Steven Cheek (Courtesy photo)
CLIMAX – Steven Cheek has returned to a coaching role at Providence Grove, this time as the girls’ basketball coach.
Cheek will be the third head coach of the Patriots program in three seasons.
“I always knew I wanted to coach,” he said.
Cheek, 29, spent four seasons on the boys’ basketball coaching staff at the Providence Grove before going to Southern Guilford last season as an assistant coach.
He said that gave him a different experience and he hopes that additional background will be valuable.
Cheek said this assignment, which is his first as a varsity head coach, brings him back closer to his roots.
“I thought it would be good to be back home,” he said.
Cheek is a 2013 graduate of Eastern Randolph. He has been a physical education teacher for several years in the Randolph County School System, splitting time between Liberty Elementary School and Franklinville Elementary School.
Providence Grove had a coaching vacancy after Johnathan Gainey, who was in the role for one season, departed to take the coaching position at West Forsyth. The Patriots posted a 15-12 record last season and placed third in the Piedmont Athletic Conference.
Cheek was on the staff for Providence Grove’s PAC regular-season championship boys’ team in 2021-22 under coach Wes Luther. Cheek said he also was on the staff for Southeast Guilford’s girls’ team when it won the 2019 Class 3A state title.
Cheek said he considers the PAC a hotbed for girls’ basketball and he’d like the Patriots to be a part of that conversation. He said Providence Grove should have enough returning players with experience to maintain an upward trend.
“I want to compete from Day 1,” he said.
Providence Grove’s opener is listed for Nov. 22 at home against Chatham Charter.
