Larry Shelton notches 500th win as basketball coach

Downey High basketball coach Larry Shelton celebrates after winning his 500th basketball game. (Photo courtesy Downey High)

DOWNEY — Downey High School boys’ varsity basketball coach Larry Shelton won his 500th career last Friday night with a 47-38 win at Paramount.

Coach Shelton has spent his entire 33-year teaching and coaching career at Downey High School. This is certainly a rare and special accomplishment in any coaching world.

Coach Shelton attended Downey High School as a student and graduated in 1981. Coach Shelton credits previous Downey High School basketball coaches Dean Ackland and Jack Single as being mentors in his early academic and athletic development. Coach Shelton took over the Downey High School basketball program at age 24 from Coach Jack Single.

Coach Shelton graduated from Cal State Long Beach in 1986 and was coaching at Downey High School shortly thereafter. Coach Shelton’s first season as basketball coach at Downey was the 1988-89 school year and season. Since then, Coach Shelton has collected numerous awards and honorable mentions. Coach Shelton has earned the Los Angeles Times Coach of the Year Award, the Southeast Area Coach of the Year Award, the Long Beach Press Telegram Coach of the Year Award as well as the San Gabriel Valley League Coach of the Year Award on several occasions. Coach Shelton has also collected four San Gabriel Valley League championships in a very competitive league.

Coach Shelton credits the relationships he has made with past players and coaches as being the most memorable moment(s) in his career. Past players have become doctors, lawyers and dentists, among other careers, in the professional world. Coach Shelton takes great pride in the success his former players have had over the years and keeps in contact with many of them. With the 500 wins certainly being a tremendous career accomplishment, Coach Shelton maintains that “every player and every coach has contributed to making this milestone a reality.”

This year’s team is currently 10-1 overall and 2-0 in San Gabriel Valley League play. Downey is led by seniors Ryan Couso, Nathan Banuelos and Kyle Costello. Costello, the leading scorer for Downey this year, has been hampered with an injury since the third game of the season yet Downey continues to win. Six sophomores have also contributed to this year’s team. Coach Shelton shared that this is the youngest team he’s had in his 33-year coaching career.

When asked about retirement Coach Shelton mentioned that he plans to travel more at different times of the year. He also added that he will volunteer to help coach his 12-year-old son when he plays baseball, also at Downey High, for friend and coach Jess Gonzalez. Coach Shelton is a huge baseball fan and plans to do just that after he’s done “pacing the hardwood.”  

Coach Shelton concluded by saying that “I have been blessed for 33 years to be working in the community that I grew up in. I love this community and understand it.” Coach Shelton further said, “I am proud to be making a positive contribution in this community and am proud to make Downey a better place.” Congratulations to Coach Shelton on a career well done.