Roger Grove dies; former Norristown football coach was 70

Longtime area high school football coach Roger Grove, who spent 27 seasons in charge at Norristown, died Friday morning from complications related to skin cancer. He was 70.

Grove compiled a 209-98-6 record at Norristown from 1976 to 2002. A health and physical education teacher at the school for 35 years, he accepted an early-retirement package offered by the school district in 2003.

Grove then joined Neshaminy as an assistant coach, working mostly with the running backs and quarterbacks under close friend Mark Schmidt. Schmidt, who directed the Redskins for 19 seasons, began his coaching career with Grove at Norristown.

"I honestly think he was one of the most genuine people I ever met," said Schmidt, now the interim head coach at Imhotep Charter. "He truly cared about his students, his players, everyone."

Grove and Steve Wilmot, who took over at Neshaminy last year, were fellow assistants with the Redskins. "He was a one of a kind person," Wimot said. "He was so genuine in his interactions with his players. He brought so much experience with him to Neshaminy."

Grove, of Phoenixville, was inducted into the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association's Hall of Fame in 1993.

Four of Grove's players at Norristown went on to play in the National Football League. The most accomplished was cannon-armed QB Steve Bono, a 1980 graduate who went on to UCLA and played for seven pro teams from 1985 to 1999.

Grove's Eagles qualified for the PIAA District 1 Class AAAA playoffs in 1998, 1999, and 2000. In 1998, they went 11-2 and lost to eventual state champion Central Bucks West, 35-14, in the district final.

Funeral arrangements were pending.