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John Shotwell and one of his star players Angela Tincher whom he coached in softball.

“I’ve reached a lot of kids over the years,” said John Shotwell in the den of his beautiful home off Lee Highway south of Buchanan. He has coached teams at James River High School for 47 years. The retired teacher still coaches golf and girl’s softball at the school. He is an unsung hero of coaching too many male and female athletes who have graced the halls of the school over the years.

Shotwell is most likely the winningest coach in Botetourt history. Over the 47 year coaching career, he has had teams to go to state championships in boy’s basketball and girl’s softball. He has had district and regional championships in golf as well. His record in basketball was 421-219 and in softball 234-77.

He was born on a tobacco farm in North Carolina, the oldest of four boys. His mother lives. In 1961, he arrived in Botetourt County. As a young teacher at James River, he lived in a boarding house in a rented room on Main Street for $35 dollar per month that included breakfast. Shotwell also own a bed and breakfast called Berkeley House off Route 11 and so the days of his early teaching years makes him laugh as he has returned to his roots!

What makes him unique? He still has the statistics of every game in every sport he has ever coached. He has photo albums filled with the sports stories of his teams and he has photos of the students he has coached over those years.

Stacked on the table, the records are impressive. But even more impressive are his coaching stats.

Football 26 years as an assistant coach.

Boy’s basketball 31 years head coach, twice state runner up career record: 431-219.

Girl’s basketball, one year.

Golf, 33 years numerous district and regional titles.

Softball: 18 years head coach. 1995 runner up state champions, 2003 State Champions, 2004 State Champions, 2006 State Champions, 2008 runner up State champions. His overall coaching record in softball: 234-77.

He is the father of sons Andy and Ryan and daughter Evie. He has grand children –matter of fact his granddaughter Haley Shotwell, is turning into a fine softball pitcher. He is also engaged to Roanoke Commissioner of the Revenue, Nancy Horn.

Shotwell is now in his early 70s he still works with players across the county giving pointers to younger players in middle school. “I have had the honor of coaching some of the finest athletes ever to come across the field or course or court.” He said, “Many folks think I ought to start letting up, enjoy my retirement” He’s been retired from the school system for years. “I enjoy the kids. I enjoy being with them. They keep me young.”

When asked what he has to say about the years of coaching, he says with out batting an eye, “I have been lucky to have had years of doing what I love. I have been even more fortunate to have coached some of those dream players that come along maybe once in a life time.

The first he mentions is of course Angela Tincher who played for him at JRHs and gained national notoriety at Virginia Tech in softball. “She was the hardest working player.

She was amazing from the first time I saw her.” He was on hand to honor her in the fall when her jersey was retired.

He mentioned the Bailey brothers, Kyle and Marshall, both golfers who are in college now at Radford and Virginia Tech on golf scholarships. “They came from a fine, dedicated family and both of them worked hard from an early age.”

Steve Austin has kept statistics for JRHS since he graduated from their in the early 70s.

Austin has been instrumental in all of the records Shotwell has stacked on the dining room table. Shotwell coached Austin in high school as well as Austin’s two daughters in softball.

He mentioned a basketball player named Maurice Davenport who still has a state 1A record in the playoffs.

Lastly, he talked about Abbie Rexrode in her freshman year at Virginia Tech on a softball scholarship. Like Tincher she is a pitcher. “She is committed and works very hard. She is the hardest working player I have had and she is a star student as well. Abbie may end up being better than Angela.” Time will tell.

Shotwell shows a prom picture of last year’s team in one of the albums. He goes to the prom and takes a photo of the girls on their special night and places it in the next generation of albums spread across the dining room table. He will keep coaching as long as he can. It would be great if he could coach for three more years to see Shotwell hit the golden anniversary—something that very few have accomplished and certainly not in Botetourt County. His record as a coach speaks for itself.