Marion softball assistant collapses on field, dies
Contributed
James Shelley, an assistant softball coach with Marion School District 1
Published: April 7, 2009
Updated: April 7, 2009
MARION—Extra school counselors were made available this morning to students coping with the sudden death of an assistant softball coach who died last night of an apparent heart attack.
Counselors were at Johnakin Middle School and Marion High School and all the schools observed a moment of silence in memory of James Shelley, Marion School District 1 Superintendent Michael Lupo said.
Shelley, who has helped to coach the Marion High softball team for the past 10 years with his wife, coach Lynn Shelley, collapsed during a game Monday night in Dillon and was pronounced dead later at a local hospital, MHS Athletic Director Tim Perkins said.
Students are talking with counselors as they need to, Lupo said. “James was a community coach,“ and not employed by the school. He was employed at Beneteau in Marion.
Perkins said James Shelley had a mild heart attack three weeks ago and doctors inserted a heart stent. He was scheduled to have another surgery Thursday.
According to eyewitnesses, James Shelley was coaching third base when he grabbed his chest and fell to the ground. EMS personnel at the game attended to him and transported him to the hospital.
“The team will reschedule the game set to play Wednesday, (against Mullins)“ Lupo said. “Tim met with the players and counselors at the middle school this morning ... we’ll continue paying attention to their needs.“
Perkins has stepped in to lead the teams, Lupo said, along with another community coach, Keith Stewart.
“This was tragic, unexpected ... and a tremendous loss,“ Lupo said. “He gave a lot of his time to the team and loved coaching and loved the girls…“
Lynn Shelley has been teaching kindergarten at Easterling Primary School for 11 years, employed by the school district for 20 years and been the softball coach for 10 years. She was a Teacher of the Year in 2000, been selected as the North/South All Star Softball coach and as the MHS Booster Club Female Sports Coach of the Year.
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Reader Reactions
Two year ago James helped me coach a little league team. When James came on the field I had this feeling I can
still remember today. It was good and powerful. I knew that everything was going to be OK. He helped me develope confidence and abilities as a coach that I had not been able to do before.
His ability to inspire the players to “try their best” was amazing to me. We once lost a game and our players came off the field giving each other high fives.They were jumping up and down. We tried our best and still lost. You see, what mattered was that we did try our best, not that we lost. The kids knew it. I’ll never forget that as long as I live. If you tried your best he would let you know and this game was a perfect example of that. But, if you didn’t there would be a conversation about not trying your best. We had several of these also. He loved to give out a game ball and he made sure that every member of the team got one at some time during the season. I can still see some of these 9 and 10 year old kids eyes light up with pride. Especially the ones that didn’t think they would ever get a game ball because they were not as good as some of the others. He would come up with a really good reason for giving them the ball.
I remember one day he was hitting pop flys to the outfielders and there was this one kid who could not catch the ball to save his life. James told him to just hold his glove out and not to move it. He said to me, “watch this”. He hit the ball straight into this kids glove. This kid was all the way in left field and James was on home plate. I wonder how many times he has hit a ball to a player during practise. Thousands, I,m sure. And every one with only one thing in his mind. To help the person trying to catch it simply get better. You know, if there were more people who unselfishly gave their time just to help someone get better at something I,m sure our world would be different in a good way.
At this time in my life the rules I try to live by don’t allow me to pick or choose the people I am to love. If this were different and I had to make a list of people I loved, James Shelley would certainly be on it and at the top of that list. He was a good man and will always be missed.
I wish only good things to his family and friends. My thoughts and my prayers will be with you through the sad times that are upon us now.
James might be “out” in the game of life but my heart tells me he is “safe” in the hands of our God and in our memory forever.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, the softball teams, and the community of Marion that will miss this mentor, friend and loved one.
Dillon Softball Mom
This is a time that we all come together,for a great coach and person that we will all miss a great deal ,As for me I am very hurt by this because he was a great roll model for me and my team mates and to many more people Mrs.Shelly we love you and may god be with you through this time of need.from TyTy#12 and the Lester family.
OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH COACH SHELLEY AND THE MARION JV AND VARSITY SOFTBALL TEAM.THE SCARBERRY FAMILY AND ANGELA WASHINGTON
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