Shulman steps down as coach at McCallie
The toughest part of John Shulman’s day came when he met with his McCallie players.
After speaking with his family, Shulman felt good about the reasons behind his decision to resign as the Blue Tornado basketball coach, but that didn’t make the discussion he had to have with his team Wednesday morning any easier.
“I dreaded telling those kids so much,” said Shulman, who resigned after four seasons at McCallie to spend more time with his wife and three sons. “When I coach, those players are my kids. I know everything about them. They come over to our house to eat and hang out, and they’re a part of our family. So telling them was really tough.
“It’s been an unbelievable ride, and I’ve still got a lot of energy and want to be involved in helping young people. I’m so thankful to McCallie for allowing me to be a part of their family. This was a family decision to allow me to be a better dad and be a part of all my kids’ lives. Now I’ll have more time to see them play and be there for them more. I will miss coaching. But I would miss watching my kids play more, so that’s what made it an easy decision for me.”
During his time at McCallie, Shulman — who previously coached the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s basketball program for nine seasons and led the Mocs to two NCAA tournament appearances (2005, ’09) — compiled an overall record of 100-32 that included a runner-up finish at the 2017 TSSAA Division II-AA state tournament.
The Blue Tornado also reached the state semifinals under Shulman and won several championships in basketball tournaments across the South, including three consecutive titles in the annual Times Free Press Best of Preps tournament.
“John brought energy, expertise and knowledge to our basketball program,” school athletic director Jeff Romero said. “We are grateful for the work he has done, not only for basketball, but for the boys of the school as well. It will be difficult to fill his shoes, but we will get to work to find the right fit for McCallie.”
The Blue Tornado have been ranked No. 1 in statewide polls, and several of Shulman’s players have been recruited to play in college. That group includes oldest son Max, a 2017 McCallie graduate who is completing his freshman season at the University of Alabama at Huntsville. Shulman and wife Amy’s younger sons are McCallie students — Tanner is a junior, J.C. a sixth-grader.
“Coaching at McCallie and being a part of this community has been an amazing experience for my entire family,” Shulman said. “Winning 100 was pretty cool. I didn’t want it to stop there, but it did. I am excited about the future of McCallie basketball. McCallie will do a great job, whoever it is, of hiring someone with great passion to continue what we’ve begun here.”
McCallie has announced it will begin a national search to fill the opening.
“Coach Shulman has been an outstanding leader for our basketball program and our school,” assistant headmaster Kenny Sholl said. “His work on behalf of McCallie is a testament to his character, knowledge and drive, and it is reflected in the development of the young men he had worked with during his time here. We will miss his influence greatly.”
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.