McDuffey departs Sheldon, accepts coaching offer with alma mater McDonald County Mustangs

Saturday, June 9, 2018
Former Sheldon Panthers head basketball coach Joel McDuffey, discusses strategy with his squad on homecoming night, in early January.
Matt Resnick | Daily Mail

One and done.

Sheldon High School’s search for a new boys and girls head varsity basketball coach has been underway for several weeks now, as former head coach Joel McDuffey tendered his resignation to the school’s board of education, effective at the conclusion of the recently completed school year.

The Sheldon R-8 district is now tasked with hiring its third head boys and girls basketball coach in three years.

McDuffey’s stint at Sheldon was short lived. Having spent one year at the school, McDuffey originally had planned on leaving his post to pursue an out-of-state business venture in regional HVAC sales.

As it turns out, however, McDuffey will be returning to his alma mater, having accepted a position with McDonald County High School. In addition to his teaching position, McDuffey was hired as an assistant girls varsity basketball coach.

“I basically just made the decision to try to move myself forward,” McDuffey told the Daily Mail shortly after he made the decision a month ago. “I’m trying to make my way up to the college (coaching) ranks, eventually.”

“Right now, we are working on our coaching staff, and have Joel McDuffey on board,” said first-year McDonald County head girls varsity basketball coach Chris Kennedy in the May 31 edition of the McDonald County Press.

McDuffey said that his immediate No. 1 goal is to become a head basketball coach at the junior college level.McDuffey previously played basketball at (JUCO) Faulkner State Community College in Alabama.

McDuffey, 33, added that the HVAC business venture would have likely allowed him to save cash en route to jump-starting a coaching career at the JUCO level.

“The idea is to take a job that would allow me to make a push for a college position,” said McDuffey, as first-year assistant JUCO coaching positions typically top out around $10,000 annually. “That’s what I’m chasing right now.”

With the regional sales position already on the table, McDuffey had also applied at several high schools, both in Missouri and out-of-state. Each of the school’s McDuffey applied to were much larger than Sheldon, a Class 1 school.

Prior to arriving at Sheldon, McDuffey had spent the previous three years with Class 1 Northeast Vernon County H.S. “You kind of get to the point where you want to make that move,” he said, of the jump to a bigger school.

“If I can get my financial situation in order, where it will allow me to go into the college realm and be able to survive, then I’ll be in a good place. You need to be in a good financial spot to accept a (low-paying) job.”

McDuffey, a physical education teacher, said coaching and teaching is still, without a doubt, his passion.

“I’d prefer to be at a bigger school doing that,” he said. McDuffey began his teaching career at Joplin H.S. in 2012. Joplin competes at the Class 5 level in basketball, and McDonald County at the Class 4 level.

McDuffey had a roller-coaster season on the sidelines with Sheldon. Experiencing the high of a district championship with the boys team, he faced major adversity with the girls squad as the Lady Panthers concluded the 2017-18 campaign 1-20 overall.

McDuffey said he addressed the players, regarding his decision to pursue other opportunities.

“I told them how I really enjoyed the season,” began McDuffey. “And that I was very proud of the way they performed, and everything they put into it. I was extremely happy with the way they took to the culture we were trying to build. And that even though I’m leaving, I hope that they keep that culture going. I think it can really help them become better teammates and better players.”

McDuffey said he will always cherish the camaraderie of smaller schools.

“The closeness that comes with being at a small school,” explained McDuffey. “There’s a lot of good people within the smaller communities that are very supportive. So that’s definitely something that’s going to be missed.”

McDuffey said his fondest memory during his year at Sheldon, was the boys basketball team’s 42-41 breakthrough district championship victory over Drexel.

“That would be it for sure, winning that district championship” he said. “Considering it was the first one here ever for the boys. And it was also my first one.”

Despite the lack of victories, McDuffey said he thoroughly enjoyed coaching the Lady Panthers, a team comprised almost entirely of freshman and sophomores.

“They did a great job this season,” he said. “What we were focused on with them was becoming a better team together. Being able to really support each other a lot better. Figuring out leadership and building a bond. How to lead each other, and how to be led.”

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