Calling it a “mutual” decision, Jerome Shelton recently stepped down as athletic director at St. Frances Academy. He will remain as the school’s girls varsity basketball coach.
Nick Myles, a varsity boys’ assistant and teacher at the school, assumed the AD reigns at the beginning of the month. Shelton had held the position since 1998.
“It was just time for me to do something else. I’ve grown into the position and a lot of things were accomplished,” said Shelton. “It was just time to relinquish it to someone else.”
St. Frances had only boys and girls basketball when Shelton became AD in 1998. Now, the east Baltimore school has football, tennis, baseball, volleyball and track. In 2002, the school opened a gymnasium and community center on its Chase Street campus.
Under Shelton, the Panther girls have been the area’s dominant program, winning seven of the last eight IAAM A Conference championships. Shelton said the workload at the school along with balancing his family life was a factor in his decision.
“I’m teaching, coaching; I’m a husband and a father,” said Shelton, who started at St. Frances in 1986 as a boys varsity assistant and has taught American Government, U.S. & World History and Geography.
“My other responsibilities were getting to point where I felt it was time to let someone handle it.
“He’s [Myles] ready. He’ll bring a new vision direction,” Shelton added. “He’s familiar with the program. I only see productive things under Coach Myles.”
Shelton said he isn’t planning to step away from the girls’ program anytime soon. He’s been at the helm since 1991.
He also added the he’ll miss the camaraderie with the athletic directors in both the IAAM and MIAA.
“It was always enjoyable being around the athletic directors and hearing successes from other programs,” said Shelton. “It’s always the people when you do something like this. I have no regrets.”
The long-time Panther faculty member will remain as head coach of the school’s girls varsity basketball team.
