Man of many hats at Wayne

Chance Sharp is a man who wears many hats with respect to Wayne School and its athletic programs.

Initially hired as a custodian for four years by then superintendent Zack Powell, Sharp worked those years while earning his teaching certification.

Sharp was added to the teaching staff the week before Spring Break in 2007.

“It was kind of funny,” Sharp laughed. “I worked a week and then had a week off.”

Sharp teaches physical education for grades K-5th grade.

A 1992 graduate of Wayne High School, Sharp is one of four family members who have donned the whistle and hat coaching Wayne sports.

Brother Brandon Sharp has been the head football coach for 17 years with Chance his assistant every year. Brothers, Sammy and Cole also had stints with their siblings along the way.

“That was special when we all coached together,” Chance confirmed.

Chance is assistant coach for boys middle school, junior high and high school basketball. He is also the assistant coach for girls middle school, junior high and high school basketball.

He is also assistant coach for junior high and high school baseball, was head slow-pitch coach for the Lady Bulldogs for two seasons in 2019 and 2020 and served as the Bulldogs’ head baseball coach for six seasons after Scott Brewer departed.

He was a full-time bus route driver for five years and now serves as a bus driver fill-in.

“If there is a bus leaving I’m usually on it,” he chuckled. “But, I love it.”

“Sports is the thing that keeps me busy,” Chance said. “It’s challenging. Sometimes you can feel like you’re not giving it your all. Sometimes it’s hard, but I feel like I wouldn’t change it for the world.

“I love kids at all levels. They are great to be around. I’ve had some good head coaches to learn from and the new guys we’re hiring keep you going. It’s gratifying to be able to be around kids,” he said.

It didn’t take Sharp long to know what his life-long passion would be.

“I started coaching when I was 16 years old after a camp. I don’t have any kids of my own so my nieces and nephews are like my grandkids. I just love being around kids to coach them and teach them,” he proudly reports.

Coaching has changed since Chance first roamed the sidelines but so has society.

He noted when he was a youngster he and his siblings were outside all the time. Now, he says, kids are indoors a lot more.

“You’ve got to practice on your own to get better,” he said.

“Another thing that has changed is the way you discipline kids. We don’t have a lot of discipline issues here at Wayne. I wouldn’t want to be at any other place,” said the coach who has never coached anywhere else.

“But you have to be careful what you say,” he said. “You really have to watch your P’s and Q’s and that’s everywhere, not just here at Wayne.

Speaking of staying at Wayne his entire career Sharp said, “You have to have loyalty to your town and school, your kids and their sports. I’m not going to be one who chases talent.”

“We’ve got great kids, parents and administrators Chance said of the late Zack Powell and now Toby Ringwald.

Sharp said he knew exactly what he wanted to do the day he set off for college at East Central University in Ada and he’s lived that dream for the past 17 years and on into the future.

Now it’s just a matter of finding the right hat for the right sport and not missing the bus when it leaves town.