Papahronis family aims to leave lasting legacy at Edmond North
EDMOND, Okla. (BVM) — Sports can profoundly impact a family. And in the last four years, Edmond North head girls basketball coach Pete Papahronis and his two daughters, Elle and Toni, have helped the Lady Huskies become one of Oklahoma’s top squads.
Pete grew up in Oklahoma and quickly found the love of basketball. He played the game through college and decided to give his career a shot overseas.
“I’ve loved basketball ever since I was a kid,” Pete said. “When I was 21, I moved over to Greece. I’m full-blooded Greek, so I moved over there. For 11 years, I was in Greece, met my wife and [then] we moved back to Oklahoma.”
Pete then would take up coaching the game he loved so much. His first head coaching gig was at Guthrie High School coaching boys basketball. For nine years, he led the Blue Jays and captured two Class 5A state championships. Little did he know his time as a boys head basketball coach was coming to an end.
“My wife and I had our third kid, and they were all girls,” Pete said. “So, I said to myself, ‘If I what to ever see my girls, I got to go over to girls basketball, or I’ll be one gym and they’ll be in the other, and I’ll never get to watch them play.’”
He would have immediate success following his move to coaching girls basketball, which included two years of coaching the girls team at Guthrie.
With Pete at the helm, the Lady Huskies reached the state tournament for the first time in 2020, and in the following season, they would reach the semifinals. It was the furthest that Edmond North had reached since Elizabeth Donohoe, a former Oklahoma State alum, led the team.
His two daughters have also been at the forefront of the successful program. Many could see that as a challenge, but the lessons Toni and Elle learned have been vital.
“Having my dad as my basketball coach has been challenging but also rewarding,” Toni, a Navy basketball commit, said. “He pushed me harder than any other person. It’s rewarding because I end up working hard to meet expectations. It’s helped me become the basketball player I am today.”
“I really believe that if he wasn’t my coach, I would not be as tough as I am today,” Elle said. “With him being harder on me, I know I can handle anything that comes my way. Nothing is harder than having a parent as your coach. When he gets on you, it’s personal. Getting through adversity and being mentally tough is what I’ve taken away from playing for him.”
Now that the 2021-22 season is coming to an end, the Lady Huskies aim to become one of the most accomplished teams in Edmond North history. The Lady Huskies finished with the regular season with a 23-1 overall record and are now one game away from capturing a state championship.
It has been a memorable journey for the Papahronis family. Basketball has brought them closer, and the game will continue to be a central part of their life.
Congrats to Senior Toni Papahronis on reaching the 1000 point mark today in the Lady Huskies 1st round State Tournament win over Stillwater! #HuskyNation #beGREAT @lady_husky_hoop @Cam_Jourdan @JamesDJackson15 pic.twitter.com/8Mgh6nwIiv
— Edmond North Athletics (@north_edmond) March 10, 2022
The win gives Edmond North coach Pete Papahronis his 300th career win and Toni Papahronis her 1,000th career point. #OKPreps pic.twitter.com/J1DOxIpVDv
— James D. Jackson (@JamesDJackson15) March 10, 2022
“Basketball is our family dynamic,” Elle said. “In the summer, we don’t go on vacations; it’s basketball. If we have a tournament out in California, that’s our vacation. Basketball is a huge part of our family, but we make the most out of it and we have fun with it.”
