Shannon Cunningham, with more than 400 career wins, lands new baseball coaching job
Former Byrd, Southwood, North DeSoto and Calvary baseball coach Shannon Cunningham is back almost a year to the day after he left Calvary.
Cunningham guided the Cavaliers to the 2019 LHSAA Division IV state title and was within one run of a second title in 2021. He was named coach at Stanley in DeSoto Parish.
“I’ve known Shannon for 20 years – even coached against him when he was at Southwood,” Stanley principal Brian Anderson said Wednesday. “He’s always been a winner, so it was an easy move.”
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Cunningham, 51, spent the past season as an assistant to Kevin Cornet, who had coached the Panthers for 10 years. Cornet has accepted an administrative position at North DeSoto Middle School. Cornet’s final team was 10-15 overall and finished 3-5 in District 4-B.
“Shannon is a proven winner and should restore the program to the level we are accustomed to,” Stanley athletic director Cleve Craig said.
Cunningham said he was looking forward to building on the work of previous Stanley coaches, like Anderson and Cornet.
"They have been instrumental in building amazing facilities, winning championships and raising great young men," he said. "The school and community are made up of incredible people who are passionate and have high expectations for their students and athletes. My plan is to continue building the program."
Cunningham succeeded Todd Walker as Calvary coach in 2015. He has more than 400 victories. He also worked for Alan Carter at Byrd out of college, coaching the Yellow Jackets to the state playoffs three times before moving on to his alma mater, Southwood. The Cowboys made the postseason all six years he was there.
A veteran of 27 years as a high school coach, Cunningham was an assistant at Calvary under Rodney Traweek in 2012 when the Cavs won the Class 2A state title.
In additional athletic news from Stanley, boys basketball Peyton Rutherford and girls coach Klifford Walker have swapped positions.
Jimmy Watson covers Shreveport-Bossier area sports. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Calvary baseball championship coach Shannon Cunningham hired at Stanley
