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Mr. Tom Colwell
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Tom Colwell
1963-1965
ASSISTANT COACH ON THE SHIPLEY STAFF.
MARRIED TO KITTY WAGNER IN 1962. CHILDREN-TOM JR.,KELLY, CATHY, MICHAEL,KEVIN. ALL ARE GROWN AND LIVING IN KANSAS CITY. THEY HAVE GIVEN KITTY AND ME TEN GRANDCHILDREN.
I WAS COACHING AT CATHOLIC HIGH IN NEW IBERIA AND COACH SHIPLEY APPROACHED ME TO BE HIS ASSISTANT COACH. HE PARTICULARLY WANTED ME TO HELP WITH THE DEFENSE.
ONE OF OUR FRESHMAN PLAYERS BECAME HOMESICK AND WAS PLANNING ON GOING BACK HOME TO KENTUCKY. COACH SHIPLEY HEARD ABOUT IT AND WENT DIRECTLY TO THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE DORM AND WANTED TO HELP THE YOUNG MAN PACK. ON ARRIVAL AT THE YOUNG MAN’S ROOM, SHIP PROCEEDED TO OPEN THE THIRD STORY WINDOW. BEING A VERY PATIENT MAN, COACH SHIP BEGAN TO THROW ALL THE PLAYER’S BELONGINGS OUT THE WINDOW. THEN THE BIG REDHEAD
GRABBED THE PLAYER AND WALKED HIM TO THE WINDOW TO GIVE HIM A HEAD START BACK TO KENTUCKY. WE GRABBED COACH
AND SAID YOU CAN’T DO THAT. SHIP RELENTED. THE PLAYER ENDED UP AN ALL-AMERICAN AT USL. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT
HE BECAME, IF NOT THE BEST, ONE OF THE BEST TO EVER PLAY FOR THE RAGIN CAJUNS. I WONT’ MENTION HIS NAME, BUT IT IS SOMEWHERE MOST OF US GO EVERY SUNDAY MORNING.
WE HAD JUST BEEN BEATEN AT LA.TECH AND WE STOPPED FOR A MEAL AT EFFY’S’ IN ALEXANDRIA. BEFORE THE MEAL SHIP
TOLD ME THAT HE WAS RIDING BACK TO LAFAYETTE WITH RIP HENDERSON. HE SAID ” YOU FEED THEM AND AND I HOPE THEY CHOKE ON EVERY BITE(SHIP DIDN’T LIKE TO LOSE). WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED, GET ON THE BUS AND TOM CHEW EVERYONE OF THEIR BUTTS OUT.” SO I PROCEEDED FROM THE FRONT OF THE BUS AND RIPPED ALL OF THEM INDIVIDUALLY.
WHEN I GOT TO THE BACK OF THE BUS MAC PRICE AND JIMMY DYKES WERE SITTING TOGETHER. I CHEWED BOTH OF THEM
AND LATER JIMMY TOLD ME THAT MAC SAID, “WHY IN THE HELL DID HE CHEW US OUT? WE NEVER EVEN GOT IN THE GAME”. JIMMY TOLD MAC “THAT IN PRACTICE WE DIDN’T GET THEM (THE REGULARS) READY TO
PLAY”.
THIS WAS TYPICAL OF THE ATTITUDE COACH SHIPLEY DEVELOPED WITH HIS TEAMS. I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT SHIPLEY STORIES BUT I’M AFRAID IT WOULD FILL A BOOK.
MY EDUCATION AND CAREER INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING:
–MASTER OF SCIENCE + 60 GRADUATE HOURS.
–1958-1963-HEAD BASKETBALL COACH @ CATHOLIC HIGH, NEW IBERIA LA.
–47 LEAGUE WINS IN A ROW.
–1963-1965-ASS’T BASKETBALL COACH @ USL.
–2 GSC CHAMPIONS.
–1965-1970-ASS’T COACH @ ST. BENEDICT’S COLLEGE.
–NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, 1967. 27 WINS 2 LOSSES.
–1970-1976-ATHLETIC DIRECTOR @ BENEDICTINE COLLEGE.
–RE-ESTABLISHED COLLEGE FOOTBALL PROGRAM.
–ESTABLISHED WOMEN’S ATHLETIC PROGRAM IN COMPLIANCE WITH TITLE 9.
–1970-1976-HEAD BASKETBALL COACH @ BENEDICTINE COLLEGE.
–2 DISTRICT 10 NAIA CHAMPIONSHIPS.
–1976-1988-HEAD BASKETBALL COACH @ BISHOP MIEGE HIGH SCHOOL.
–3 EASTERN KANSAS LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS. 2 SUB-STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS.
–2 STATE TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES.
–1989-1995-HEAD BASKETBALL COACH @ BLUE VALLEY NORTH HIGH SCHOOL.
–THREE EASTERN KANSAS LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS. 2 SUB-STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS.
–3RD PLACE FINISH @ STATE.
AWARDS:
–WHO’S WHO AMONG AMERICAN TEACHERS.
–KANSAS UNIVERSITY TEACHER RECOGNITION AWARD.
–BLUE VALLEY APPLAUSE PROGRAM RECIPIENT.
–SUN COUNTRY NEWSPAPER COACH OF THE YEAR.
–EASTERN KANSAS LEAGUE COACH OF THE YEAR.
–K.C.METRO COACH OF THE YEAR-EDDIE RYAN AWARD.
–KANSAS 6A COACH OF THE YEAR.
I HAVE BEEN COACHING FOR THE LAST 44 YEARS AND WOULD NOT EVEN BE IN THIS PROFESSION IF IT WERE NOT FOR COACH
SHIPLEY. HE TAUGHT ME HOW TO WORK HARD, TO BE AGGRESSIVE AND TO NEVER SETTLE FOR LESS THAN THE BEST. I OWE
MY WHOLE CAREER TO SHIP AND WOULD NOT TRADE ANYTHING FOR MY EXPERIENCE AT USL. COACH SHIPLEY WAS SO GOOD TO
KITTY AND ME..HE ALWAYS WAS SINCERE, FUNNY AND SO CHARITABLE. HE IS MY IDOL.
THANK YOU, COACH SHIPLEY.
Coaches: 1963, 1964, 1965
