Saturday, November 29, 2025
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‘Good Leaders Are Always Teaching’: A Middle School Coach’s Approach
BELOW: Seventh grade boys’ basketball coaches Drew Parsley and Curt Johnson assess the court during a game this week against Southport. | photo by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS
Leadership expert John Gardner says that “teachers are always leading, and good leaders are always teaching.” Few places illustrate that connection more clearly than the Shelbyville Middle School boys’ locker room, where 7th-grade basketball coach and teacher Drew Parsley balances the dual roles of educator and mentor with unfiltered authenticity.
A victory over Southport on Monday gave the team a 10–2 record heading into Thanksgiving break, but the win only tells part of the story. The focus of Parsley’s program is not the scoreboard; it’s the development of young people and the expectation that effort and attitude matter as much as shot selection.
Parsley grew up in Shelby County sports culture: Boys Club teams, Babe Ruth games, and TYA football at Triton Central. His earliest influences were coaches who treated youth sports as something larger than drills and diagrams.
As a student-athlete at Shelbyville High School, he absorbed lessons from coaches he still quotes today: Kyle Shipp, Jason West, Pat Parks and Scott Fitzgerald, who brought accountability and a “family-first” mentality to athletics.
“(Coach Harry) Larrabee had ‘No Excuses’ written on the butt of our basketball shorts,” Parsley says with a laugh.
He also recalls a message Shipp taped to every player’s locker before a game against a tough opponent: “Excuses are crutches that failures lean on.”
Parsley later served as an assistant football coach at SHS under Brian Glesing, where they promoted the “three things athletes can always control”: attitude, character and effort. As head coach now, Parsley adds a fourth: toughness - mental, emotional and physical. At the middle-school level, he says, toughness must be taught carefully.
“They’re 12 and 13,” he said. “They’re still learning who they are. The balance is pushing them while remembering they’re kids.”
Parsley leads the Bears alongside assistant coach Curt Johnson, parent of player Sam Johnson. Together, the coaches bring a blend of perspectives and coaching experience.
Families, Parsley said, want structure and someone who cares. “They know we’re coaching them hard. They know we’re getting better in basketball. More importantly, we’re becoming better young people. Parents appreciate that.”
During a pregame interview, players wandered into his office, asking questions and looking for quick reassurance before warm-ups.
Monday’s game against Southport reflected the Bears’ typical intensity. But despite a halftime lead, Parsley made it clear in the locker room that he wasn’t pleased.
“This might be the worst half of basketball you’ve played. The good news is: there’s a whole second half.”
He then offered adjustments on reading the defense and taking care of the ball. “I don’t care what the scoreboard says,” he said. “Play a better half of basketball.”
They did. Shelbyville opened the third quarter with an explosive run, extending the lead into double digits. The student section, dressed in shirts with handwritten “White Lies,” playful fabrications like “I am definitely not loud,” responded accordingly.
After the win, Parsley gathered players again. This time, he was relaxed.
“I looked up at the scoreboard and suddenly we’re up 12, then 17, then 20,” he said.
He had several players stand as he praised their effort. He reminded the team to rest during Thanksgiving break and offered tongue-in-cheek holiday advice: “Don’t overdo the deviled eggs.”
Then he paused and raised his voice:
“Hey! We’re 10-and-2!”
The locker room erupted. The players, of course, know the real focus is accountability and growth. But a winning record never hurts.
BELOW: Parsley gives direction to Tanner Thorne mid-game on Monday. | photo by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS
Undefeated Bears Celebrated on 20th Anniversary
Players and staff from the Shelbyville High School 2005-06 basketball team were recognized Wednesday in Garrett Gymnasium to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the school’s only undefeated regular-season squad. From left, Bryan Brown, Noah Henderson, Ben Murphy, Damon Alvis, Chris Ridgeway, Thorne Martin, Cory Sitton, Jim Peck, Ivan Toliver, Sean Drake, James Douglas, Paul Heidenreich, Eli Veach, Grant Peters, David Hunton and Harry Larrabee. Look for additional photos from the evening in the upcoming print edition for supporters. | photo by JACK BOYCE
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NOTEBOOK:
Valerie Pickett placed first in the annual St. Paul Tavern turnip contest with a 10.92-pound turnip. Terry Wissing placed second at 10.31 pounds, and Michelle Eberhart was third at 9.86 pounds.
Due to forecasted inclement weather, the Waldron boys basketball home game today has been moved up, with junior varsity starting at 2 p.m. and varsity at 3:30 p.m.
Boba Cafe in downtown Shelbyville has announced a trial run of opening regular hours on Mondays, starting Dec. 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sarah Kuhn has announced her candidacy for Shelby County Coroner. Kuhn, a lifelong Shelby County resident, brings 10 years of medical experience and seven years in public safety, along with three years of service as a deputy coroner. She said her background has prepared her to serve with professionalism and compassion and hopes to continue supporting the community with empathy and integrity.
HOOSIER NEWS: The CPKC Holiday Train will pass through northern Indiana early Sunday morning as part of its annual cross-country tour, though it won’t make official stops in the state. Now in its 27th year, the decorated train supports food banks across Canada and the U.S., helping raise more than $26 million and five million pounds of food. CPKC urges spectators to watch safely and notes the nearest full performance stops are in Windsor on Saturday and Franklin Park, Illinois, on Sunday. (Indiana Public Radio)
NATIONAL NEWS: New York City has approved nearly $50 million in tax incentives to attract ABBA Voyage, the popular London hologram concert, to the Far West Side of Manhattan. Developers plan a $500 million, 3,000-seat venue that could open in 2028, though critics argue the project offers unnecessary subsidies to wealthy developers. The city says the show, which has drawn millions in London, would boost tourism and support hundreds of construction and permanent jobs. (New York Times)
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This Week in Shelby County Archive
by GEORGE L. STUBBS
This Day in Shelby County History
Local headlines reported on or around this date in Shelby County history. Selections are curated by The Addison Times from Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department materials.
2005: Major Hospital officials announced the organization would establish a smoke-free campus beginning Jan. 1, 2006. The hospital worked with local health advocates, displayed educational materials and offered cessation programs as part of its transition to a tobacco-free environment.
1995: Knauf added new landscaping along State Road 9 in front of their facility. The company planned to plant 138 trees and install a new sign as part of its beautification project.
1985: Shelby County Public Library began exploring the possibility of expanding its Broadway building after purchasing a neighboring house that offered room to grow. The library board noted rising demand for materials and limited space for research, storage and meetings, and viewed the acquisition as a long-term opportunity to plan for future needs.
1975: Dr. D.M. Jones announced his retirement from optometry, with his practice transitioning to Dr. R.L. Johnson, who continued seeing patients at the Tompkins Street office in Shelbyville.
1965: Shelby Eastern Schools superintendent James M. Sharp, a longtime Shelby County educator and former Shelbyville High School principal, died at age 51 after several months of declining health. Funeral services would be held at Waldron Baptist Church, with burial at Mt. Auburn Cemetery.
1955: A nationwide glass shortage reached Shelbyville, affecting local suppliers, hardware stores and auto shops struggling to source window panes, safety glass and automobile windshields. Businesses reported rising demand and limited inventories, though the local Pittsburgh Plate Glass operation said its fiber glass plant was not yet impacted.
1945: More than 100 Shelby County veterans had sought help from the newly established Veterans Service Center soon after it opened. The center assisted returning servicemen with issues ranging from vocational training and education to employment and housing needs. Officials also coordinated with visiting representatives from the U.S. Employment Service to interview veterans interested in jobs outside the county.
1935: About 150 people attended the annual Thanksgiving Day dinner at the Waldron community hall, followed by an evening program organized by members of the Waldron Baptist Church. The event included an oyster supper, devotions and musical selections by local performers.
1925: Waldron High School’s basketball team defeated Boggstown decisively, winning 66–18 in a game played at the Shelbyville High School gym. The Boggstown team practiced only once a week, The Republican said.
1915: Members of the Frauenverein met at the home of Mrs. Bert Stafford, where they dressed twenty dolls to be donated through the municipal Christmas Tree program. The dolls were intended as gifts for 20 local girls on Christmas morning, and the gathering included a program of German songs performed by a high school quartet.
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OBITUARIES
None today.