A-J girls’ basketball has coaching change

Long-time Anna-Jonesboro Community High School girls’ basketball  head coach Matt Denny has resigned.

“I had to draw the line somewhere,” Denny said. “I’m not getting any younger.”

Denny served as girls’ basketball head coach for the past nine seasons. He will remain as the cross country coach at A-J.

“It got to be too much trying to do both,” Denny said. “I plan to concentrate on cross country.”

Denny is also the cross country coach at the Lick Creek junior high school and an assistant track coach at A-J.

His daughter Brodie will not play basketball in her senior season and will concentrate on distance running in college as well.

Denny’s girls’ cross country team won the Class 1A sectional for the first time in the school’s history last Saturday at Benton.

“I want to really focus on cross country year around,” Denny said. “I enjoy doing it.”

Shepard New Coach

Rob Shepard has been hired to replace Denny as A-J’s high school girls’ basketball head coach.

“I’ve got some big shoes to fill,” Shepard said. “I’ve got two weeks to prepare for the season.”

Practice begins this week for the Lady Wildcats, who are scheduled to open their season Tuesday, Nov. 15, at Carbondale.

Shepard previously coached high school girls’’ basketball at Dongola for seven seasons and coached the junior high school girl’s basketball team at Dongola as well. 

He presently coaches a girls’ summer softball league team.

“I never have quit coaching, I just haven’t coached basketball in a while,” Shepard said. “I am looking forward to it.”

His assistant coaches will be Kassi Needling and Greg Harris.

The Gazette-Democrat

112 Lafayette St.
Anna, Illinois 62906
Office Number: (618) 833-2158
Email: news@annanews.com

Sign Up For Breaking News

Stay informed on our latest news!