EMPORIA — Ron Slaymaker is retiring as head coach of the Topeka High girls team. The 89-year-old legendary head coach told the media that he is retiring while he was watching the high school basketball state quarterfinals in Emporia.
Slaymaker coached two seasons at Topeka High. He had an overall record of 31-16 during this stretch. The Trojans won the Centennial League title for the first time since 2022 this year.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSlaymaker told the Topeka High team that he was retiring Wednesday afternoon.
“It was really good because it was so challenging, not so much because it was 6A,” Slaymaker said. “It just felt to me — I’ve had a lot of different teams — this was a real challenge to make it work, and I think we did.”
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Slaymaker’s crew almost pulled off a first-round upset against No. 2 Derby on Wednesday, March 10. Topeka High lost 61-58 in an agonizingly close loss.
“We came damn close against a good team,” Slaymaker said. “Derby is really good. They might win it and we were right there.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThere is one big memory that Slaymaker said he will always remember.
Sophie Brown, a sophomore, came off the bench and hit some big free throws to win the game against Manhattan on Feb. 13. The Trojans secured a 58-54 victory and it was a crucial victory for the team’s Centennial League title aspirations.
“She stepped to the line against Manhattan and made two free throws, actually, for all practical purposes, it won the damn league,” Slaymaker said. “I told her today in the meeting that I thought she won the league for us.”
Topeka High coach Ron Slaymaker brings his team in to a huddle during the first round of the Capital City Classic inside Topeka High School on Jan. 29, 2026.Slaymaker said that the next coach will be fortunate with the talent at their disposal. Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton, the city’s scoring leader, and Hailey Caryl, who also leads the city in assists, will be back for Topeka High.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTopeka High is one of Slaymaker’s many stops in his historic career. He coached Emporia State for 28 years and is in the Emporia State Athletic Hall of Honor. The court at White Auditorium is named after him.
In 2014, Slaymaker came out of retirement and coached Chase County and Olpe before his time in the capital city.
Liam Keating covers high school sports and Washburn for The Topeka Capital-Journal. Send stats or information to him at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Ron Slaymaker retires as Topeka High girls basketball head coach
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