Core values: Gallaway piloted historic year behind four beliefs, will bring them to NJ Classic
SHELBY — The regional champion Shelby Whippet boys basketball team could have taken the coaching jargon and let it go in one ear and out the other.
But when head coach Greg Gallaway spoke, they sat up and listened. Especially when he spoke about the program's core values to success. And he spoke about them early and often.
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Gallaway, a 2012 Ashland High School graduate who was a kicker on the Ashland University football team and a walk-on for the Eagles men's basketball team, wanted to find something that separated himself and his program when he landed his first head coaching gig at Shelby three years ago. He studied numerous successful coaches in preparation for taking over his own program.
So, when he found Brook Cupps, a state championship winning coach at Centerville High School, had a book out, he grabbed a copy. He picked up Surrender The Outcome: The Path to an Impactful Life of Coaching, Leading, and Living and couldn't put it down.
It was there where he learned just how important core values could be for a basketball program and to not only winning games, but helping his player become great teammates but even better people beyond basketball.
"It is something we have looked at as a staff and we really wanted to easily define our culture," Gallaway said. "At the end of the day, it is all about who we are, how we act and how we treat others. It is what we want to do on and off the court. We want to be great teammates, be connected, be relentless and be thankful. We talk so much about it with everything we do and we want our guys to know how to define it within our program. We take it very seriously."
But it is one thing for a coaching staff to take it seriously and another to get the players to buy in. That part has been easier than Gallaway could have ever imagined.
"When we are playing our best, it is usually when we do those four things at a very high level," Gallaway said. "Our guys are completive and want to win so it isn't even like we had to sell them on these ideas. It is a fact. We win by being great teammates, being connected on and off the court, when we are relentless with every competitive moment and when we cherish every moment because we are so thankful. We see direct positive results from those things and that makes it easy for kids to buy in."
In Gallaway's three seasons, there have been a lot of positive results. The Whippets went 19-4 in his first season in 2021-22 winning the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference championship. The following season, it was a 20-4 mark, another MOAC title and a sectional championship to boot.
Then came the 2023-24 season as the Whippets finished with a program record 25 victories, a fifth straight MOAC championship, a district title and the first regional championship in Shelby boys basketball history. They exited the tournament in the Division II state semifinals in a 3-point loss to Maysville.
In three seasons, Gallaway is 64-10 and the head coach of record-setting teams seemingly every single year. The Whippets went 20-2 during the 2023-24 regular season for the first 20-win regular season in program history. He has three league championships, a district title and a regional crown and is already the fifth-winningest boys basketball coach at Shelby behind Chuck Williams (250), Troy Schwemley (184), Steve Mohr (114) and Francis Scruci (91).
He credits it all to his players and those four core values.
"When you come up with your core values for a basketball program, you have to look at things you hold true to yourself as a person," Gallaway said. "It wasn't easy to just pick up over night and say that these are our four things. It took some time. At the end of the day, we look at why we are in basketball. What are the things we hold most important and those four things reflect that. When we leave basketball, they are four things we want to take along with us in life."
It is what led him to being tabbed as the head coach of the North team for the 45th News Journal All-Star Classic on Friday night at Lexington High School. It will bring a close to a special year that saw a trip to Dayton for the state tournament, an experience he won't soon forget. And just like his core values, he is beyond thankful for it all.
"I can't even describe how thankful I am for this entire season," Gallaway said. "That last week together, we really highlighted our thankfulness to our community and to our teammates. No matter what it is in life or sports, if you hold a lot of thank yous at the end of the day, it has probably been a great experience."
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If you go
When: March 29
Where: Lexington High School
What: News Journal All-Star Classic Alumni Game at 6 p.m. and 45th News Journal All-Star Classic North-South charity basketball game at 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $5 per ticket.
How to get tickets: Tickets are currently on sale at Catalyst Life Services locates at 270 Sterkel Boulevard in Mansfield. Cash, card and check will be accepted Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. and Friday 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Tickets will remain on sale there until the day of the game.
You can also purchase tickets during the all-star practices on March 26 and 27 from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. and March 28 from 5 p.m.-6 p.m. Practices are open to the public and will be held at Lexington High School. This will be a cash or check-only option.
And finally, you can purchase your tickets at the door the night of the game. Tickets are $5 apiece.
Why: 100% of the proceeds from the 45th News Journal All-Star Classic will be donated to Catalyst Life Services and will benefit the Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Crisis Services department. Over the last 44 years, the News Journal had donated nearly one million dollars.
For any questions, please contact Mansfield News Journal Sports Reporter Jake Furr via email at jfurr@gannett.com or via text at 740-244-9934.
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Shelby's Greg Gallaway will coach the North in the 45th News Journal All-Star Classic
