The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

High School Sports

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July 17, 2012

Scott Morrison steps down at Hume

By Anvil Welch Globe Sports Writer

Scott Morrison, boys basketball coach at Hume High School the past 12 seasons, has stepped down from the varsity level and is eyeing entry into administration.

Morrison will continue to serve the Class 1 Hornets as athletic director in 2012-13. He also will teach physical education and coach elementary girls basketball.

“I’d like to teach this year before entering administration,” Morrison said.

Morrison, 35, a Butler native, received his specialist from William Woods University of Fulton (Mo.) in June.

Family was big in the decision by Morrison.

“I’ve been coaching this summer,” he said with a laugh. “Our oldest daughter, Braelynn (a fourth-grader), is playing softball at both Hume and Nevada (traveling with a team out of Nevada). Our twins — daughter Brecklen and son Beriah — will be in the first grade and are playing coed baseball in Hume.

“I don’t want a conflict between coaching and watching and helping our kids in athletics,” Morrison said.

“We (Hume) haven’t named a new boys coach (Delanya Thompson will be entering her seventh season as girls coach),” Morrison said. “We’re short in numbers for the boys. We had seven players last season and three graduated. We’re strong, strong in girls.”

Morrison said four or five Hume boys will be playing football at Rich Hill this year.

“It’s been in place some six years,” Morrison said of the co-op. “But our interest wasn’t as high the first few years.”

The family — wife Lorena (formerly Hess) also is a graduate of Hume High School — lives on a farm less than 10 miles from Hume. They have 140 acres and 35 cows.

Larry L. Berry, Morrison’s coach at Hume, took the reins of the Hornets in 1986-87. That’s a lengthy time for just two people in charge in Class 1

Morrison graduated in 1995 and played four years of basketball at Central Methodist of Fayette, Mo. He secured his undergraduate degree from Pittsburg State, however.

Morrison believes his Hume record was 167-134 with three district championships. He also won a district crown in baseball. The overall basketball record took a hit last season with three wins.

“We had to play without 6-foot-4 Wylie Miller (because of an injury),” Morrison said. “We dropped down to about 5-10 after him. Wylie, who played football at Rich Hill, wound up playing one game of baseball in sports for us as a senior.”

Miller, a right-handed pitcher, will be attending Central Methodist on a baseball scholarship.

Morrison isn’t ruling out a return to varsity coaching.

“Who knows? I may be coaching varsity in eight or 10 years.”

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