Thursday 28th March 2024

During a special closed session on Thursday, May 14, the Sedalia School District 200  School Board approved Michael Franklin as the new head coach for the Smith-Cotton High School boys basketball program.
A news release says Franklin, an S-C graduate and former player, has served as a varsity associate head coach and JV coach for the Tigers’ boys basketball program, and is the offensive coordinator for the S-C football team. He replaces Kevin Thomas, who has taken a coaching position in another district.
Franklin earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration in May 2010 from Missouri Valley College in Marshall. Earlier this month, he earned his master’s degree in administration from William Woods University in Fulton.
He joined the district as an in-school suspension teacher at Sedalia Middle School in 2013. He served in that role at Smith-Cotton Junior High for the 2016-17 school year before becoming a business education teacher at the junior high starting in the 2017-18 school year. Before joining Sedalia 200, he was an assistant commandant and coach at Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington.
Smith-Cotton Athletic Director Rob Davis said Franklin’s experience with and dedication to Tigers’ basketball make him the right fit.
“Coach Franklin is one of the stars within our existing coaching staff and when we discussed the possibility of taking over the program with him, it immediately became clear that he was our selection,” Davis said. “He is one of the hardest working coaches in our district with an intense love of basketball and a love for our student-athletes. Most of all, he loves Smith-Cotton High School and truly wants to see all of our programs succeed. His dedication to the basketball program and our school started many years ago when he was a leader as a player for us and that dedication has continued to develop throughout his career as a junior high, freshman, JV and associate head basketball coach.”
Franklin expressed his thanks to the board and administration for its belief in his ability to lead the program.
“As a former player for Smith-Cotton I am beyond thankful and excited for this opportunity to lead a great group of young men,” he said. “I plan to continue to steer the program in a positive direction as my predecessor, Kevin Thomas, did. As a program, our goal will be to play hard, play smart and play together while also representing the school, community and our families with class and integrity. I cannot wait to get to work.”
Davis sees Franklin charting a proper course for the future of Tigers boys basketball.
“I am confident Coach Franklin will continue the momentum created by the program the last few years. I can think of no one I’d rather have leading our program into the future and as we begin play next year in the Central Missouri Activities Conference,” Davis said.

Photo provided by the Sedalia School District 200