Persistence has finally paid off for Sean Strickland.

After interviewing for nearly 15 high school football and basketball head coaching positions over the past two years, Strickland, 32, was recently hired as varsity boys basketball coach at Slippery Rock High School.

Slippery Rock becomes his first career head coaching job after spending seven years as an assistant coach.

Strickland hasn't coached basketball since stepping down from an assistant coaching position at the Community College of Beaver County in 2002.

"I know they're taking a chance on me," Strickland said. "I plan to reward that. I've kept all the (rejection) letters from schools in my folder.

"I've been telling everyone I'll be a coach they're all going to know about some day. That's my motivation."

Strickland replaces Chris Burtch, who resigned after last season to spend more time with family. Burtch was 72-57 in five years as the Rockets' head coach, including three District 10 playoff appearances and two PIAA playoff berths.

Strickland has been defensive coordinator for the Mount Pleasant High School football team the past three years.

Strickland coached junior high basketball at Monaca and was quarterbacks-defensive backs coach for Monaca's high school football team when that program reached the WPIAL championship game three years in a row (1998-2000).

"The bulk of my coaching career has been football," he said. "But my background is basketball."

An all-county basketball player as a point guard for Rush Henrietta High School in Rochester, N.Y., Strickland scored 1,200 points in two years as a point guard at Penn State-Beaver.

Slippery Rock athletic director Cory Hake said 12 candidates were interviewed for the position.

"I was stunned when they called," Strickland said. "They told me my attitude and enthusiasm won them over."

The Rockets were 12-14 last season. Only two players - starter and senior Brett Hines, junior Billy Messer - return.

"I had a chance to meet all of the kids this week at a shoot-around," Strickland said. "I was impressed by their work ethic and attitude. Those are two positives right off the bat."

Strickland said his coaching theory is the same as business.

"You beat 50 percent of your opponents by working harder," he said. "You beat another 40 percent by doing things the right way.

"We want to be in the upper 10 percent every year, playing in big games, competing with the best. That's our immediate goal. We have a good foundation with a lot of quality young kids coming up."

Strickland's wife gave birth to their second child last Sunday.

"It's been quite a week," he said.