When the McDonald County Lady Mustang basketball team was in search of a new coach following the resignation of Blake Short, athletic director Nick Martin didn't have to look far.
Martin reached across the district boundary to the east and plucked Chris Kennedy away from the Wheaton Bulldogs.
Kennedy, a Wheaton alum who attended Central Methodist College in Fayette, Mo., where he played basketball and baseball, coached basketball at several area schools before returning home to coach at Wheaton.
Kennedy has mostly coached boys in the past, but has personal reasons to move to the girls' side.
"I mostly coached boys, but I have done girls," Kennedy said. "But I have girls of my own and that is what influenced me to go to the girls."
Kennedy's girls are nine-year-old twins. He also has twin boys who are three years old.
He and his wife, Lisa, also have a boy born just three weeks ago. Lisa is the head girls' coach at Monett, setting up a Big 8 Conference showdown between husband and wife.
"It will be a little interesting, but there won't be a problem with that," Kennedy quipped.
Since Kennedy was born and raised in Wheaton, the tradition of Lady Mustang basketball is well known to him.
"I have always been interested in McDonald County," Kennedy said. "I feel like it is a good school and it's been on the radar all the time. They have been good at times and I would like to get it back to that."
Kennedy said he is working on finalizing his coaching staff, but it already includes former MCHS graduate Joel McDuffey as an assistant.
"Right now we are working on our coaching staff and have Joel McDuffey on board," Kennedy said. "Everything is going the right direction. I just want to thank the administration and the board for the opportunity."
Martin said Kennedy will bring a wealth of basketball knowledge and experience to the Lady Mustangs.
"You probably won't find a better X and O guy than coach Kennedy," Martin said. "We are glad to get him over to the girls' side. We think he will do good things for us. He is knowledgeable of the kids we have coming back and is excited. He is going to hit the ground running."
Sports on 05/31/2018