[dropcap]O[/dropcap]ne will soon be able to add the title of hall-of-famer to the accolades legendary Hays Rebel head coach Bob Shelton has earned.
On Oct. 19, Shelton was announced as one of two coaches who formally will be inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in May 2018.
But for Shelton, the news of his selection, which arrived as a phone call while he was on the links, came as a slight surprise. He felt the honors that come with a 42-year coaching career had gone by.
“This was an honor. I never thought it would come my way. I thought all of the honors had passed me by,” Shelton said. “It was great to get the call and it’s something I wasn’t expecting. It’s a very special time for me.”
It was only recently that Shelton realized he had been nominated for induction into the THSFBHOF, which annually selects an athlete from each decade, and up to one or two coaches.
Once inducted in May, Shelton will join the ranks of legends such as G.A. Moore and Jim Streety, who have previously been inducted.
Only 33 coaches have been inducted into the THSFBHOF.
Shelton said the honor is a reflection on the students he’s coached, as well as those who comprised his coachings staff during his tenure.
For the better part of 14 years, Shelton said he had the same staff of ten coaches, who all helped coach varsity and junior varsity football.
“This was an honor. I never thought it would come my way. I thought all of the honors had passed me by ... It was great to get the call and it’s something I wasn’t expecting. It’s a very special time for me.” Bob Shelton, former Hays head coach
“Having the staff together for that long helped us,” Shelton said. “The kids are what makes the thing. You can’t do anything without them. We had a lot of great players.”
Shelton also thanked support from the community, which helped him during his four-plus decade coaching career.
The support of Beverly, Shelton’s wife, played one of the largest roles in his success. Shelton said Beverly was strong-willed as she raised their four children during his career. Coaches normally put in anywhere from 80 to 90 hours per week.
“That’s the thing people don’t understand, how many hours coaches put in,” Shelton said.
Adapting to the times was a must for Shelton and his staff, which ranged from plays on the field, to film study off of it.
Shelton said he remembered when coaches helped fundraise to buy a $400 16 millimeter projector to study film. Prior to that time, coaches didn’t trade film with opponents for games.
But staying focused on what his teams had to do helped Shelton accrue more than 300 wins in his career.
“I think probably the main thing is knowing you’re doing the right thing and doing it year after year and week after week,” Shelton said.
