LC community remembers fallen legend
Joe Bartlett, Sports Editor
Issue date: 9/10/09 Section: Sports
It was a sad day for the Lynchburg College community on Monday, Sept. 7 as former soccer coach William H. "Bill" Shellenberger, a cornerstone of LC's athletic program died at the age of 88.
Shellenberger first started working at LC in 1952, when the school did not even have a soccer team, but Shellenberger got a varsity soccer team ap¬proved by the college. In 1954 LC became the fourth team in Virginia to play collegiate soccer.
Two years later in 1956 Shellenberger coached the team to a winning season. That was the first in a legendary streak of 31 consecutive winning sea¬sons setting a record of 371 wins, 167 losses and 48 ties, according to the LC website. Shellenberger is credited as a major force in the growth of soccer at the collegiate level and he was once called "the winningest coach ever in col¬lege soccer" by Sports Illustrated.
Coach Shellenberger retired in 1989 and the next year LC named Shellenberger Field in this honor. Shellenberger also earned many other honors as he was inducted into the LC Sports Hall of Fame as well as seven other halls of fame, named Coach of the Year 28 times and recognized in 1991 by the Virginia General As¬sembly for his "Unparalleled Record of Achievement," according to the LC website.
Shellenberger also had the William H. Shellenberger Scholarship Fund created by former students in his honor. Shellenberger was also LC's golf coach for 22 years. The annual Shellenberger Golf Tournament raises additional funds in support of the scholarship.
Shellenberger was a lifelong athlete, an ex-marine and a World War II veteran who knew exactly what he wanted to do in life.
"My whole life has been involved with athletics," he said in a 2005 interview for the Lynchburg College Magazine ,according to the LC website. "There was never any question about what I wanted to do. I wanted to teach physical education and coach sports."
Even with all of Shellenberger's success he never put winning above sportsman¬ship. Shellenberger said that sportsmanship was very im¬portant to him and he tried to instill it in his players, according to the LC website. Shellenberger was only ejected from a game once in his career after arguing with a referee during a game in the rain.
Shellenberger is survived by his son, William Jr. "Hank" '79, who played soccer for his dad while attending LC, daughter, Virginia "Ginger" Parsons '73 M.A.T, and grandson, Will Parsons, according to the LC website. Shellenberger's funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in Snidow Chapel.
Shellenberger first started working at LC in 1952, when the school did not even have a soccer team, but Shellenberger got a varsity soccer team ap¬proved by the college. In 1954 LC became the fourth team in Virginia to play collegiate soccer.
Two years later in 1956 Shellenberger coached the team to a winning season. That was the first in a legendary streak of 31 consecutive winning sea¬sons setting a record of 371 wins, 167 losses and 48 ties, according to the LC website. Shellenberger is credited as a major force in the growth of soccer at the collegiate level and he was once called "the winningest coach ever in col¬lege soccer" by Sports Illustrated.
Coach Shellenberger retired in 1989 and the next year LC named Shellenberger Field in this honor. Shellenberger also earned many other honors as he was inducted into the LC Sports Hall of Fame as well as seven other halls of fame, named Coach of the Year 28 times and recognized in 1991 by the Virginia General As¬sembly for his "Unparalleled Record of Achievement," according to the LC website.
Shellenberger also had the William H. Shellenberger Scholarship Fund created by former students in his honor. Shellenberger was also LC's golf coach for 22 years. The annual Shellenberger Golf Tournament raises additional funds in support of the scholarship.
Shellenberger was a lifelong athlete, an ex-marine and a World War II veteran who knew exactly what he wanted to do in life.
"My whole life has been involved with athletics," he said in a 2005 interview for the Lynchburg College Magazine ,according to the LC website. "There was never any question about what I wanted to do. I wanted to teach physical education and coach sports."
Even with all of Shellenberger's success he never put winning above sportsman¬ship. Shellenberger said that sportsmanship was very im¬portant to him and he tried to instill it in his players, according to the LC website. Shellenberger was only ejected from a game once in his career after arguing with a referee during a game in the rain.
Shellenberger is survived by his son, William Jr. "Hank" '79, who played soccer for his dad while attending LC, daughter, Virginia "Ginger" Parsons '73 M.A.T, and grandson, Will Parsons, according to the LC website. Shellenberger's funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in Snidow Chapel.