July 13, 20179 yr The long awaited Coach Ken Shields life story has become reality. We began this project over ten years ago, retracing the former St. Thomas, Highlands, and NKU head coach's life from cradle through growing up in West Covington, meeting his wife, attending the University of Dayton, coaching at the aforementioned schools and generally becoming Northern Kentucky Sports' ambassador and good humor man. A story appears in today's online edition of the Northern Kentucky Tribune, written by Terry Boehmker, who along with former NKU S.I.D. Rick Meyers helped bring the publication to fruition. A book roll-out event will be forthcoming and several book-signings will be conducted at area schools and public venues. Online ordering is also being set-up. Click on this link to read the NKy Tribune article: Book about successful career of coach Kenney Shields should interest local basketball fans | NKyTribune
July 13, 20179 yr I already have coach Shields agreed to sign my book would you sign it to? Congratulations I'm sure it's a great read
July 13, 20179 yr He is just a great, all around person. I have never heard one person say a bad word about him.
July 13, 20179 yr Love, love, love Coach Shields! I mean who from Fort Thomas doesn't?! He is definitely an icon and like LL55 said a great, great man! I'm going to have to get myself a copy of this book! Amazingly, Coach Shields is holding his annual basketball camp at the Ft. Thomas armory this week. It is his 31st year of camp! Fort Thomas is so lucky to have him!
July 13, 20179 yr He is just a great, all around person. I have never heard one person say a bad word about him. Well said.
July 13, 20179 yr Big fan of Coach Shields, Terry Boehmker, and Rick Meyers. Will definitely be adding this one to the library.
July 13, 20179 yr Love, love, love Coach Shields! I mean who from Fort Thomas doesn't?! He is definitely an icon and like LL55 said a great, great man! I'm going to have to get myself a copy of this book! Amazingly, Coach Shields is holding his annual basketball camp at the Ft. Thomas armory this week. It is his 31st year of camp! Fort Thomas is so lucky to have him! He's traitor. (ABSOLUTELY, TOTALLY, 100% COMPLETELY KIDDING!!)
July 13, 20179 yr Very excited to hear about this book and very much looking forward to reading it. I have great memories as a kid of when Kenny Shields ran the yearly summer baseball clinics at Meinken Field, and the basketball clinics at Latonia Elementary, refereed our basketball games at Turners, and The Boys Club, and his ever presence as an activities leader during the summer throughout the Covington Public Parks including our summer softball and basketball leagues where all the different parks competed against each other. I learned so much from him and earned a deeper appreciation for baseball and basketball, and his friendly way of teaching many of the detailed intricacies and techniques of the game made it a joy to learn without feeling intimidated all due to his easily approachable way, and obvious genuine love of the game, and teaching it. He didn't play favorites with just the most talented kids like so many coaches can have a tendency to do, and he made sure that no matter your skill level he'd make time for you and make you feel special, which only resulted in boosting your confidence, and you getting better. Though it may have appeared out of the ordinary, while refereeing a basketball game for kids he wouldn't hesitate to also use it as a teaching moment, and when he saw something in a player that he could correct by simply briefly pointing it out, he'd take a mere 15 seconds and say so, and then resume the game. Not many would go that extra mile, but just those few extra seconds could make a huge difference in a kid's development. Kenny is a born teacher and an even better man, and with his winsome friendly way he never felt like a boss, but rather just a good pal. When I think of Northern Kentucky sports he's hands down the King in my book. In someway, shape, or form with everything related to athletics locally the dots can be connected back to him from generations of players and coaches, somehow someway Coach Shields is apart of the recipe, and everyone has in some way been effected by him. So glad that he is being recognized with this book because if anyone was ever deserving of having his story documented, it is certainly Coach Shields. :thumb:
July 13, 20179 yr Love, love, love Coach Shields! I mean who from Fort Thomas doesn't?! He is definitely an icon and like LL55 said a great, great man! I'm going to have to get myself a copy of this book! Amazingly, Coach Shields is holding his annual basketball camp at the Ft. Thomas armory this week. It is his 31st year of camp! Fort Thomas is so lucky to have him! And it's free. He is always willing to give back.
July 13, 20179 yr And it's free. He is always willing to give back. I never realized his camp was free. That's really cool. :thumb: :thumb:
July 13, 20179 yr Coach Shields in his first year of teaching was my gym teacher and my Freshmen Baseball Coach at CovCath (he also was the Freshmen Basketball Coach and that staff included Coach Mote Hills and Coach Hep Cronin, not a bad staff indeed). Coach Shields gave us a book (I only call it that, as it was so many copies of pages) that had about everything that could ever happen in a baseball game and where each position player should be at in different times. We still talk about that book when I see. him. Great man and he still says HI to me by name when he sees me, which just blows me away that he still remembers me.
July 13, 20179 yr Author There is a great story in the book about Coach Shields' first day as CovCath freshmen coach, when he was out with Hils and Cronin.
July 14, 20179 yr There is a great story in the book about Coach Shields' first day as CovCath freshmen coach, when he was out with Hils and Cronin. Most people probably know this, but Coach Shields and Coach Hils children are married. Kind of crazy how their lives, careers, and families intertwined.
July 14, 20179 yr There is a great story in the book about Coach Shields' first day as CovCath freshmen coach, when he was out with Hils and Cronin. Haven't read the book yet, but I can only image with those two Coaches. Poor Coach Shields! :-)
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