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A one-and-done coach

Shea steps down after just one year at Gladstone

Austin Hemmingson | Daily Press Gladstone baseball coach Kelly Shea (9) looks on from the dugout during a Division 3 state semifinal game against Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett June 14 at Michigan State University in East Lansing. Shea announced his resignation Sunday after just one year as the varsity coach.

GLADSTONE — Gladstone baseball coach Kelly Shea has announced he is stepping down after just one year at the helm of the varsity program. Shea sent his resignation letter to Gladstone athletic director Andy Jacques Sunday to announce his decision.

“Most people knew that I was just a one-and-done coach. (Former coach) Don Lauscher retired surprisingly, so I ended up taking the position. I made that decision (to resign) right after the season,” Shea said. “My wife and I are both retired and (son) Carson will be going somewhere else. We’ll be leaving for Florida in December, so we will not be around. If you want to have a quality program, you have to start getting the kids in the gym in December.”

Shea had great success in his one-year stint, leading the Braves to a 27-7 record and a regional championship to earn a birth in the state semifinals at Michigan State University. He was named the Great Northern Conference Coach of the Year, as well as an All-District and All-Region Coach of the Year.

Shea said he was happy with the experience.

“It was great,” he said. “I think I did a good job, I kept the team headed in the right direction, we did all the little things, we did all the right things in practice and we worked on the fundamentals. We started out with goals as a team and we checked all those goals off. We had a very successful season.”

It remains to be seen who the next coach will be.

“It could be the jayvee team coach (Jamie Polley),” Shea said. “I’d just like to say they’ll have a good team again next year. Whoever gets the position will have a good team.”

Shea took a moment to thank everyone involved with the team.

“Just in general, I’d like to thank the assistant coaches, the community because we are self-funded, I’d like to thank the Gladstone Baseball Sports Boosters and Todd Crow, and the Gladstone Fan Club was awesome this year,” he said. “I think I’m just going to ride off into the sunset as a retired baseball coach.”

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