Continuing Tradition: Former McClain standout Shania Massie selected as new Lady Tigers head coach

GREENFIELD — Continuing the tradition of McClain Lady Tigers basketball is what drives Shania Massie, as she’s a part of the storied McClain basketball tradition as a player and now as the new head coach of the program she once suited up for.

Massie — a 2015 graduate of MHS —was outstanding as a player for the Lady Tigers, as she was a four-year varsity player and a multiple-time All-Ohio selection, All-District and All-League selection during her tenure. She’s also the second all-time leading scorer in MHS girls basketball history.

With the new title of head coach added to her list of accolades, the 26-year-old Massie wants to add to the tradition of McClain basketball from the sideline, as she recently wrapped up her first season of coaching basketball as the girls eighth grade head coach.

Even with the one year at the helm of a basketball team, Massie is ready for the varsity level as the Shawnee State University graduate — and current high school physical education teacher — has been around the game of basketball, as she described, “her entire life.”

“Essentially basketball has been my entire life, and I’ve been around the game I feel like since the day I was born,” Massie told The Highland County Press. “I wanted to keep the game in my life somehow as I wasn’t able to play competitively for the rest of my life, so coaching was an interest in my life, and that was a way to keep basketball in my life and teach other girls the game — giving back to the girls the knowledge I’ve learned, passing it on and allowing them to become great players.”

Massie was officially announced the MHS varsity girls basketball head coach Monday with the Greenfield Exempted Village Schools Board approving of the recommendation for her to become the head coach of the Lady Tigers. She replaces former 10-year head coach Jarrod Haines, as he has accepted an administration position within the school system.

Massie— a 1,400-plus point scorer for McClain as a player — wants her players to be great on and off the court, and being a coach is her way of helping the students at McClain to achieve success. Massie spoke about her first season as a head coach for the eighth grade team this past winter.

“I loved my first season coaching,” she said. “I had a great group of girls. We didn’t win every game — we lost three games — and other than that, we were pretty successful.

“The relationships I made with the girls were enjoyable. They were all very coachable, and I was able to give them some knowledge and teach them some things they’ve never really heard of or didn’t really know. It is nice for me that I do know a lot about the game, and to give that back to my school, to kids at my school, it was a great opportunity.”

Massie is excited to take the step up as the varsity head coach, and she knows the responsibility the position entails as basketball is important to the community of Greenfield.

“It makes me excited. I like to say, ‘to continue the tradition,’” she said. “I grew up here, I played here and I know what it takes, so it is being able to give back to the girls, and it is an incredible opportunity to give back here.

“We (basketball program) are a lot of the community. I remember when I played and a lot of our town travels to our games, and they are right there with you and support you any way they can, and they have your back. It is great, and we do have a great community here in Greenfield. The community has always been there, and I believe they always will.”

Being a young head coach at 26 years old for her first varsity season running the program, Massie will look to those who know her best for help in building the Lady Tiger program back to contenders in the Frontier Athletic Conference.

“I have a lot of support behind me, and granted, I know I’m only 26 years old, and I know there aren’t many varsity coaches who are that age, but I have a lot of support behind me,” Massie said. “I know if I ever need anything, I can go to Coach Haines, or my college coaches, or my assistants and ask for help. It is a building process, and I am learning as a coach and I am learning the players and learning a lot myself.”

One thing Massie wants to bring to the program is all the knowledge she’s gained not just from playing at McClain, but playing at Shawnee State, as she competed with many players at the collegiate level and had varying roles within a winning program.

“I played with girls from all over (in college),” Massie said. “You play with all these different girls, and they all bring something different to the table versus what I brought to the table. We all played a different role in college.

“Sometimes it was your character, that was your role, to boost the team up when they were down. Or you were the playmaker — not saying we had one specific playmaker, because we had a lot of girls on the team that were really good. I can bring that to the table, teaching the girls that you may not be the best player on the floor, but you might be the best person on the floor with the best attitude with the positivity.

“I’m bringing that to the table, bringing the different things I've learned in college, whether it is the characteristics of the game, what you are going to apply to the game, whether it is defensively or offensively, things like that,” Massie continued. “There are a lot of different things you can look back on and provide with your experiences that you went through. You can show and tell your players this is this, and that is that. Creating a good atmosphere for the students is what is important for a successful team.”

The style of basketball Massie wants for her team is “get out and run,” but there will be a big focus on defense, as that’s still and always will be a mainstay of McClain basketball at any level.

“I like the ‘get out and go, run.’ I feel like the more in shape you are, the better you are going to be offensively and defensively. I’m a big believer on the defensive end, because if you can play defense and you can defend, then the offensive end will come,” Massie said. “You have to be able to make sure you can get those stops, but I like the get out and go, run-type situations and beating other teams on the floor.

“The [defense] tradition means a lot to me. I want to continue the tradition of playing defense at McClain. Coach Haines was big on defense, and if we keep that tradition going, the offense will come. I feel like we’ve always been a defensive team.

“A lot of teams like to force baseline, but I like to force middle, so I might change some things up,” Massie continued. “It won’t be much, but making sure the kids know we are just not offensively skilled, that we are going to be a defensive team, have a defensive mindset and the offense will come.”

Massie said the coaching staff for the Lady Tigers will include Mark Bihl and Jesse Mitchell as assistants and Drew Hamilton as the JV head coach.

“It is a lot to grab onto, and it all has happened really fast. It is a great opportunity, so I decided to go for it and shoot for the moon,” Massie said. “It is going to be stressful. I’m a head of a program now, and I have a great coaching staff with me, and we are going to do everything as a team.

“It is exciting. I'm looking forward to what we can bring and how things are going to go this year. I couldn’t be more honored to have accepted this position at McClain. I can’t thank my community, coaching staff, my school, my family and everyone who has helped me to reach the goals enough in what I’ve wanted to reach.”