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Clippers turn to Grant Spaite
By JON MOFFETT
COLUMBIANA
Grant Spaite has been coaching for almost his entire life.
Spaite spent last season as an assistant coach at Columbiana High, and was previously the head coach at Springfield High. But this season, Spaite will return to the sidelines of his alma mater as the Clippers’ head boys basketball coach
“I feel excited, but at the same time I’m very thankful for the opportunity,” Spaite said. “It’s something special. All those years for me to wear the Clippers jersey, this is a little bit different role. But I’m very excited to continue to be a part of Clipper basketball.”
A 1993 graduate of the high school, Spaite attended Youngstown State and earned his bachelor’s degree in education in 1997. But he said it’s coaching that is his first occupation.
“This is my 17th year of coaching,” he said. “I started coaching 7th graders right out of high school. I love it.”
Spaite will continue to teach at Springfield. But he said he jumped at the chance to be the head coach at the school were he spent so much time as a point guard.
“It’s something really special to be the head coach in your hometown at the school you graduated from,” Spatie said.
Spaite added that he’s used his role as a teacher on the hardwood.
“I’m a teacher first, but I’m teaching the game of basketball,” he said. “As far as a correlation goes, you look at it from the same standpoint.”
But unlike many coaches, Spaite believes the lessons of the court have helped him in the classroom. The opposite is the accepted rule.
“I think it’s helped me in the classroom because you have so many kids who learn in different ways,” he said. “I ask myself how kids learn on the athletic field, and you translate that into the classroom.”
He continued, “There are so many lessons you can learn from sports.”
Spaite said his biggest task is to replace a strong senior class, which included Tyler Denmeade. Denmeade, Spaite said, averaged 20 points per game. He said the other seniors averaged double-digit points as well.
“Guys will have to step up and fill different roles,” Spaite said.
In terms of what he brings as a coach, Spaite said his motivation will speak for itself.
“Obviously, I love competition and have a love for the game,” he said. “And feeling that I have something to give to the kids and make an impact in their lives is important.”
Once again, Spaite connected his teaching with his coaching.
“It’s the same thing in the classroom,” he said. “Whether I’m teaching history or basketball, I think I have something to give young people and it’s something that I really enjoy.”
Spaite said he and his wife, Sherry, will celebrate their 11th anniversary in August. The couple, along with daughters Cassie, 6, and Sydney, 3, are excited about the opportunity.
“It does take a lot of sacrifice and it can make times stressful, especially in the seasons,” Spaite said. “But it’s worth it.”