Jan Handley, son of A.S. and Lillian-Semrad Handley, came to Hennessey when Jan was in high school. A.S. and Lillian raised three boys: Terry Handley (77) lives in Edmond, OK; Jan; Gary Handley (66) lives in Edmond. While in high school, Jan played basketball and ran track, was involved in FCA and FHA, and was voted class favorite, Jr.-Sr. Prom Server, FCA Secretary, and FHA Beau. Jan graduated from Hennessey High School in 1974. After graduation, Jan continued to pursue his basketball career. He was an Oklahoma All-State and Honorable Mention All-American in high school and was hoping to go to the University of Oklahoma. Jan’s basketball career plans changed when OU changed coaches. He decided to go to The University of Central Oklahoma, mainly because Dana Amata was there playing football. After a year, Jan was not where he felt he needed to be, so he transferred to Murray State College and played for Wayne Cobb. He played there for one year, was recruited to The University of Texas, and played for the legendary Abe Lemons in Austin, Texas. At the end of Jan’s junior year, a series of injuries ended his time at Texas, and this was when he transferred to Oklahoma Christian College. Jan played his final year of college for Jerry Jobe and graduated with a teaching degree and master’s degree in education in 1980. Jan started his coaching career as an assistant coach with Jerry Jobe and OCC. He was at OCC for 5 years and then took a coaching job at Tuttle, OK. He was at Tuttle for one year and chose to take a coaching job at Murray State College in Tishomingo, OK. Jan was there for 5 years as the Athletic Director, Head Men’s and Women’s Coach, fitness center director, and full-time teacher in the PE department. Jan married Cindy Bowman in 1980. Cindy was from Kansas City, Missouri, and they chose to move closer to family. The move led Jan to be a coach at Wyandotte High School. He took the team to the state tournament and won third place game in the state tournament. After being there for 5 years, he took the Head Basketball position at Fort Osage High School in Independence, Missouri. Jan was there for 10 years and then went back to coach in college at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. He was there for two years as an assistant coach and then took the Head Basketball and Assistant Athletic Director position in Pratt Kansas at Pratt Community College. Jan was there for four years and came back to Kansas City to coach the Kansas City Knights, a professional basketball team in the ABA professional league. The team folded after two years, and he went back to coaching in high school at Raytown, Missouri, a community within the Kansas City Metro area. Jan taught PE and Health and was the Head Girls’ Basketball Coach for 14 years. Jan retired from teaching in 2019; this came after coaching and teaching for over 40 years. He is currently still coaching golf at Raytown High School and has a summer basketball program called the Kansas City Spurs Basketball Club. Jan has been coaching his club for 18 years, from 2006 until now. He continues to coach the Spurs and helps run the organization. Jan and Cindy raised two beautiful daughters. Brandi Handley (38) is an English teacher at Park College in Parkville, Missouri and lives in the Kansas City area.
Brooke Handley Shull (40) coaches basketball in the Kansas City area at Rockhurst College. Brooke is married to Ethan Shull, and they have three children: Cooper and Ryley, who are twins and 16 years old, and Teagan, who is 9 years old. In 2012, Jan divorced and then married the love of his life, Sheila Mahan Handley. Jan and Sheila currently live in Lees Summit, Missouri, in the Kansas City area. While Jan was a star basketball player in high school…all those titles he won do not hold a candle to the title of Grandpa! Jan loves spending time with his family. Jan came back to Hennessey this month for their 50th class reunion. AAH, Shelley Muzny
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