PO Sports Zone

Members of the community had the opportunity to speak Shawn Shreffler’s hearing on Wednesday to determine if he would be retained as the Chambersburg boys basketball coach. Here is what a few former and current players had to say. We will add more of these in the coming days so stay tuned.

Quinn Oyler (CASHS ’12): “I’m a senior this year. I’ve played for Shreffler last two years. He has a list of accolades on the court, district championship, his record overall is great. But what I want to talk about is what he does off the court. I constantly receive texts from him congratulating me on accomplishments in other sports. And just recently this past week he sent me a text asking me about my future plans. He told me he was going to nominate me for a scholarship. And this was months after basketball season, him still caring about me about a player and I think that speaks volumes. So I just ask that you keep him on the team because he is Trojan basketball to me, many players and many fans of Chambersburg.”

Danley Shank (CASHS ’02): “The last four years, one new development is I started coaching myself and I really look at him as a role model. And even though I find myself falling short in a lot of aspects, I still strive to just make an impact in some kids life like he was able to make in mine and my teammates and really everyone that’s come through the program. … He really wants the best for everybody especially the kids he’s coaching currently. I find that even 10 years after I played for him that he’s still making an impact on my life and I hope I can still be a trickle down affect for what he did for me.”

A.J. Maun (CASHS ’12): “I can give a perspective that you members of the board can’t see. He loves every the kids as if they were his own. He’s never attacked a player, especially with vulgar language. I’m not going to say that coach Shreffler has never said a curse word because I’d be lying. And I’d like to think if you told me you’ve never said a curse word, I’d like to call you a liar as well. Coach Shreffler respects everyone, he’s a great human being. You’re not attacking his coaching, you’re not attacking what he does on the floor with his players, you’re not attacking his record because obviously he has two district championships. You’re attacking his character and I think he’s being bamboozled, personally, and I think you should keep him.”

Mike Buhrman (CASHS ’99): “I’ve known coach Shreffler since 7th grade. He was my JV coach in 9th and 10th grade, my varsity coach in 11th and 12th grade. … I played four years of Division 1 basketball at Siena College. Through my time there I had Paul Hewitt as my coach, former Georgia Tech coach, runner up of the national championship game in 2004, currently head coach at George Mason. I had Louis Orr, former NBA player, current coach at Bowling Green State University, former head coach at Seton Hall university. I also had Rob Lanier as a head coach, former assistant at University of Florida, current assistant at University of Texas. So, needless to say, I’ve been around a lot of basketball, probably more basketball than anybody in this town, and a lot of good coaches. And definitely coach Shreffler is at the top of that list. Him and coach Hewitt were bar none, two of the top coaches I’ve ever had in my life. All integrity, never ridiculed players. Yes, maybe they did say a swear word here or there, but it was never to railroad a player, never to embarrass them. Just to motivate and help them reach their peak performance. I understand that some of the players this year didn’t like that. They thought maybe any kind of swearing was wrong. If those players go on to play Division I athletics, I hope they’re ready for what the real world’s going to throw at them. Some of my college coaches could probably say some words that that would make your eyebrows stand right now. I’ve heard it all. I’m still a man standing before you here today. It does not break you down. It makes you bigger as long as you’re willing to stand up to it. If the whole reason we’re here is because of the swearing I hope everyone on the school board looks at every other coach in this district and asks them 1-on-1 if they’ve ever sworn. If any of you can sit there and believe none of them have sworn at a practice I don’t think you can really do that because I know nobody believes that … if you dismiss coach Shreffler, I hope you can look at the next coach in the eye and tell him that if you say one swear word you’re going to be fired. I don’t think you’ll get any applicants for that job … it’s sports.”

Skylar Roman (CASHS ’12): “He wants to push his players past their potential and make them the best basketball players they can be. Not only does he inspire his players to be better individuals on the court, but he also encourages them to succeed in the classroom and in life. I also admit that my parents and I have had our differences with coach Shreffler through the years but we approached him and discussed our concerns. He was always very approachable and willing to listen. We didn’t disguise a personal issue as a means to get him fired. And there have been plenty of times during practices or games that I mumbled a few curse words and questioned what the heck he was doing. That happens in any competitive sport. Players and coaches never agree 100 percent of the time. Over the years I’ve grown to understand and respect him more. He would sacrifice time with his family for 15 years just to do something he loved to do: teach the game of basketball to 16 and 17 year-old guys who can be disrespectful, indifferent, lazy, cocky and just too cool for school. And occasionally I fit into all those categories. Imagine having to deal with 12 of us. I honestly don’t know how he hung in there this long. I’d probably throw out a few cuss words out too. Honestly, coach Shreffler is a devoted coach and is also to his family and his teaching job. I think the administration and members of the school board should be ashamed that they have allowed this persecution to come this far. If the administration and school board are here tonight to fire coach for swearing, there should be other coaches fearing their jobs well. This is not something new and is not isolated to basketball so please put it in the agenda for next meeting. If coaches can be fired for swearing, kids should be cut for swearing. As a child, my parents taught to me to always do the right thing. I hope your parents taught you the same thing. The right thing is to keep coach Shreffler. If you vote to fire him then you should be fired as well.”