When Ron Slaymaker was asked to assist Olpe in its search to replace legendary girls' basketball coach Jesse Nelson, who retired last season as the winningest high school basketball coach in state history, he had no idea that search would ultimately lead to an all-too-familiar final candidate.
 
Himself.
 
"I talked to probably four or five people who would have been OK," Slaymaker said. "But there's so much too it and people were like, 'Are you crazy?'"
 
There's a double-meaning to that question. For starters, following in the footsteps of Nelson is a tall task for just about anyone.
 
When he retired following the 2020-21 season – one the Eagles capped with an undefeated Class 1A Division I state championship – Nelson left behind impossible shoes to fill. In 44 years as head coach at Olpe, Nelson compiled an incomparable 951-111 record that included four state championships.
 
Not only did his final team finish 25-0, but ended Nelson's tenure on a 51-game winning streak – the second-best streak of his career with the Eagles putting together a 77-game winning streak from 2010-12.
 
That's pressure in itself.
 
The other part of the equation was why Slaymaker, who is 85 years old, would want to be that guy?
 
"You could understand why somebody would say you have to be a little crazy to do that," Slaymaker said. "But I said, 'Shoot, I can do that.' Jesse's a good friend and I'm not overly intimidated by the history. I'm appreciative of the history. Wow, what a run they've had during his 44 years. It's pretty outstanding."
 
And with that, Olpe found its next coach.
 
In sense, Slaymaker is somewhat fitting as the coach to follow Nelson. After all, it was Nelson who was Slaymaker's very first recruit when he started his collegiate coaching career at Emporia State.
 
The two maintained their relationship after Nelson's four-year stint with the Hornets, Nelson returning to serve a year as an assistant coach for Slaymaker before taking the girls' job at Olpe.
 
After Slaymaker retired from Emporia State and then got back into coaching high school basketball at Chase County, he leaned on Nelson as he transitioned to coaching girls for the first time.
 
"We talk about twice a week every week," said Slaymaker, who spent seven year as head coach at Chase County before turning the program over to his assistant coach, Amber Rausch, this season. "Over the years, I've asked for his counsel and got a lot of good things from him. He's been a good friend and a good mentor in a way. He's my mentor with girls' basketball."
 
The Olpe team Slaymaker inherited lost six seniors off last year's state championship team, including All-1A picks Macy Smith and Marley Heins. With a young squad, Slaymaker is excited to see how they grow.
 
They'll do so without the burden of the winning streak looming. Olpe dropped its season opener 63-54 to 3A St. Marys. The Eagles bounced back to finish second at the Yates Center Invitational last week, falling 50-49 to Bluestem in the championship game.
 
"It's a nice group of gals with only one senior," Slaymaker said. "It's a challenge for them to keep it going and they recognize that. But they've embraced it and they will be OK. These girls have been well-coached and they know what's going on."
 
When asked if he is just a one-year bridge to a long-term replacement, Slaymaker – who also serves as the commissioner of the Lyon County League and is in his 14^th year in that role -- said he wasn't sure what the time frame is.
 
"It was never discussed," he said. "We'll take it one day at a time. When it's an appropriate time, we'll see what works and go from there. I'm not long term, but we'll see how long this term is."
 
Olpe will have its share of contenders looking to dethrone the Eagles, most notably within its own league. Fellow Lyon County League program Burlingame returns an experienced and talented team, while Madison is off to a 2-0 start.
 
Frankfort, Hodgeman County, Kiowa County, St. Paul and South Central are off to 4-0 starts, while Osborne is 3-0.