South Fayette’s Bonnaure resigns
As Rich Bonnaure stood in a quiet hallway at Baldwin High School following a playoff loss earlier this month, he was not upset at his players’ mistakes. He didn’t want to blame inexperience for the loss, either.
Instead, South Fayette’s head coach blamed himself for not preparing the Lions for Steel Valley’s pressure. He’s always quick to speak his mind and though he looks as intimidating as any coach in the WPIAL, Bonnaure is approachable and quick to focus on his players’ accomplishments, rather than their deficiencies.
The moments after a short talk with his players, the loss to the Ironmen felt like any other defeat. There was the initial bout of frustration and regret, but as usual, Bonnaure was optimistic.
He knew the Lions would have a talented roster returning for the 2016-17 season. That optimisim and all the memories are what made this week so difficult for him.
Bonnaure resigned as South Fayette’s boys basketball coach after 14 seasons. He built the Lions into one of the top programs in the WPIAL and won the program’s first state title.
“There wasn’t one big thing, but there were a lot of little things that played into the decision,” Bonnaure said. “I wanted to come back for our players, but a lot of those little things added up. It just felt like the right time. It was at least time for a change. It might do the kids good, and it may do the coaches good, too.”
After losing in the WPIAL semifinals in 2010, South Fayette went on to win the PIAA championship, defeating Strawberry Mansion, 49-47, in the title game. A year later, the Lions lost in the WPIAL championship game to Montour and again in the PIAA semifinals.
During his 14 years at South Fayette, he won 238 games with 13 playoff appearances and South Fayette has not missed the postseason since 2004-05.
Bonnaure, a 1977 graduate of South Fayette, spoke fondly of the state title run, but he pointed to the relationships he’s developed with his players and coaching his son, Evan, who is now a junior guard at La Roche, as the highlights of his time coaching at his alma mater.
Though he wants to spend time watching his son finish a collegiate career, Bonnaure does plan to coach again.
“I’ve had so many special kids,” Bonnaure said. “I’ve been so lucky. I coach for the kids and I swear to God, all the other stuff over the years with school boards and parents doesn’t come close to matching the positives. I’m really lucky I don’t have one player that doesn’t come back and give me a hug. That’s how I measure my success. I was so lucky to coach at South Fayette.”
As he reflected on the accomplishments, Bonnaure, who was an assistant under Joe Farkas before taking over in 2002, deflected all the credit and spoke of his former players who “helped make everything possible.”
He doesn’t keep track of his career record or even how many years he was the head coach – he guessed 14 or 15. There have been historical seasons, disappointing ones and some in between, but success is measured by more than wins and losses – a lesson he gives to every young coach with competitiveness that reminds him of those early years in McDonald.
“I’ve been lucky to have had the kids I’ve coached,” Bonnaure said. “They’ve probably added more to my life than I’ve added to theirs. There are so many memories with the state title run and coaching Evan, but they’re all incredible. That’s what made this so difficult.”