TheTandD.com | OPS Indians’ football coach out

OPS Indians’ football coach out

By TRAVIS BOLAND, T&D Sports WriterTuesday, January 10, 2006

When the Orangeburg Prep Indians take the field for the 2006 football season, they will do so with a new head coach.

Veteran coach Don Shelley said he was told before the Thanksgiving holiday that the OPS football program was to be evaluated. Shelley then left to coach in the first-ever SCISAA Oasis Shrine Bowl.

When he returned, Shelley was informed the Friday before the Christmas holiday that the school was going to reassign the direction of the football program and that assignment didn’t involve him, Shelley confirmed Monday.

“They must be looking for something else, and that something wasn’t me,” Shelley said. “When I asked what the reason was, I was told that it was nothing specific. It has to be politics.”

Two years ago Shelley led the Indians to an 8-5 record but lost in the second round of the Class 3-A playoffs. This year Shelley’s Indians fell to 4-8, including a first-round playoff loss to Heathwood Hall. It was the fifth consecutive year the Indians had been to the playoffs.

The Indians were short-handed at times this past season with just 25 players on the roster, nine of whom were seniors. It looks as if the Indians will get some help in the coming season as last season’s JV squad had 45 players suit up and had a perfect record.

Shelley returned to the sideline this season after missing several games in ’04 because of cancer and chemotherapy treatments. He has since recovered.

Shelley said the news came as a bit of a shock after 20 years as Indian coach.

“It’s definitely a bitter pill to swallow,” Shelley said. “When you’re at a place for so long, and then you’re told that you were let go for no specific reason.”

The future is uncertain for Shelley, who will finish out his contract as a teacher at the school until the end of the semester.

He said that he has been contacted by some schools who have coaching vacancies. Shelley’s contract with OPS runs out at the end of the school year.

“I’ve had some schools call me with some opportunities, but I don’t know my immediate future,” Shelley said. “I have to let this settle and then see what’s out there for me.”

OPS Athletic Director Todd Layton confirmed Shelley’s pending departure but said Monday he would not have further information until Tuesday.

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8 comment(s)

The following comments are reader submitted. They do not represent the views of The T&D or Lee Enterprises.

ashlyn caffey AKA lil' caffey (according to coach) wrote on Nov 10, 2006 6:11 PM:

" As a student of orangeburg prep coach shelley is dearly missed by the students. The school isn't the same with out him he was the one that brought all the smiles to the faces and he is the one who built the orangeburg prep football program up to be so good. As a student i wish things were back to "normal", all the traditions he carried out for so many years. He is the best the one and only coach shelley. Coach Shelley was the best thing that ever happened to OP and they took it away from us(i hate to say this about my school but its true)he was like our walking angel. To tell you the truth I had a hrad tim writting this comment there was so much to say and i didn't really know how to put it. Well i wish coach shelley the best of luck tonight,november friday the 10th on his semi-finals game i know he will coach his best. coach shelley i love and miss you. love ashlyn caffey AKA lil' caffey "

Linda Proctor wrote on Jan 19, 2006 1:52 PM:

" I am shocked! Coach Shelly has been a wonderful coach through the years! Coach Shelly didn't just teach the kids to be winners ;he taught them how to hold there head up if they lost a game. He taught them respect. My son is Kenneth Proctor who played football at OP .He now teaches and coaches. Kenneth has told me many times since playing under coach Shelly that his desire is to be a coach like coach Shelly because he knew when he played under him that he cared about his players. Unlike alot of coaches who just wanted to win no matter who it hurt including their own team. Losing him will be a terrible loss to OP. "

Dr. Brian Felkel wrote on Jan 12, 2006 9:45 PM:

" As a graduate of the class of 1988 and a football player, I got to know Coach Shelley during his first two years at Orangeburg Prep. As a lineman on the football team, I got to know him fairly well. I found him to be tough, sincere, considerate, and fun, and he cared for his players. I also know that he is a man willing to invest himself in his students. In fact due, in part, to his influence and encouragement, I have obtained a successful career. Orangeburg Preparatory has been extremely fortunate to have him these last 20 years and will find no coach better than he is. The decision to fire (or I believe that your nicer term is not renew his contract) makes me wonder what pseudo-wealthy, pompous donor/director/etc. made this decision. Coach Shelley invested his life into thousands of Orangeburg Preparatory students over the last 20 years, and Orangeburg Preparatory is richer because of it. He has had a courageous bout with cancer that he is winning. In the midst of all this, you decide to fire him. I find this sickening. "

Megan Chaplin wrote on Jan 12, 2006 1:01 PM:

" To follow up on Mr. Raines' comments, I would like to ask the Board of Directors to walk into the OP gym and double check the trophy closets and flags on the wall marking state championships for all sports. If state champion trophies are what we're looking for, in all fairness, maybe some other sports that haven't won in a while need to be re-evaluated as well. I was very involved in many different athletics during my time at OP. Win or lose, at the high school level of play, it was always about learning sportsmanship, teamwork, respect for opponents and other invaluable skills that have served me well so far. I consider myself fortunate that I went to a school where I was able to have those experiences as an athlete. And now I have something that, thanks to the board, upcoming students will not have the opportunity to do and that was play on a team coached by Don Shelley. Another school is going to be extremely lucky to get such a loyal, dedicated man who is full of love for teaching, coaching, and students. "

Jason Raines wrote on Jan 12, 2006 12:08 AM:

" I was very saddened to hear that Coach Don Shelley was fired from his job as head football coach after 20 years of hard work and dedication to making each of his players not only better football players but better men as well. I was lucky enough to have played for him for four years, and in those four years, I learned a great deal about sportsmanship, teamwork, and perseverance. I also had a lot of fun, and we won a lot of games. In the three years I played under Coach Shelley at the varsity level, we won enough games to make it to the semi-finals three years in a row. We lost to the eventual state champion each of those three years. Ever team cannot be state champion every year, and with other teams around the league recruiting players, it gets tougher every year. But over the years Coach Don Shelley has spent at Orangeburg Preparatory Schools, his teams have won several state championships and made the playoffs nearly every year. But when does the desire for a state championship become too much? This is high school football, not the NFL or the NCAA, where players are recruited or put on salary. At this stage, especially in a small private school league such as SCISA, football should be more than a �win at any cost� mentality. Sure winning is nice, but firing Coach Shelley sends the message that winning is more important than loyalty, respect, and just plain decency to other people. Maybe it wasn't due to lack of wins that Coach Shelley will no longer be an Indain, but saying that it was due to "no specific reason" leads me believe that wins have something to do with it. I really can't see any other reason. "

Todd Felkel wrote on Jan 11, 2006 8:22 PM:

" Sorry to hear Coach Shelley is leaving OPS. I respect him as a great coach, a great teacher and a great person. Coach Shelley was a tremendous influence in my life while attending OPS which enabled me to play four years of college football, graduate with a masters degree from seminary and serve in the Christian ministry for the past 11 years. A terrible loss and decision for OPS. He deserves as much support as we can give him. "

Kara Corbett wrote on Jan 11, 2006 9:44 AM:

" Coach Shelley was a coach, a teacher, a jokester, and a friend to almost every child that came through OP. Everyone has a story about Coach Shelley. He was hard on us, he was good to us, and he taught us life lessons. It really disappoints me to know that I am an alumni of an institution who does not value this man. If Orangeburg Prep felt the need to take this big of a step and "reassign" this position, you would think they would have had the audacity and professionalism to give a reason. We were always taught to stand by our actions in life no matter if people agreed or not, so to the Board of Directors and officials of Orangeburg Prep, I say you need to start practicing what you preach. I have seen very respectable teachers and many others leave this school since I have graduated, and it truly disappoints me to see the road this school is headed down. Orangeburg Prep is not the school it used to be when we were students. I think instead of re-evaluating the football program, the officials may need to re-evaluate themselves as people and Orangeburg Prep as an institution. "

Camden Kittrell wrote on Jan 10, 2006 5:00 PM:

" As an Orangeburg Prep alumni and former player of Coach Shelley's, I am deeply troubled by the departure of our coach. He has coached at OPS for many many years and touched the lives of thousands of kids and young adults. The most important factor about coach,other players will varify this, is that he was more than an X and O guy. He taught us about life as well as football. I loved that man as if he was my father, and all his former players share that feeling. As for the school, it's headed for a rough road ahead due to corrupt authority. The school will no longer be respectable unless there are some changes in office and board. I hate to appose a school that has given me so much. But what can you expect if you fire a good man who has battled cancer right before Christmas. Sincerely Camden Kittrell "

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OPS Indians’ football coach out

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