Man from Earth now sitting on top of world

Posted: Friday, February 22, 2002

Even though he came from Earth, Greg Slover was sitting on the bottom of the world last spring.

As principal of Panhandle High School, he was dealing with a grieving school system upon the death of two students in a car wreck. One of the boys had been Slover's next-door neighbor. The other had been a friend of his two teen-age sons, often joining them for dinner.

As a husband, Slover's wife of 27 years, Darla, whom he began dating when both were students at Springlake-Earth High School, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

But about that same time, Greg Slover made a life-altering decision. A decision that now finds the man from Earth sitting on top of the world. Panhandle had an opening for varsity boys basketball coach, and Slover's name naturally surfaced as a candidate.

He was well-qualified, having coached the Panhandle girls to 14 playoff appearances in 16 years from 1982-1998, including the '92 Class 2A state championship.

The job would provide Slover a chance to coach two of his sons: senior-to-be Shane and sophomore Sy. The boys finally told their dad he needed to take the job. Darla told her husband he needed to take the opportunity to coach his sons.

"She was undergoing chemo treatment," Greg said, "but she figured up that she would be finished in late September (six weeks before the start of basketball season). She said, 'I want you out there coaching our sons and all these other boys you've watched grow up here.' ''

Turns out Darla knew what was best for her husband.

"He's a lot happier when he's coaching than just being principal," she said. "It's what he was meant to do. I've always enjoyed it too. I've never been one of those wives that minded him being gone a lot. It's not that I don't miss him. I just enjoy being part of the program."

Things started out a little rough for the Panthers this season. They lost seven non-district games. Upon seeing a District 6-2A rival play in December, Greg Slover immediately began trying to figure out how his team could finish second.

There were adjustments to endure. Slover hadn't coached boys basketball in 20 years, and he would be juggling the principal's job with the basketball duties.

Surprisingly, neither of those issues became an obstacle. Slover implemented the same offense and defense that won the '92 state title for the Panhandle girls, and no one thought twice about it. "I didn't treat the boys any differently than the girls," he joked. "The only difference is that the boys don't smell as good as the girls."

Slover credits the teaching and administrative staff at Panhandle High with not making an issue of his multiple role. The principal's job always comes first, but he's only missed parts of two practices because of conflicts.

"When things go wrong - and some things always will at a high school - they (staff) could blame it on me because I'm off coaching basketball," Slover said. "But the staff we have looks for ways to make things right.

"I'd be miserable trying to do both jobs if I didn't have a good staff."

Slover has discovered his 11:15 a.m. daily basketball practices provide a temporary escape from the rigors of running a school. On Thursday, his principal's office and the ag building had experienced a break-in. And three kids who have been missing school too often didn't show up again.

"But when that bell rings and I go to basketball practice, I can get away from all that for an hour or so," Slover said. "I go coach those boys and I'm surrounded by success and positive situations.

"It kind of refreshes me. I'm ready to come back and go again" at being principal.

As for his team, Slover rarely looks at individual statistics. He taught tough team defense and how to excel in close ballgames. He and his players worked through sensitive issues that could have caused problems.

Matt Bednorz is a senior who rarely plays. Slover even apologized for not getting him into an early season game. But Bednorz continues to work hard during practice to help his teammates improve.

"He's remarkable," senior teammate Harley Foster said of Bednorz. "He doesn't care about playing as long as the team is winning."

Tony Spohn, the closest thing Panhandle has to a true post player at 6-feet-4, was averaging 18 points a game before suffering an ankle injury in December. Sy Slover, the coach's youngest son, took Spohn's spot in the lineup and now averages 11 points. Spohn is back, but his playing time has been cut because Sy Slover is playing so well.

"Tony accepted it," Grey Slover said. "He didn't like it, but he accepted it. He supported Sy.

"That could have broken up the team, with Tony being a senior and Sy a sophomore. But Tony has made the best of it. That's why we are where we are now."

Where the Panthers are now is the District 6-2A championship with a perfect 14-0 record. Panhandle will carry a 22-8 record into tonight's area-round playoff game against Hamlin.

"He's done something - I'm not sure what it was," Foster said of his coach. "He's got the touch, I guess. He did something to pull us together."

Despite this season's success, Slover wouldn't recommend the double duty of principal/coach to anyone. He attempted it only because he already knew the players as students and had a school staff willing to work with him.

"I don't see how anyone could take it for very many years," the 47-year-old Slover said. "I've had a good time, but it takes a toll on you."

Almost a year after everything seemed to be going wrong, Slover now counts his blessings over his good fortune. Darla is doing well and teaching elementary school for the 21st year. His team is the district champion, and he got to coach his sons.

"I don't see how any of the guys in our family could walk out of the house and not be inspired by her," Slover said of his wife. "She's tougher than all of us.

"I wouldn't trade this past year for anything."

Mike Lee, assistant sports editor of the Globe-News, can be reached at (806) 345-3313 or at