Hauser girls basketball coach Kyle Shipp coaches against North Decatur Jan. 24, 2023, at Hauser High School. Shipp has been named the Jets’ new athletics director.
The Republic file photo
Kyle Shipp has been an athletics director before, so moving into that role at Hauser Junior-Senior High School won’t be anything new.
Shipp was confirmed by the Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Board at Tuesday night’s meeting.
“Spending over 20 years in high school athletics in some capacity, this is a very easy transition,” Shipp said. “There will be some little differences, but for the most part, there’s a good foundation I’m taking over. It’s going to be an easy transition.”
Shipp was athletics director at Owen Valley from 2010-12 and assistant AD at Whiteland from 2013-15. He was interim AD at Shelbyville in 2020-21 and assistant AD there the following year.
The past two years, Shipp has been girls basketball coach and dean of attendance, digital learning, credit recovery and mentoring program at Hauser. He plans to remain as the Jets girls basketball coach.
Shipp takes over in a time of transition at Hauser. Not only are the Jets moving down from Class 2A to Class A in team sports, they are adding a pair of sports this fall in girls soccer and girls golf.
Kristina Madden will coach the girls soccer team. Steve Todd, who is the boys golf coach, also will coach the girls golf team.
“Going back to 1A, us being basically the northern school in that sectional is going to be a little bit of a change with the athletic department,” Shipp said. “Everybody’s sectional has been a tad bit different. Most of our schedules encompass our sectional opponents. It will cause some interesting matchups.”
In most team sports, Hauser will be in a sectional with Crothersville, Jac-Cen-Del, Milan, Oldenburg Academy, Rising Sun and Trinity Lutheran. Trinity will host the volleyball sectional this fall.
“Our volleyball program has been really good, and Trinity’s volleyball program has been really good, so that could be a possible sectional matchup,” Shipp said.
Milan will host the boys basketball sectional. Hauser will will host the girls basketball sectional for the first time in more than a decade.
Hauser will host its Sports Physical Night from 6:30 to 8 p.m. July 25 at the school. Cost is $25, with cash or check payable to Hauser Athletic Department. Students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and have completed the IHSAA physical form. Forms are available in the athletic office, the IHSAA website and at the door on the day of the event. For more information, call the athletic office at 812-546-4421.
Shipp is ready to hit the ground running.
“I’m excited,” Shipp said. “It gives another opportunity to hopefully move Hauser athletics forward and keep them in the great tradition that’s there and keep expanding and grow. I’m ready to lead such a great athletic department.”
