By Anvil Welch
awelch@joplinglobe.com
Jimmy Dushane, whose football coaching career began as an assistant at Commerce High School, has returned to the Lucky ‘7’ Conference at Fairland.
Bill Pascoe, who came to Fairland last season, moved up to the position of principal.
The Class A Owls missed the playoffs in finishing 4-6 last season.
“Coach Pascoe started the rebuilding process,” Dushane said on Tuesday. “I’d like to continue it.
“We have a bunch of good athletes,” Dushane said. “We want to utilize them the best we can.
“We have a job to do,” Dushane said. “I like our chances. We want to fight for a playoff position.”
Dushane said that Jerry Johnson and Chuck Preaus are scheduled to assist in football.
Dushane, who will be 44 on Aug. 27, was at Class B Fox the past three seasons. The Foxes were 28-5 in that time with three appearances in the playoffs. They reached the second round in 2006 before falling in the first round the next two years.
Dushane, a 1983 graduate of Commerce, didn’t start in the coaching profession. The product of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M; of Miami and Northeastern State of Tahlequah was a recreation therapist for some 10 years before helping Rick Trimble at Commerce as a volunteer for five years.
Dushane moved to Class C South Coffeyville in 2000. He assisted Ron Coppedge for a year before taking over as head coach for five.
South Coffeyville, rebounding from a lengthy losing streak, reached the playoffs the last three years with records of 5-6, 9-2 and 10-2.
Dushane said that Trimble, who left Commerce after a lengthy stint, is scheduled to assist again (running backs) next season at Owasso.
Dushane, a native of North Carolina, said his mom has died. But his dad, Jerry, lives in Pottsboro, Texas, near Sherman.
Dushane is married to the former Mary Cervantes of Seneca. They have three daughters and a son.
The daughters are Leandra, 18, a Fox graduate who’ll be a freshman at NEO; Whitney, 15, and Chelsey, 9. Son Peyton Ryan, 3, naturally got those names from guys named Manning and Nolan.
Whitney will be a sophomore at Fairland and is involved in basketball and softball.
Sports
June 30, 2009
Dushane takes over Fairland football fortunes
Commerce grad coached past three seasons at Fox
-
-
Outlaws open season Thursday on the road
Chris Oldner takes a cut during the Joplin Outlaws practice Tuesday afternoon. The Outlaws open their season on Thursday night at Rossville and play seven road games before their home opener on June 5.
The Joplin Outlaws and new coach Rob Vessell have set some lofty goals for the 2012 baseball season.
Continued ... - Five sign to join Missouri Southern women's track team
- Whisner ignites Joplin Miners past Webb City
- Venus Williams joins Serena on sideline in Paris
- Both sides of border hope changes make easier entry into Canada
-
- Pittsburg State Sports
-
- Vengels sixth in heptathlon; PSU picks up two seventh-place finishes
- Ethan Cordray signs with Pittsburg State
- Lions, Gorillas begin competition in outdoor track and field championship
- Three finalists named for PSU head baseball coach position
- Lions qualify 10, PSU 15 for Division II outdoor track meet
- Missouri Southern Sports
- High School Sports
-
-
Area athletes turn shine at state meet
Webb City's Jarvis Jones takes sixth in the 200.
- Cleo Elbert steps down at Thomas Jefferson
- Frontenac wins first state baseball title
- Joplin's Jeremy Lynn takes fifth at state tennis
- Frontenac advances at state baseball
-
