I was either a tight end or a linebacker,” the 29-year-old said with a laugh.
Whatever the case, Sneed, the valedictorian for Edinburgh’s class of 2014, knows he chose the correct career path.
“I have a passion for helping people, and, being a former athlete, I had my fair share of injuries,” Sneed said. “The more I played, and the more my body was tested … knowing how hard it is to getting back to playing.
“You see a patient, sometimes at their lowest point, and you’re helping them get back to their full potential.”
Sneed is employed by Body One Physical Therapy & Sports Rehabilitation in Zionsville, specializing in sports performance, working with athletes, general orthopedics, lower back and lower extremities. He works with patients ranging from elementary school age to those in their 90s, so being versatile is a must.
“Being an athlete, I gained a lot of empathy,” Sneed said. “It’s about learning how to manage patients. Being flexible toward them.”
While growing up in Edinburgh, Sneed competed in football, basketball and track and field. In all, he earned 10 varsity letters.
He redshirted as a Butler freshman before playing in seven games on the offensive line the following season. Sneed started one game as a redshirt sophomore before being sidelined by injury.
Primarily a center for the Bulldogs — he did play some guard earlier in his career — Sneed anchored the line for a total of 22 games over the course of his final two seasons.
Former Butler offensive line coach Colin Johnson carries fond memories of what Sneed brought to the program in terms of effort and leadership.
“What I remember about Dakota is he was the type of guy who clung to every word you said,” said Johnson, who currently serves the same role at Ball State. “Dakota’s class bought into me just as quickly as I bought into them. He was already a great football player because of the way he worked.”
In October 2022, Sneed married former Butler lacrosse goalkeeper Allie Storke, who is about to enter her fourth season as the head women’s lacrosse coach at Marian University. The couple resides in Indianapolis.
Predictably, Sneed knows much more about the sport of lacrosse than he ever expected to. No longer pushing 300 pounds, he might be the Knights’ biggest fan.
Being from Edinburgh, Sneed has always used that small-town chip on his shoulder to help him succeed, whether athletically, academically or professionally.
He carried it then. He carries it now.
“What I enjoyed about Edinburgh is you grew up knowing your classmates very, very well,” Sneed said. “I still have tons of friends from Edinburgh and go down to visit my family.
“Nothing was ever given to me. I felt I had to earn my respect. Earn my stripes.”
Sneed has. Surely, his clients would agree.
