George Sluga is a man of conviction. Just ask his players, those he coaches against or folks contesting his team's pregame and postgame traditions.
So when a school administrator asked the longtime Bingham boys basketball coach not to pray with his team prior to Monday's 5A state tournament opener with Clearfield, Sluga fired back."I'm only controversial for good things," quipped Sluga, a devout Catholic coaching a team predominately comprised of Mormons. "They've got the wrong guy . . . If they want me to stop having prayers, they'll have to haul me out.
"(The team) liked my stand. The game is inconsequential to that - to me, not the kids."
For the record, Bingham prevailed 59-44.
A front-page story appearing in a Salt Lake City newspaper Monday included a photograph of Sluga joining his team for a prayer prior to a game. The article, a personality profile on the successful, colorful coach, led to several complaints to the Jordan School District office. Citing a desire not to have an adult lead students in prayer in the public school system, Bingham principal Ray Jensen relayed the district's orders to Sluga at the Huntsman Center. However, it came too late - the Miners had already prayed.
"Our procedure is that you remove yourself from the situation," said Jordan superintendent Raymond Whittenburg, who says such activity should be a instantanious decision by students free of employee participation. "Our policy simply has been that we not be a part of the prayer process."
After the game, Sluga invited the media in as "witnesses," when he asked his team to vote on the issue. The result was unanimous, a player volunteered a prayer and the Miners maintained tradition.
"They didn't tell me not to pray after the game," Sluga said. "I listened closely to my administration." He then added:
"(Wednesday) night we'll pray extra long because we'll need it," said Sluga, looking ahead to a quarterfinal game with top-ranked Alta. "If (those protesting) don't like it, tomorrow night I'll be in court."
Well, at least on one anyway.