“I first met Greg when he arrived at CWU as a student-athlete and I had the opportunity to watch him develop into a very important member of the Wildcat men’s basketball team. He was a selfless leader and a great teammate. Little did I know that was only the beginning. I then saw him develop into an exceptional coach, in terms of preparation, strategy, and the myriad of intricacies college coaching involves. More importantly, he proved to be an amazing advocate and role model for and to his players. Ensuring they took full advantage of their college experiences and graduated from CWU was preeminent for Coach Spar. While that was fundamental to him, it was no more imperative than the great love he showed (and continues to show) to his wife and sons, and the devotion he demonstrated to the university and throughout our community. He is a true and valued friend to me, and I am proud to be able to call him that. And I always will.” - Robert Lowery, former longtime radio play-by-play Voice of the CWU Wildcats I have known Greg for a long time as we started our coaching careers at the same time and I feel fortunate to call him my friend. He beat us my second year to go to the National Championship Tournament. He has shown the ability to coach and win games but that doesn’t mean crap…what matters is the lives he has touched, changed, and the people he has helped grow into productive citizens. Greg coaches basketball but he teaches life and that is bigger than basketball. Players inviting him to their weddings, bringing their children by to see the coach they played for. This is the true measure of a coach that has had a career as long as Greg Sparling, a true gentleman. Scott Clark, Head Men’s Basketball Coach, TRU Athletics “Spar, you are a true friend and a great man. I deeply value and appreciate your warmth, compassion and loyalty!” - Jason Dudley, Ms, Cscs, *D, Tsac-F, *D Director of strength and conditioning, Washington State University Athletics Spar, it was a great run and you will definitely be missed!! - Corey Rogers Coach Spar, Thanks for many years of exciting basketball at CWU. You made a difference in many student-athletes lives. Best of luck! - Jeff and Diane Ellersick Greg Sparling is a fantastic basketball coach and leader (ask his players) and a wonderful husband and father (ask his family), because he’s simply a great person. I’m honored to know this CWU and Ellensburg legend, and to call him my friend. - Doug Crandall His basketball teams represented him as a player, hard working, fundamentally sound and disciplined. was a big impact not only with CWU but with the community too. Larry Cade “I’ve known Coach Sparling for 30 years. We played against each other in college and he has recruited my players to CWU. He exemplifies what coaching is about. He is a humble man of integrity and sincerity who truly cares about the long term best interests of his players. He is a great family man and I look forward to watching his next institution benefit from what he does to develop young men.” - Che Dawson “Coach Sparling brought me to campus almost 20 years ago. The alumni before and after me had the good fortune and incentive of staying close with the team and university not just because of his long tenure but also because he became a friend. He enriched the collegiate experience for me and I am forever grateful I chose Central. - Carson Payne, class of 2001 “Congrats to Coach Spar, one of the best people in our coaching profession with history of success, Fairbanks is very fortunate to get a coach of this caliber” - Carl Howell friend and coach I was the head athletic trainer at CWU from 2001-2008. I have also worked under hall of fame coaches Ralph Miller at Oregon State and National Coach of the year Don Monson at the University of Idaho. Greg Sparling is in this group as far as his dedication to the game of basketball and his ability to relate to his players. Greg is a man of incredible integrity and I know of no coach who works harder to not just recruit and coach his players, but really cares for them as individuals. I wish him the best of everything in his new position at Alaska-Fairbanks. It will be strange watching him coach from the visitors bench and I know his team will be prepared and ready to play when they come to Nicholson Pavilion. He is a great coach and even a better person, who has always done things “the right way. - Ken Kladnik Coach Sparling, Thank you for believing in and giving me a chance. It started as a player when I left Seattle U and I was looking for a fresh start. I found a home in your program. There was a feeling of being welcomed as soon as I stepped on campus. That year ended up being the best of basketball in my career. Next, you gave me a chance in coaching. After coaching one year of high school basketball you offered me a volunteer coaching position. Then you gave me the Head Assistant position with only one year of volunteer experience, and eventually became Associate Head Coach. All of these opportunities would not have happened without your belief in me, and words cannot explain how much I appreciate that. Best of luck! - Drew Harris, Former Asst Coach CWU Men’s Basketball Coach Spar, I can’t put into words how happy I am for you and your family on this new adventure. I want to thank you for all that you provided as my head coach. It was an honor sharing the court and sitting on your bench as an assistant coach these past 5 years. More than that, thank you for being a mentor and a friend. Best wishes up north! Let the horses run! - Jared “Jbone” Johnson, Former Asst Coach CWU Men’s Basketball It is my pleasure to know Coach Spar for over 25 years. In my many trips to Ellensburg over the years it was always great to see him. He always took a sincere interest in how I was doing and took time to keep me updated on Wildcat basketball. His friendship is something I hold dear. - Stephen Hertling When I see Coach Spar he is always the same, happy-go-lucky and sincere. We consider Greg, Kristin, Coleman, and Jake family. What a loss for our basketball community. Best of luck Spar! - Katherine Malcolm I truly enjoyed watching Coach Spar when he played for Central, playing city league together, having him as a guest speaker at my Future Warrior basketball camp, supporting the CWU basketball program, and being his friend all these years. I wish you all the best Spar! - Scott Malcolm
Coach Spar has been a good friend and a dandy coach. He has been a great representative for CWU and a super positive role model in his player’s lives. He has been a great recruiter and he can get kids to play extremely hard. He has had some outstanding teams at CWU and you always knew you were in a dogfight when you played the Wildcats. He passed his deep competitive spirit on to his players. And my final words to you COACH ... having fished with you on the Gulkana River in Alaska...you are a darn good king salmon fisherman too. Love you big fella. - Tim Hills your coaching and fishing buddy I am proud to state that Greg has been the type of basketball coach who has never relied on hype or rhetoric, but the type of coach who relies upon hard work, plus building personal relationships with his players and members of the community. One can certainly count on Greg rolling up his sleeves and initiating the work of building a skilled team wherever he chooses to coach. A team with athletes that are committed to the program, and are also committed to the task of development of their own person character and value system. I am most certain Coach Spar will move forward with that deep passion for basketball, his athletes his family and the community that supports his team. Greg, I am proud to say, you always be a Wildcat in my memory book of life. - Dick Hickman CWU Alumni The Sparlings, it’s hard to imagine Ellensburg without all of you! Best of luck on your new adventure! Thanks for all you’ve done for the community, you will be truly missed. - Ron and Lily England Spar thanks for being a great mentor and for giving me my start in college coaching. Wish you nothing but the best! - Tyler Geving Ex Portland State Head Coach Greg’s legacy reaches back to the days of the iconic legendary coach “Nick,” who gave so much to so many of us. Spar has done his best to hold true to the “Central-Basketball” blue-collar, small-town values CWU embraces, while still keeping up with the everevolving styles of today’s game. Spar managed to stay in one place for multiple decades in the cut-throat arena of collegiate athletics . . . a feat not accomplished by many in this day and age. For this, he should be highly commended. Greg and I go back to the early days of his CWU hoop camp when it was mostly class B, and A schools from the east side, and it has been an honor to call him a friend. - Nick Brown, CWU 87-9, Head Boys Basketball Coach Arlington High School “Coach Spar- thank you to you and your family for all you have contributed to CWU and the Ellensburg community, and for bringing my brother and I into the Wildcat family. Sending you best wishes as you embark on a new journey.” - Troy Nealey, CWU basketball 1999-2002 Coach, Thanks for all you have done for Central! More importantly I appreciate what you have for me personally! Boom Boom!!! Best of luck at Fairbanks!!! - Colton Monti (2005-2009) Coach Sparling, your influence in Ellensburg and CWU is respected. It’s been a pleasure watching you and your family become a part of our community. - Neil & Gail O’Neill When I think of Spar, two words come to mind: passion and commitment. Thanks Spar for all you’ve done for the myriad of players, fans, and your community. I’m proud to call you my friend. - Coach Brad Jackson, WWU Head Basketball Coach-Retired Spar, thanks for being such a great role model and positive influence to everyone you have come in contact with. So many great memories! - Donovan Smith Coach Spar, Thank you for your many years of helping student-athletes continue their dreams of playing basketball and helping them get an education. You have impacted many lives and I wish you and your family the best in the next chapter. - Carla Wellons “Competitive, kind and unassuming, devoid of ego yet well respected and possessing genuine compassion for his players, the game, the university, and the community not simply as a means to an end, are only a few qualities describing my best friend & teammate, Spar.” - Isaac “Ike” Alvear Thanks for all the years and your dedication Coach Sparling. May your future be even more satisfying. - Kathy Lund Coach Spar has been like family to since I was a kid and from the moment I decided to go to CWU he was always there for me for whatever I needed. And I’ve always known him to be type of guy to help someone any way he can. Good luck on your next steps and Excited to see you continue as a great coach and man. - Connor C. Howell Even though I was never a player of yours, thank you for all the life lessons on and off the court throughout the years you’ve been a part of my life! You have truly touched our lives and our community more than you will ever know. My wife and I wish you and your family nothing but the best in your next venture! Thank You, - Charlie and Ashley Simpson From Fife players and coaches of the past 19 years, thank you for the team camps that have helped create our success. You are missed. - Mark Schelbert, Fife Basketball Congratulations on a great career. Making it as long as he did in a career full of critics, watching and analyzing every move, is pretty special. Central is a special place with a great basketball tradition. I’m proud to be a part of Central basketball and I know Coach Spar is too. What I realized when I got to Central was that the basketball team was a family. Coach Gil Coleman was sick my freshman year (‘95), and Spar and Alby (Jeff Albrecht) ran things just like normal business. They took care of the basketball team and kept Gil’s young son involved in the program as much as they could. After coach passed, Spar was named interim head coach and continued the program in the way he’d learned from Coach Gil and Coach Dean Nicholson. He recruited guys that were similar in personalities, who once were on campus together, naturally became family. I believe our closeness had a lot to do with our success. We were friends on and off the court. In both Spar’s 2nd and 3rd seasons as head coach, we were able to make it to the top 8 at the national tournament. 20+ years have passed and those guys are still my best friends. We talk regularly, and we still stay in contact with each other and our coaches, Coach Spar and Coach Burns. I appreciate the memories that I made at Central, especially Central Basketball, with Spar in charge. He is a great guy with a great big heart. Thank you Coach Spar for all you’ve done for Central Washington Basketball and Central Washington University. - Grady Fallon, CWU Basketball ‘95-’98