Chester County Sports Hall of Fame

A little over a year ago, there was a Cougar Resolution.

It didn't allow for wild animals to roam free in Chester County, it allowed for them to keep on devouring their opponents and officially recognized the Cougars as a dominant force in Pennsylvania.

Of course this refers to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives recognizing Coach Robert "Bob" Schnure and his basketball team, the Downingtown East Cougars on the House floor in a resolution led by then State Representative, Curt Schroder.

'WHEREAS, The December 28, 2010, victory marked Coach Schnure's 700th career win...' is the formal language used in recognizing Schnure's incredible victory in December, 2010 over the Nazareth Blue Eagles at the Boyertown High School. In that game, the Cougars won 43- 42 and marked Schnure's 700th career win. Only one other coach in Pennsylvania history can claim that kind of notation.

Coach Schnure is in select company in Pennsylvania girls' basketball.

At this level of success, sometimes it's difficult to tell who gets more out of playing the sport - the women playing or the coach coaching. Having just completed his 32nd year mentoring these female athletes, his guidance is sought class after class with graduates from years past sitting in the stands cheering on the next generation of Cougar players. He is a legendary and iconic figure not just in the sport of basketball but in all sports in Chester County. Schnure's resume includes five state titles, 11 District 1 titles and 19 Chest-Mont League titles. Only two other coaches in the history of Pennsylvania coaching have won more state titles than Schnure with the best known players going on to achieve their own fame. One went on to follow in his coaching footsteps, his former player, Tina Nicholson, Class of 2011, Chester County Sports Hall of Fame and, Tora Suber. Countless girls went on to play at the collegiate level and these two ladies enjoyed being teammates at the same time with Nicholson heading up to Penn State and Suber at Virginia.

At the 2011 banquet for the Chester County Sports Hall of Fame inductees, Tina Nicholson spent more time talking about her mentor and coach than herself. Including family, she said she couldn't have done it without either of them and is still amazed at his leadership and style and says she's still learning the game from him after all these years. "He's the most humble person I've known. How he stays so calm, I don't know," said Nicholson, now an assistant coach under Schnure for the past 12 years.

This retired political science and economics teacher has given hundreds of hours back to his community and to the game of basketball by working and coaching in summer programs without taking a paycheck.

To Coach Schnure's players, he is worth his weight in gold.