Chester "Chet" Harper

ALLIANCE, OHIO – (May 22, 2023) – Chester “Chet” Harper has been selected as the new Aviators boys basketball coach pending approval by the Alliance City Schools (ACS) Board of Education.

Harper began coaching at Timken High School as the head JV basketball coach in 2001. Since the start of his coaching career, he has served as the Timken lead assistant varsity coach, lead assistant varsity coach at McKinley High School and served as the associate head coach at McKinley from 2018-2021.

During his career, he helped coach seven teams to the league championship and coached teams to the district and regional finals. In 2020, he helped lead McKinley to the district championship.

“First, I want to thank Superintendent Gress and the Alliance Board of Education for this wonderful opportunity. I am grateful and humbled by this moment. Not many can say they have been blessed with the chance to come home and lead such a historic basketball program, such as that of Alliance High School,” Harper said. “This is a dream come true and provides me the space to give back to the community that not only embraced me, but shaped me as a young man and student athlete.”

Harper is a 1993 graduate of Alliance High School (AHS).

“We’re honored to have an alum returning to AHS to coach the team he once played for,” said Tim Goodman, the ACS athletic director. “Chet’s history of coaching and his teams’ successes at Canton set him apart along with his belief and values, which match those of Alliance City Schools. I look forward to seeing him lead these young men and help build them into leaders, high performers and caring citizens both on and off the court.”

Harper will be employed at ACS in a capacity that has not yet been decided.

The Alliance High School boys basketball team has a long history of athletic success over the years. Finding a coach with the vision and capacity to maintain our climate of high performance on and off the court was a high priority for the district. 

Harper will replace Sean Weatherspoon, who resigned from the position in April.

For more information about the Alliance City School District, visit www.alliancecityschools.org.