Coach Shore leaves behind a career of excellence on and off court
Coach Shore as he stands with his first team, the 1993-94 Exeter girls basketball team. Pictured above, from left to right, in the front row: Stacy Rowden Declour and Tina Bateman Blisaed, managers. Middle row: Alicia Navarre Moore, Mandy Lee Clevenger, Stephanie Davis and Jeanie Malicoat. Back row: Kristy Keen Keithly, Kellie Stephenson England, Kerry Senters Mattingly, Tammy Howe Wilson, Sherry Nelson and coach Chris Shore.
Coach Shore as he stands by a very special wall in his office, one that holds team photos from every single one of his basketball and cross country seasons throughout the years.
January 1, 2020
Vinnie Roberts
At a school board meeting on December 17, Cassville School District received the resignation of one teacher who has been at the core of the district’s athletic program for two and a half decades. Basketball and cross country coach Chris Shore announced his retirement, effective at the end of this school year.
Coach Shore, himself a Cassville graduate, went on to graduate from Missouri Southern State University, in Joplin, with a degree in physical education. Shore returned to the area to teach in 1993, beginning his career as a physical education instructor and girls basketball coach in Exeter.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Shore. “I didn’t really know what to expect going to a small school, but the kids were really close. It was a really good experience for me. I didn’t want to leave when I left, but I had more opportunities elsewhere.”
According to a former student, Kerry Mattingly, of Exeter, the coach left a lasting impression on his students.
“Coach Shore taught us more than the game of basketball,” explained Mattingly. “He taught us school pride, to have self confidence, and to play hard with endurance. The game of basketball was left long ago on the hardwoods at Exeter, but the values that he instilled in each of us is something we will carry with is forever.”
Beginning with the 1995 school year, Shore left Exeter to teach and coach for Cassville. Shore has remained in the position ever since, marking this year his 25th with the district.
Shore has coached both junior high and high school girls and boys basketball teams over his tenure, but his most lasting contribution to the Cassville athletic department is as the founder and sole coach of Cassville’s cross-country teams.
“That athletic director at the time said that they wanted to start a program,” said Shore. “He was actually the football coach when I went to school there, and we used to run a drill called ‘the graveyard’. I would always win so, I guess he thought that I was a runner and that I would be a good fit.”
According to Shore, he began the program with little background in the sport itself, starting the program from the ground up.
“It’s been a blessing,” said Shore. “It’s been so much fun doing it. They asked me to do it and I started it from scratch. Now we have a junior high program, too. We had close to 40 runners this year. I think we had maybe 12 runners that first year.”
The community has been incredibly responsive to the program. Shore explained that some of them have even stayed on to help long after their own children have graduated.
“I still have parents from that very first year who still help out when we host,” Shore explained. “My starter has been Dan Philbrick, whose daughter ran for me on the first team. He’s been involved with the program ever since.”
Shore also stated that some of his fondest memories involve his own family getting involved with his coaching.
“One girl’s team that stands out actually qualified for three or four years in a row,” said Shore. “It had my niece, Courtney, on it. We had a great stretch and then she ended up coming to Cassville to teach. She’s been my assistant every year since, and it’s been a real highlight having her here with me.”
Though his lasting legacy in Cassville will always be tied to cross country, some of the coach’s fondest memories come from his basketball teams over the years.
“In basketball, we always set a goal. We never won a Big 8 conference championship,” explained Shore. “One group won our first conference championship then won undefeated. That was a big win for us. They knocked the door down for us and we had six winning seasons after that.”
One former student, Tracey Stoufer, said that in this time, coach Shore always pushed his teams to keep going, no matter what the odds of victory were.
“Coach Shore made sure we understood that no matter what, there is still time left,” said Stoufer. “In one game our junior year, we were in the Southwest tournament. There was about 30 seconds left to play and Coach called timeout. When we came off the court he said we still have time. He drew up a play and exampled the steps very quickly to us, but we knew we could pull it off because he told us we could. We took the ball down the court and Holly Gureski put up the shot but didn’t go it. The rest of us did our part and blocked out. The ball fell my direction, and I put it back up to score the basket we needed to win. We ended up winning the tournament that year and the following year. No matter what we were up against, Coach Shore made sure we understood together we could win.”
Another former student, Cassville Chamber of Commerce director Rachael Selby, said that Shore’s coaching style had him involved beyond the court. According to her, coach Shore helped to shape her into the person that she is today.
“Coach Shore loves the game of basketball. He lives and breathes it, but that’s all it ever was, just a game,” explained Selby. “It’s been the players that he’s coaching that have kept him coming back year after year. His investment wasn’t limited to the court. He cared about us as individuals. As women that would go out into the world someday. He loved to win games but that’s not how he measures his success. He measures it through all of us and the lives we’ve gone on to lead.”
Though wins make for nice stories, coach Shore expressed that not all of his fond memories were from victories, but rather the teams that tried their hardest on the court.
“I’ve had a lot of really great groups in-between, too. It’s not all about wins,” Shore explained. “I’ve had some groups that over-achieved even though they only won like 11 games. I was still as proud of them as I was any of my winning teams.”
One school administrator, Cassville superintendent Dr. Richard Asbill, expressed his feelings on having worked with Shore and the legacy he leaves behind.
“I’ve had the privilege of working with Chris, both as colleagues and as a boss. He’s also my neighbor. He and his family have always been good friends with mine. It’s been a real honor to work with Chris. He’s put a lot of time in during days, evenings and mornings for practices and games. His dedication to Cassville has been outstanding and we really appreciate all his service.”
This retirement hasn’t come as a surprise to many who know him, according to Shore.
“It’s just time. I got out of coaching high school two years ago, and that group of kids were really special to me,” said Shore. “They knew that my retirement is coming close and they wanted me to go out with them, and I am.”
Though the decision has been a long time coming, Shore explained that he has made it not out exasperation, but rather comfort in knowing that he’s led a spectacular career.
“I’m not burned out or anything like that, it’s just my time. Life is short and I want to experience what comes after this for me in phase 2.”
Shore continued, explaining that he has more than a few big plans for his newly-acquired free time.
“I’ve gotten into horses,” explained Shore. “My oldest son is actually the coach of the ranch horse team at the University of Arkansas and when he was a young man, we got into horses. So, I’m going to mess with them and see where life takes me over the next couple of years. I will stay busy.”
Vinnie Roberts
At a school board meeting on December 17, Cassville School District received the resignation of one teacher who has been at the core of the district’s athletic program for two and a half decades. Basketball and cross country coach Chris Shore announced his retirement, effective at the end of this school year.
Coach Shore, himself a Cassville graduate, went on to graduate from Missouri Southern State University, in Joplin, with a degree in physical education. Shore returned to the area to teach in 1993, beginning his career as a physical education instructor and girls basketball coach in Exeter.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Shore. “I didn’t really know what to expect going to a small school, but the kids were really close. It was a really good experience for me. I didn’t want to leave when I left, but I had more opportunities elsewhere.”
According to a former student, Kerry Mattingly, of Exeter, the coach left a lasting impression on his students.
“Coach Shore taught us more than the game of basketball,” explained Mattingly. “He taught us school pride, to have self confidence, and to play hard with endurance. The game of basketball was left long ago on the hardwoods at Exeter, but the values that he instilled in each of us is something we will carry with is forever.”
Beginning with the 1995 school year, Shore left Exeter to teach and coach for Cassville. Shore has remained in the position ever since, marking this year his 25th with the district.
Shore has coached both junior high and high school girls and boys basketball teams over his tenure, but his most lasting contribution to the Cassville athletic department is as the founder and sole coach of Cassville’s cross-country teams.
“That athletic director at the time said that they wanted to start a program,” said Shore. “He was actually the football coach when I went to school there, and we used to run a drill called ‘the graveyard’. I would always win so, I guess he thought that I was a runner and that I would be a good fit.”
According to Shore, he began the program with little background in the sport itself, starting the program from the ground up.
“It’s been a blessing,” said Shore. “It’s been so much fun doing it. They asked me to do it and I started it from scratch. Now we have a junior high program, too. We had close to 40 runners this year. I think we had maybe 12 runners that first year.”
The community has been incredibly responsive to the program. Shore explained that some of them have even stayed on to help long after their own children have graduated.
“I still have parents from that very first year who still help out when we host,” Shore explained. “My starter has been Dan Philbrick, whose daughter ran for me on the first team. He’s been involved with the program ever since.”
Shore also stated that some of his fondest memories involve his own family getting involved with his coaching.
“One girl’s team that stands out actually qualified for three or four years in a row,” said Shore. “It had my niece, Courtney, on it. We had a great stretch and then she ended up coming to Cassville to teach. She’s been my assistant every year since, and it’s been a real highlight having her here with me.”
Though his lasting legacy in Cassville will always be tied to cross country, some of the coach’s fondest memories come from his basketball teams over the years.
“In basketball, we always set a goal. We never won a Big 8 conference championship,” explained Shore. “One group won our first conference championship then won undefeated. That was a big win for us. They knocked the door down for us and we had six winning seasons after that.”
One former student, Tracey Stoufer, said that in this time, coach Shore always pushed his teams to keep going, no matter what the odds of victory were.
“Coach Shore made sure we understood that no matter what, there is still time left,” said Stoufer. “In one game our junior year, we were in the Southwest tournament. There was about 30 seconds left to play and Coach called timeout. When we came off the court he said we still have time. He drew up a play and exampled the steps very quickly to us, but we knew we could pull it off because he told us we could. We took the ball down the court and Holly Gureski put up the shot but didn’t go it. The rest of us did our part and blocked out. The ball fell my direction, and I put it back up to score the basket we needed to win. We ended up winning the tournament that year and the following year. No matter what we were up against, Coach Shore made sure we understood together we could win.”
Another former student, Cassville Chamber of Commerce director Rachael Selby, said that Shore’s coaching style had him involved beyond the court. According to her, coach Shore helped to shape her into the person that she is today.
“Coach Shore loves the game of basketball. He lives and breathes it, but that’s all it ever was, just a game,” explained Selby. “It’s been the players that he’s coaching that have kept him coming back year after year. His investment wasn’t limited to the court. He cared about us as individuals. As women that would go out into the world someday. He loved to win games but that’s not how he measures his success. He measures it through all of us and the lives we’ve gone on to lead.”
Though wins make for nice stories, coach Shore expressed that not all of his fond memories were from victories, but rather the teams that tried their hardest on the court.
“I’ve had a lot of really great groups in-between, too. It’s not all about wins,” Shore explained. “I’ve had some groups that over-achieved even though they only won like 11 games. I was still as proud of them as I was any of my winning teams.”
One school administrator, Cassville superintendent Dr. Richard Asbill, expressed his feelings on having worked with Shore and the legacy he leaves behind.
“I’ve had the privilege of working with Chris, both as colleagues and as a boss. He’s also my neighbor. He and his family have always been good friends with mine. It’s been a real honor to work with Chris. He’s put a lot of time in during days, evenings and mornings for practices and games. His dedication to Cassville has been outstanding and we really appreciate all his service.”
This retirement hasn’t come as a surprise to many who know him, according to Shore.
“It’s just time. I got out of coaching high school two years ago, and that group of kids were really special to me,” said Shore. “They knew that my retirement is coming close and they wanted me to go out with them, and I am.”
Though the decision has been a long time coming, Shore explained that he has made it not out exasperation, but rather comfort in knowing that he’s led a spectacular career.
“I’m not burned out or anything like that, it’s just my time. Life is short and I want to experience what comes after this for me in phase 2.”
Shore continued, explaining that he has more than a few big plans for his newly-acquired free time.
“I’ve gotten into horses,” explained Shore. “My oldest son is actually the coach of the ranch horse team at the University of Arkansas and when he was a young man, we got into horses. So, I’m going to mess with them and see where life takes me over the next couple of years. I will stay busy.”