J. Paul Shelden
Men's Basketball Head Coach & Athletic Director
Induction Year: 1986
J. Paul Shelden was born September 21, 1908 in Washburn, Illionios. He was a civilian ground instructor for the U.S. Navy and had been a high school administrator.
A Dodge City resident since 1941, Coach Shelden re-established the athletic program at Dodge City Junior College in 1946, served as basketball coach for two years, and served as Athletic Director for 21 years (1947-1968). Coach Shelden was appointed to the State Athletic Commission by Robert F. Bennettt, the Governer of the State of Kansas, serving 1978-82. He was Regional Director of the NJCAA Service Bureau, served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Jayhawk JUCO Athletic Conference, received the Jayhawk JUCO Conference Meritorious Service Award, received the Certificate of Service Award from the NJCAA in 1970, was elected to the Hall of Fame of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, and served on two faculty committees for a county-wide election, making DCCC a Ford County College, and organizing a successful bond election to build a new DCCC campus on North 14th.
Coach Shelden also served as the Advanced Math Instructor and Chair of the Math & Science department at DCCC as well as the President of the Dodge City Teachers Association.
The first dorm constructed at the new campus location on North 14th was named after him as Sheldon Hall.
He passed away on January 29, 1985.
