Coach Shay

Coach Bill Shay; CCAC Basketball

To our CCAC Nation, including Friends, Alumni, Students and Faculty, and all associates. We are bringing attention to a long overdue recognition to a special Coach, Teacher and Mentor, … Bill Shay. It is with this objective, to recognize Coach Shay, that a number of his former players and associates have started this GoFundMe page, with the intent of commissioning a bust of Coach Shay to be permanently housed in the Athletic Facility on CCAC North Campus.

Coach Shay took the CCAC basketball post in 1968 after working as an assistant director with the Big Brother program for two years. Through the next 30 + years Coach Shay’s teams set their own standard for excellence.

Below is a brief capsule of Coach Shay’s achievements and accomplishments:

• The winningest Basketball Coach in Western Pennsylvania history.

• Finished his coaching career with an 803 W -358 L record in 39 seasons at CCAC-Allegheny.

• Guided CCAC to an NJCAA Division II national title, 1989-90 season.

• 1990 USA Today College Basketball Coach of the Year in PA.

• Eight (8) NJCAA Region XX titles

• Five (5) Division II championships

• Four (4) NJCAA inter-regional championships

• Western Chapter Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, 1996.

Coach Shay also authored a book on alcohol and drug abuse -- "Do You Own You" – and co-authored another book with former NC State and Arizona State Coach Herb Sendek, "Education for Life" that deals with today's student/athlete.

In 1977 Coach helped organize the Pittsburgh Steelwheelers, a paraplegic wheelchair basketball team. He also was Director of Physical Education at the Sarah Heinz House on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

As much of a shadow that Coach Shay has left on the basketball court, it's even bigger in the community. "I met a lot of good people, and you have to learn from everyone you know in life. I enjoyed having the opportunity with the Steelwheelers. I've made a lot of life-long friends as a result of it. I look at every individual as someone who is engineered for success," Shay said. "I try to promote effort, and I suggest education. It presents keys into doors of opportunity."