Heman joins administration at Webb City

May 04, 2008 12:41 am

— By Anvil Welch
awelch@joplinglobe.com
Aurora High School’s Stephanie Heman, who recently was named The Globe’s girls basketball coach of the year, is stepping down to enter administration.
Heman will be assistant principal at Webb City High School, working under Steve Gollhofer, in 2008-09.
“It’s just time for a change after 17 years teaching and coaching,” Heman said. “It will be difficult to leave coaching. I enjoyed coaching. But I’m ready for a new challenge.”
Aurora reached the quarterfinals this season in the Missouri Class 3 Tournament.
Heman isn’t completely finished with coaching, however. She’s been chosen to guide the South girls against the North in the annual Lions District 26-E All-Star Classic on June 7 at Missouri Southern.
Heman, formerly Bellm, ironically did her student teaching at Webb City in the fall of 1990.
“I spent six weeks in physical education at the high school level with Sarah Gamble (now Wall and volleyball coach at Carl Junction High School),” Heman recalled. I spent another six weeks at elementary under Elaine Shewmake (who’s retiring at the conclusion of this year).”
Heman, who has degrees from Pittsburg State, Drury and Missouri State, played basketball at Joplin High School and PSU.
Heman came to Aurora in 1991-92 as head volleyball coach and assistant in basketball under Jim Waggoner. She also taught biology as well as physical education. She left volleyball after the 2006 season.
Heman is embracing the coaching assignment for the Lions. After all, she played in the game of graduating seniors.
“We did win (the North),” she said with a laugh. “My coaches were my Joplin coaches — Bill Gatlin and Sandy Shelley. I played against my Aurora assistant Kris Besch (formerly Sparks).”
Bruce Heman, her husband, represented Sarcoxie in 1985 after sparking Roger Pock’s Bears to records of 21-4 overall and a co-championship in the Midwest Conference with Miller at 11-1.
Heman plans to ask her assistants (Besch and junior high coach Candy Blevins) to help in the Lions game.
Heman naturally hopes, with the shift to administration, to find more time for her family. Mr. and Mrs. Heman have two children — Brett, 14, and Megan, 12.