Randy Armagost

Slippery Rock High School's new varsity boys basketball coach is a familiar face to the Rockets.

Randy Armagost, who served as the program's junior varsity head coach last season, was approved by the school board Nov. 9 to take the reins of the varsity team. He takes over for Phil Bushre, who resigned last month.

The start of the season is just three weeks away, but Armagost knows Slippery Rock has potential.

“The program is solid,” said Armagost, who was the head coach of Moniteau's boys team from 2000-13. “We have some holes to fill, but have a lot of good sophomores. I coached the junior varsity last season and worked with the (varsity) kids last summer. We were in a fall league up in Oil City. It doesn't feel like I'm stepping into a new program because I've been there.”

Bushre coached the Rockets the past seven seasons. They finished 11-11 last year and missed the District 10 playoffs by one game. It would have been the Rockets' first playoff berth under Bushre.

“It was tough to walk away,” said Bushre. “Coaching is my passion and always has been. I was living my dream for the past seven years, coaching high school basketball in Western Pennsylvania. But I have a wife and a daughter and I'm doing some things with my family that require more of my time. In the end, family trumps basketball and the school board understood that. They have been very supportive of my decision.”

Bushre lives in Butler, but is a social studies teacher at Slippery Rock Middle School. The Rockets' basketball program has given him fond memories.

“The administration, faculty and kids have been great to work with,” he said. “I would have liked to have won some more games, but I have no regrets.”

Armagost won 171 games and coached Moniteau to the District 9 playoffs 12 times in his 13 seasons.

He is looking forward to the challenges of competing in the rugged Region 5-AAA, which includes Oil City, Franklin, Conneaut Area, Hickory, Sharon, George Junior Republic, Grove City and Meadville.

“We play in one of the toughest conferences in Western Pennsylvania,” he said. “The only one I can think of that's as tough is the conference Mars and Knoch play in in the WPIAL. It's a battle every night and it's gonna be a lot of fun.”

Armagost will be aided at the varsity level by veteran Slippery Rock assistant Randy Geisler. Armagost's son, Kyle, will coach the junior varsity team.

Slippery Rock athletic director John Osborne could not be reached for comment.