The Final Season
Boys varsity basketball coach Jim Shannon announces retirement after this season
November 21, 2022
“I would like to announce that this will be my 25th and final year as the varsity basketball coach at New Albany High School.”
These are the words from Head Coach Jim Shannon after 24 years with the Bulldogs. The news was announced on social media November 10.
Coach Shannon has done so much more for NAHS than just coaching the varsity basketball team. He is also heavily involved in community youth leagues; he is always there, helping kids have a safe environment to play basketball. Many of these players grow up and become Bulldogs.
In 2016 Coach Shannon led the Bulldogs to a state title; the team was led by Indiana Mr. Basketball and Mcdonald’s All American Romeo Langford. Langford went on to play at Indiana University, then to the NBA. “I simply want to spend more time with my faith and my family, especially with my wife Tammy and our children and grandchildren. I want to get more involved with our church.” — Boys varsity basketball head coach Jim Shannon
“We are announcing it today rather than at the end of the season for a couple of reasons,” the announcement said. “First, whether this team excels, struggles, or finds itself somewhere in between, I do not want anyone, especially the players, to think this year’s outcome has anything to do with the decision. I love these kids. I am enjoying preparing and practicing for this upcoming season. Secondly, I know how obsessed I am with coaching basketball, and I do not want to give myself an opportunity to change my mind. Lastly, I wanted to be able to thank and say goodbye to the greatest basketball fans in the state of Indiana.”
With such a rich basketball tradition, many NAHS players and fans didn’t see this day coming.
“I simply want to spend more time with my faith and my family, especially with my wife Tammy and our children and grandchildren. I want to get more involved with our church,” Shannon said.
Sophomore Rylan Shrink played in NA youth leagues for years and says he loved the environment around coach Shannon and the people he had around him.
“Although I have only played for coach Shannon for one year now, I will miss being pushed and coached by him,” Schrink said.
“It feels weird knowing that he has been here for so long and is known as a Hall of Fame coach,” junior Landon Kirk said. “I grew up and that’s all I knew was Coach Shannon and him coaching here. It will definitely feel extremely weird with him not here next year, but I get it that he has to do what’s best for him.”
