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Occupation: Dean of Students, teacher, and girls’ basketball coach at Parkview Baptist School Wife: Michelle Children: Kyleigh, 17; Brie, 14; and Steele, 10 Hobbies: Watching sports, going to the gym, and Ubering the kids around Brett Shelton BY AMANDA MILLER PHOTO BY CST PHOTOGRAPHY LLC
B rett Shelton’s life is a blend of family, faith, and dedication to guiding future generations. With the support of his wife, who he acknowledges as a major influence in his life, he successfully balances his career with raising his three children. However, despite his busy schedule, Brett embodies the role of husband, father, teacher, coach, and mentor with grace and humility. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME AN EDUCATOR AND A COACH, AND HOW DID YOU BRETT: I originally became a coach after college. I love sports, and I wanted to be a part of sports. I used to say, if you can’t play sports anymore, coaching is the next best thing. I started coaching at False River Academy in 2003 and I coached everything I could. I enjoyed working with the young people and helping them to improve, and I enjoyed the competition. [While coaching] at Ascension Christian, one of my former basketball players was an assistant coach at Parkview, and she let me know their head coach was no longer going to take that role. She told me I should apply for it. I thought it would be cool to work with a former player and come over here and coach at a high school that had won state championships and was known for its CHOOSE PARKVIEW BAPTIST SCHOOL?
AFTER THEY LEAVE THE TEAM? BRETT: Relationships with other people. I think that sports are kind of a microcosm of what life is about, working together with people to achieve a common goal. So I think the relationship they have with their teammates, the experience they have, the journey putting in the work, and then being able to see what they get at the end from all the work that they put in, I think [is] probably what I’d like them to see. WHAT’S THE MOST REWARDING PART OF BEING A DAD? BRETT: Seeing them accomplish something and have success is probably the most rewarding part, especially something that they struggle in, whether it be school, a class, or a sport. WHAT HAS PARENTING TAUGHT YOU ABOUT YOURSELF? BRETT: It has taught me patience. It has taught me that it’s not always easy. There’s no one way to parent. It has taught me that every kid is different, and I don’t know how you can raise three kids the exact same way and the behavior be completely different. It has taught me that my parents had no idea what they were doing when they were growing up, and I didn’t know that when I was growing up. I thought they had it together. I'm sure all the kids think we all have it together too, but we learn. We learn
athletics. I thought it was a good challenge, and then I’d have her here with me as well. Now, she left me the next year, but I was blessed to have a great replacement for her, but that’s how I got to Parkview. CAN YOU SHARE A MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM YOUR COACHING CAREER THAT HAD AN IMPACT ON YOU? BRETT: Every year is different. Two years ago, when we won the first state championship, that was a huge year, because we were underdogs. We won seven games the year before, and then we won a state championship. We didn’t have any superstars on the team; we just had a team that played really well together. I think what stuck out to me the most was that they were so selfless. They shared the basketball and they did whatever it took to win. We had goal sheets, and I think one of the eighth graders put [winning the championship] down as her goal, but I didn’t think it was a realistic expectation at the beginning of the year. They just continued to grow though and improve and get better. It was cool coming from an underdog position. WHAT LESSONS DO YOU HOPE YOUR PLAYERS CARRY WITH THEM LONG
18 NOVEMBER2024 | BRPARENTS.COM
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