Students Express Trepidation About Bonner

In what could only be described as a Shakespearean moment, Vashon High School graduate Anthony Bonner publicly accepted his new job replacing Floyd Irons, who coached Bonner and the Vashon Wolverines when they won two of the team's ten state titles.

While he will be coaching the Wolverines, Bonner's official title will be Executive Director for Community Outreach.

School Board President Veronica O'Brien opened the conference saying Bonner's addition was a sign that the district is heading in the right direction. O'Brien said Bonner would be doing outreach, extra-curricular work and even taking trips to Jefferson City to represent the district.

Bonner began by thanking Superintendent Bourisaw and the district for opportunity, saying outreach was already something he was engaged in.

“There is much more to me than basketball,” said Bonner.

Though former coach Irons was not on hand, his presence was heavy in the room. Despite the ongoing dispute between Irons and the St. Louis School District since his firing in July, O'Brien acknowledged his tenure, though tepidly.

“We certainly appreciate what Floyd Irons has done,” said O'Brien.

O'Brien is currently facing a lawsuit filed by Irons last month.

Richard Grawer, former coach for the Saint Louis University Billikens, helped introduce Bonner saying he left SLU with an image of class, honor, dignity and hard work. Grawer also noted that Irons left big sneakers to fill.

“Almost certainly no one can replace Floyd Irons,” said Grawer.

Irons instilled “great things” in his players, said Bonner, including a sense that they could excel. Bonner added that he learned from Irons' role as a leader.

“Thanks to Floyd Irons example, I too have developed a passion to help the kids,” said Bonner.

Bonner emphasized that his primary job was to work as the outreach director in which he will work on bridging the gap between the students, the district and the region.

Floyd Irons likely agrees with Grawer's assertion that no one can replace him. Irons told the Post-Dispatch earlier this month that he was not accepting that his tenure was over.

Though Bonner said he believed that Irons had his best interests at heart, the delicacy of the situation likely explained his efforts to play down his role as coach and emphasizing his role as an educator.

Following a school year topped by a tenth state title, Bonner answered questions about a follow-up title this year saying if it were to happen it would be as an offshoot to his efforts as community outreach director. He added that a state title was not his primary motivation and that given the change in coaching it shouldn't be expected right away.

Several returning Vashon students met Bonner after the press conference. Following the meeting, they expressed some concern over the disruption to their athletic program and the loss of Irons who, junior forward Quincy Berry said, acted as a parental figure to them. Berry said the team hadn't been able to do conditioning work and that they would likely be handicapped going into the season.

Berry said Bonner seemed like a nice guy, but that he wanted his coach, Irons, back.

Berry said that Irons, upon word of his dismissal, had told the players they had to “play hard like they always played hard, [and] study hard.”

“He told us we had to be adults about what we are going to do,” said Berry.

Marcel Taylor-Smith, a junior forward, said the placement of a former Vashon player as coach would be good for the community. But, he said, it had been a hard summer for the players.

Taylor-Smith acknowledged there was talk of students leaving the program or asking for transfers. Yet the team, he said, talked and decided, “we have to stick together,”

“The whole team is like brothers,” said Taylor-Smith.

Taylor-Smith and Berry said they had not only been rallying the players and getting everyone to the gym for practice despite the lack of a coach. They have also been talking to other students and telling them to, “keep your heads up and study.”

Bernie Gilliam, a senior and student manager for the basketball and football teams, summed-up the student body's attitude towards the switch with a shrug of his shoulders, and acknowledged that the students have no control over what happened.

The three students all admitted some concern over Bonner's lack of coaching experience. Bonner played 6 years in the NBA, starting as a first-round draft pick for the Sacramento Kings and going on to the Knicks and the Magic. He went on to play in international leagues.

Bonner has extensive experience playing basketball but this will be his first time coaching. Earlier in the year it was announced that Bonner would be the head coach for the minor-league startup the St. Louis Stunners. The deal had apparently fallen through by the time the offer came from the district.