Lowry resigns as Louisburg girls basketball coach

Louisburg head girls basketball coach Shawn Lowry resigned Monday, effective immediately. Lowry was currently in his seventh season with the Lady Cats.

The Louisburg sidelines will look
a little different for the rest of the Lady Cats’ basketball season.

In a move that caught some
off-guard yesterday, Louisburg High School girls basketball coach Shawn Lowry
turned in his resignation, effective immediately.

Lowry coached his final game last Saturday
at the Top Gun Tournament in Wellsville and the Lady Cats were 6-6 through the
first 12 games before he stepped down Monday.

“I want to thank the great people that worked with me as assistant
coaches, the other LHS coaches during my tenure and all the basketball players
that were part of the Lady Cats basketball program for their commitment,
support and love,” Lowry said. “Most importantly, I want to thank my wife, Kristine,
and my children, Kirstin, Garrett and Kody, for understanding my passion and
for everything they sacrificed while I was giving of myself to other people’s
daughters.”

Lowry was currently in his seventh season as the Louisburg girls head coach after taking over the program in 2013. He also spent a year as an assistant on the Lady Cat bench, along with a year as an assistant on the boys team.

According to LHS activities director Scott Hinkle, junior
varsity coach Leanna Willer will serve as the interim head coach for the rest
of the season. Freshman coach Nick Chapman will continue to help with freshman
and junior varsity, while Hinkle looks for a temporary hire to fill the vacant
spot.

Players were told of Lowry’s resignation Monday afternoon before
the team left for their game in Eudora.

The Lady Cats started the year with a 6-2 record and a spot in
the state rankings, but problems arose to where Lowry felt he could no longer
do the job to the best of his ability.

“During the last several weeks, my family and I have had to
endure a great deal personally related to me coaching basketball,” Lowry said. “I
believed that I could continue to do so because I put the players and their
best interest above all else. However, I came to realize that no matter how
hard I worked, how much I cared about these kids or what I did to make this the
best possible experience for these young ladies, I was in a situation that
would not only be detrimental to these efforts, but actually foster the
opposite.

“I have always taken a great deal of pride in the way I
represent myself, my family and those young people that I had the privilege to
work with. From growing up in rural Kansas to running large companies, I
learned early and have refused to compromise on those core values that are the
fabric of who I am and that I have strived to teach.”

LHS administration could not comment on the coaching change, as
it is a personnel matter. The Lady Cats are back in action tonight when they
host Paola.