Oklahoma High School Baseball Coach Hall of Famer Jeff Shafer is returning home to lead the Shawnee High School baseball team, the Shawnee Board of Education announced at a special board meeting today.
Early in his storied career, Shafer served as the head baseball coach for Shawnee High School before moving on to coach at the junior college and professional levels.
“We are excited Coach Shafer is coming back to continue the Shawnee tradition of baseball excellence,” said Dr. Aaron Espolt, superintendent. “He has developed an impressive resume over his long coaching career, and he has had an even greater impact by developing players’ skills on the field and character off the field. We’re glad he is once again making Shawnee High School his home.”
“We are so incredibly fortunate to bring Coach Shafer home to continue this unbelievable baseball tradition he started,” said Dax Leone, Shawnee director of athletics and activities. “He is not only one of the most well respected baseball coaches in the state, he is also the catalyst behind the long-term success of Shawnee’s baseball program. He is by far the best leader of young men that I’ve been around.”
“Coach Shafer is not only a Hall of Fame coach, he is a Hall of Fame person and leader,” Leone said.
In 1991, Shafer began his first tenure with SHS, leading teams to conference championships six times and state tournament appearances seven times. Shafer also had a five-year stint as a player development coach with the Minnesota Twins Gulf Coast League (now Florida Complex League). Shafer left SHS in 2006 to take over as head coach for Seminole State College where he earned a cumulative record of 227-109. His SSC players earned a number of accolades, and many moved on to NCAA Division I universities and to the professional level. In 2012-2013 Shafer served as head coach at Edmond Santa Fe where his team was a state qualifier. Since 2013, Shafer has been the athletic director and head baseball coach for Tecumseh Public Schools.
Shafer was inducted into the Oklahoma High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2017, the Shawnee High School Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Tulsa Union Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2009 he was named the NJCAA Region II Coach of the Year, the NJCAA South Central District Coach of the Year and the ABCA Regional Coach of the Year. He was named Pro-Line Coach of the Year in 1999 and has earned Suburban Conference Coach of the Year five times.
Shafer replaces former SHS Baseball Coach Kevin Paxson, who recently was hired as head coach of the East Central University baseball team. SHS has a long tradition of baseball excellence, earning three state titles in 2015-2017 and the national title in 2017.
Coach Shafer and his wife Rae Ann live in Shawnee. Together they have three children.