Formation of West Mifflin Area sports hall of fame not enough for fans of late coach
A longtime West Mifflin Area High School teacher and basketball coach appears to be on his way to being honored by the school district.
Yet for now it remains unclear how the late Wilbur R. Trosch will be memorialized.
His family, friends and former players and students would like his name to grace the high school gym or basketball court.
School officials are prepared to remember him as a member of a sports hall of fame at the school but have concerns about making Trosch the namesake of a facility.
To date, no district infrastructure is named after an individual.
Trosch died in May at age 75 in Fishers, Ind. A graduate of Clairton High School, he played basketball at St. Francis College in Loretto and was drafted 13th overall in the NBA draft of 1960 but elected not to play in the league, turning his attention instead to teaching.
The social studies and history teacher started with the district in 1963 and worked at the old West Mifflin North High School and the consolidated district high school. He retired in 1998.
His son Eric Trosch, who recently asked the district to remember his father in name, was at the regular school board meeting Thursday.
Trosch, 48, of Hermitage told the district he was “a little bit disappointed” by the district's vow to remember his father in the hall of fame only.
“You should honor his legacy,” Trosch said. “He gave up the NBA. He said, ‘I'm going to work here for those kids and those parents.'”
School officials arrived at the idea of establishing a hall of fame earlier in the day during an athletic committee meeting. Apparently, talk about a Wilbur Trosch tribute at a school board work session last week prompted a number of calls to the district about having other notable athletes and leaders similarly honored.
School director Richard Crux said the district had about “six or seven” such requests.
Crux said establishing a hall of fame “will do justice for everybody.”
School director Phil Shar agreed.
“They're all good people. How do you say yes to one and no to another?” Shar asked.
But Eric Trosch said he didn't think inclusion in a hall of fame would do his father justice. The 1985 West Mifflin graduate noted he played basketball for the high school and, one day, could be considered for inclusion in a hall of fame. “If I am, I don't deserve to be on that wall with my father,” he said.
Kevin Jordan, who was coached by Trosch at the high school from 1980 to 1982, addressed the board, as well.
“Mr. Trosch represented the teachers and faculty of West Mifflin in a very honorable way,” Jordan said.
Borough resident Diane Stanesic said the gym should be named after the coach.
Stanesic said she and her four siblings all were influenced by the 6-foot-8 teacher while they were West Mifflin students.
“I'm 100 percent behind this,” Stanesic said. “He chose to stay true to the school district.”
The board considered voting on a measure to name the gym after Trosch but tabled it after some discussion.
Senior Megan Eaton, who serves as student representative to the school board, suggested painting a mural in the gym to honor Trosch and including him on the hall of fame, an idea that seemed to gain traction with several board members.
The athletic committee will meet again in several weeks to revisit the issue and it is expected to be up for a vote at the board's next regular meeting in March.
Eric Slagle is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-664-9161, ext. 1966, or eslagle@tribweb.com.
