GIRLS BB: Sullivan to coach Titans
May 9—If you're part of the Taylor community, then you likely know Scott Sullivan.
He might have coached your kids, he might have been your coach. Or both.
Sullivan has coached more sports at Taylor Community Schools than not in his 30 years with the school district.
But he's never had a varsity head coaching gig. Until now.
Sullivan was named the next Taylor girls basketball coach Monday, following a vote by the Taylor School Board. He replaces Jill Shimer, who was the coach for the last two seasons.
It was an emotional moment for the to-be coach, whose family was in attendance. High school principal Brandon Gleason read comments from former players about what Sullivan meant to them, as he was introduced as the new coach.
"He bleeds red and black," Gleason said. "Everyone is his family. He would do anything for anybody that's a Taylor Titan."
Gleason said when a player wants to shoot around, Sullivan opens up the gym for them.
Sullivan has been an assistant coach for the boys basketball team, is a longtime assistant for football and has coached middle school girls basketball for the last couple years.
Many of those girls are about to make the jump to high school. He's going with them.
"I've developed a relationship with all those girls," he said. "Our girls want to be coached better. They're ready for it."
Those middle school girls are also playing in a spring league and practicing here and there. Sullivan said it's mostly driven by the players.
"They're the ones that want to put the work in," he said.
It'll be on Sullivan to turn around a girls program that's only won one game in the past two seasons. The Titans have been hampered the last four seasons by a shortage of players, without enough for a JV squad and at times only one or two available on the varsity bench.
Sullivan is a Taylor High School graduate. His kids are grown.
"It's probably the best time in my life to do it," Sullivan said. "I have no other reason than I want to be here. Now is the time."
Spencer Durham can be reached at 765-454-8598, by email at spencer.durham@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter at @Durham_KT.
