Tom Colwell Lifetime Achievement Award
Sean Reilly, 2024 Recipient
Sean Reilly’s distinguished and passionate career in teaching, coaching, and leading began in his formative years as a youth in New York City. These pursuits have spanned over a half a century and have impacted thousands of students and adults and continue to this day.
Upon graduating from St. Mary of the Plains College, Sean taught and coached at Sacred Heart in Dodge City ,Kansas. Sean came to the Kansas City area to pursue his teaching/coaching career in 1979 at St. Mary’s High School in Independence, Missouri. His dedicated career has included schools both in Missouri and Kansas and in both the public and parochial sectors. Sean shares that he has been both blessed and honored to have worked with many dedicated student/athletes, teachers, coaches, administrators, staff and parents. Although most recognized from his 14-year teaching and Head Coaching stint at St Thomas Aquinas High School, Sean has also left many treasured moments and memories at the following schools: St. Mary’s, Bishop Miege, Shawnee Mission North, Shawnee Mission East, DeSoto, Mill Valley, Turner, Rockhurst HS, Blue Valley Southwest, Blue Valley Northwest, Leawood Middle, Johnson County Community College, and Rockhurst College.
Sean’s love and enjoyment for teaching, coaching, and leading extend beyond the school experiences. He has also shared his love for the game of basketball and life with Special Olympics, Catholic Youth Organizations, and summer AAU programs. Beyond his expertise in his first love, basketball, Sean has also coached football, track, and baseball.
Sean has been a much sought-after clinician and keynote speaker at many universities and clinics over the decades. He has traveled throughout the United States and internationally to Guatemala, Cuba, Mexico, Canada, and Ireland to share his love of basketball with thousands of athletes and coaches alike.
Sean shares that he has alike been blessed to have a wonderful and supportive wife Teresa, and family. It is with their love and support that he has been able to accomplish so many things in his career.
The recipient of numerous coaching awards Sean intimates that to date his most cherished recognition was receiving the Marcus Priddy award for outstanding work with athletes outside the athletic arena. But receiving the Tom Colwell Lifetime Achievement Award surpasses that. Sean states, "Coach Colwell was not only a mentor of mine, but a great friend, and a man I loved. My wife and I so respected him that we asked him to be our oldest son’s Godfather. So receiving this award is the pinnacle of my career."
2023 Darwin Rold
2022 John Sedler
2019 Jim Rusconi
2018 Mark Huppe
2017 Mike Etnire
2016 Mike Gailey
2015 Mike Miller
2014 Joel Heider
2013 Mike Brinsko
2012 Joe Grantham
2011 Roger Jackson
2010 Jack Smith
2009 Tom Goddard
2008 Walt Shublom
2007 Jim Draper
2006 Lee Kariker
2005 Norm Schmidt
2004 Keith Lindsay
2003 Lafayette Norwood
2002 Jim Gurley
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This award was created to honor the longtime coach at Bishop Miege, Blue Valley North and St.Thomas Aquinas high schools, in addition to prior positions as head coach and athletic director at St. Benedict's College (now Benedictine College). In his more than 40-year career, Tom taught and coached more than 7,500 students and athletes, and inspired dozens of former students and players to pursue teaching and
coaching careers. Tom passed away in 2002, but his influence can still be felt throughout the greater
Kansas City basketball scene. His former assistant coaches and players include Sean Reilly, Ed Fritz, Mark Huppe, Bill O'Connor and Doug Bruce.
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