Former SR players enjoy coaching
SLIPPERY ROCK — Jono Powell still wishes he could lace up the cleats, slip on the helmet and take the field for the Slippery Rock High football team.
“I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish I was out there playing,” said Powell, who during his senior season became the first — and only — quarterback to win the Butler Eagle Scoring Trophy in 2008.
Powell, now 22, is far removed from his time as a high school football player. But he's still close to the game and the school he loves.
Powell is one of three Slippery Rock High graduates and former players who are assistant coaches on Brendan Hathaway's staff at the school.
Travis Sarver, who himself won the Scoring Trophy in 2003 and is a 2004 graduate, and Dave Bauer, a 2006 graduate, are the others.
“Travis, Jono and myself all experienced success at Slippery Rock,” said Bauer, who is the defensive backs and wide receivers coach. “What we're doing now is what we did when we were successful.”
The Rockets are 9-1 heading into their District 10 Class AAA semifinal playoff game against General McLane at 7 p.m. Friday at Slippery Rock University.
Slippery Rock is 16-5 over the last two seasons after an 0-10 campaign in 2010.
All three were involved with the program during that dark season.
That has made the success over the past two years all the more satisfying.
“I think it's the best feeling in the world for these seniors,” Bauer said. “It shows what hard work can get you.”
Bauer is used to hard work. As a player, he started out on special teams before scraping out a place for himself as a starting running back during his senior season.
His rise in coaching has mirrored that of his playing days.
Coaching, Bauer said, comes down to a couple easy principles.
“Kids will always respond to you if you are consistent and if you show you care about them,” Bauer said.
When Powell joined the staff as a college sophomore, the seniors on the team were his former teammates.
Powell, though, quickly adjusted.“During my junior and senior year, I was kind of thrown into the leader role,” Powell said. “So, I had some experience there. But being in a locker room on a Friday night as a player and being in a locker room on a Friday night as a coach are two completely different things.”Powell said he learned much about being a coach from Clyde Conti, who led the Slippery Rock football program to two district titles and a PIAA semifinal appearance in his seven years at Slippery Rock. Most recently, Conti guided Butler to its first WPIAL playoff appearance in over a decade.“Being able to play four years under coach Conti, a Pennsylvania Hall of Fame coach, was incredible,” Powell said. “I can't thank him enough. I learned more than most 18-year-old high school football players would even learn.”Sarver also played under Conti, as well as his father, Bud, who was an assistant coach at the school for more than two decades.Sarver said seeing the program succeed as a coach is just as satisfying as when he was a player.“The most fun thing is seeing the kids be happy after a win,” Sarver said. “It always brings back memories of when we would celebrate as players after a big win.”Sarver said the fact that there are three coaches on the staff that the current players grew up watching has only been a benefit to the program.“I think it's great for former players to come back and put the time in,” Sarver said. “The kids notice that. They know you really care about the program and the school because you played there.”
