Sports
Former CSU Star Shawn Hood Picked to Lead Boys Demon Basketball Next Season
Under the tutelage of coaches like Kevin Mackey and Stan Van Gundy, Hood is ready and eager to lead the Demons to victory.
There’s a new coach in town.
Shawn Hood, the former Cleveland State University star, will replace Bob Patton as head coach of the
Hood is quite the acquisition for the Westlake City Schools, given his storied experience in the game.
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In 1986, he led the Vikings to the Sweet 16, and was hired on by CSU’s former coach Kevin Mackey as an assistant coach.
After six years with his hometown team, Hood moved onto the University of Wisconsin where he worked with then head coach Stan Van Gundy who has since taken the helm of the Orlando Magic – one of the NBA’s fiercest and most competitive teams.
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Following UW, he coached for Curry College, Roxbury Community College, Lorain Admiral King and North Olmsted High School, Westlake City Schools athletic director Tony Cipollone said.
As a Westlake resident, Hood was overjoyed to land the head coaching position for the Demons, and had plenty of positive input about the school district.
“I’m excited about coaching basketball in the wonderful city I live in,” he said. “My wife and I sacrificed to be here so our kids can get this great Westlake education. We can consider it as good as it gets.”
As far as basketball goes, Hood was impressed with the squad that Patton has put together and believes there’s a good deal of talent to work with to keep the team competitive for next season.
“The talent that has been assembled in the boys basketball program has me excited about the upcoming season,” he said. “I was pleasantly surprised after meeting the kids and watching them play. I think we have a chance to be good immediately if the kids buy into the system of play and continue to get better.
"Hopefully, I can bring some other strategies, skill development and thrills that the kids haven’t seen that they could get excited about.”
School board president Tom Mays, was pleased to hear the news regarding Hood’s arrival.
“We’ve got a great sports program here, and I’m confident that (Cipollone) has found just the right coach to coach the Demons,” he said. “I, like many others who’ve heard the news, am eager to see the team under his leadership.”