By Dan Shriner
Review Editor
Lake Orion girls? varsity basketball Coach Steve Roberts reached a plateau last week that few high school coaches ever see.
Roberts won his 200th game as a varsity coach with the team’s 43-29 victory at Royal Oak High School.
Roberts would have preferred that the 200th victory had come the week before when the Dragons lost a nail-biter to North Farmington in the OAA White Division title game. But, as her told his team after the disappointing loss, playing in a championship game is a great accomplishment.
After the Royal Oak win, Roberts reflected back on his time at the varsity helm and the achievements of the Lake Orion girls? basketball program the past 17 years.
‘We’ve been successful. We had a couple of down years but I’m proud of the program,? he said. ‘It’s been successful.?
During his tenure, Roberts? teams have played in 15 championships of different kinds and have won seven of them. They finished the regular season at 12-8 and look now to the state playoffs.
Roberts worked his way up in the Lake Orion sports programs, starting coaching in the middle schools, and helped develop an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) program before getting the nod as the junior varsity coach.
Two years later, in 1999, he was promoted to varsity.
He is proud of the successes of the young ladies he’s coached, both on the hardwood and in their lives.
There have been two players who went to division one colleges, five played four years at colleges and two girls played on national college championship teams.
‘Of those seven girls, five of them were captains of their college teams. We’ve had some good players here. ?
Obviously, most high school athletes do not go on to play at colleges. Roberts said he is proud of the ladies who have thrived in their careers.
‘Many of the girls are very successful in their careers now. They excelled on the basketball court and in the classrooms and are doing very well now.?
The program has had success too. They went to the state semi finals in 2007 and a district title in 2008, which was the school’s first since the early 1980s.
While playing in the OAA Red Division, the teams were ranked as some of the best in the county and state. Roberts recalled one team had a 21-2 season record while another was 18-3.
As far as the program’s successes, Roberts said: ‘It’s not me. It’s commitment from the kids, parents, athletic department and others. It’s everybody that’s willing to do the things that the program needs to be a success. It’s never one person who makes it a success. I’ve had some great sub-varsity coaches who have developed the girls from the middle school on. Coaches at lower levels help make the girls successful. We’ve had continuity.?
‘I share my 200 with everybody who has been involved with this program, from the players, parents, and administration.?