T-L File Photo/KIM NORTH ST. CLAIRSVILLE head baseball coach Tom Sliva (right) receives a hug from then Red Devils’ A.D. Kelly Rine after the baseball squad captured the district. Sliva was recently inducted to the Eastern District Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Quite simply, Tom Sliva could hardly believe it when he received the letter.

The current St. Clairsville High School baseball coach — fresh off a 2019 season in which he guided the Red Devils to the Division II state semifinals — was chosen for induction to the Eastern District’s Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.

“I was shocked and humbled,” Sliva recalled of the day he learned of his accolade. “Though it’s an individual honor, it’s one that’s received because of great players, great assistant coaches and great families along the way.”

As Sliva sat down to re-read the letter he received, he immediately started to turn back the clock in his head to a coaching career that began in 1997 and still goes strong today.

“I’ve been fortunate to be able to stay in (coaching) for as long as I have because of the players and coaches I’ve worked with,” Sliva said.

Sliva’s resume is quite vast and impressive. It does include a regional title, four district championships, eight sectional titles, four OVAC championships and eight Buckeye 8 crowns.

None of that, however, is what Sliva will remember the most about his career, which began at St. John Central and brought him to St. Clairsville in 2003.

“For me, it’s all about the relationships,” Sliva said. “I’ve been honored to be asked to be a couple of weddings of my former players, made life-long friendships with past staff and players. Those are the reasons why you get into (coaching). Obviously, winning is great and we wanted to win every game we could, but the relationships are truly why I do it.”

Sliva spent five seasons working as an assistant under the late Richard “Lefty” Hall at St. Clairsville before he was hired at St. John Central.

“Buzz Donahue was the A.D. at St. John’s and he hired me,” Sliva said. “I have all the respect in the world for that man. He gave me my first chance (to be a head coach) and I’ve loved that man ever since.”

With the Irish, Sliva won four OVAC titles, three sectionals, a district and was twice named Eastern District Coach of the Year.

“I have nothing but great memories from my time at St. John’s,” Sliva said. “I didn’t leave there because I didn’t like it. I loved it there. The people like Ernie Petho, Charlie Kloss, Gary Hill made it an awesome place to be. Plus, the kids were great. I have very fond memories for my six years there.”

Quite simply, the opportunity to guide one of the area’s most respected and highly successful programs — at St. Clairsville — was too much to pass up.

“I didn’t feel any pressure, but I did want to honor Lefty as best I could,” Sliva said. “St. Clairsville had a great tradition of winning and its athletics department was strong. I was just honored to go there and start coaching.”

Sliva’s Red Devils haven’t missed a beat. Last season, the Red Devils advanced to the state tournament for the first time since 1997 before falling to Gates Mills Gilmour Academy in the Division II state semifinals.

“(Last season) was extremely exciting and rewarding,” Sliva said. “It was a great group of kids that worked extremely hard. We always told the kids that as long as we do everything we’re supposed to do, leave no stone unturned, you have to accept the results. You don’t have to like them, but have to accept them.”

Sliva, an avid fisherman, like most baseball coaches has to had to find other ways to bide his time this spring since the season was shut down in late April due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Having no season has done nothing but motivate Sliva even more for what lies ahead whenever baseball season resumes in Ohio.

“Someone told me having this season off and when I started to get out and doing some fishing that it would make me not want to go back (to coaching),” Sliva said. “It’s hit me totally the opposite way. Not having this season has shown me how much I love it and miss it. It’s honestly probably energized me more than anything.”