Longfellow Middle School

My name is Sasha King, and I am entering my 3rd season as head boys basketball coach. This will be my first season as the 8th Grade Head Boys Basketball Coach. I graduated from Norman High School in 2008 and continued my basketball career at Hutchinson Community College and the University of Alaska Anchorage. Basketball has played a major role in my life, and I’m excited for the opportunity to help develop the next generation of players both on and off the court.

Over the summer, I encourage all boys planning to play basketball this season to spend as much time in the gym as possible. This is the time to improve ball handling, get shots up, develop fundamentals, and continue building confidence in your game. The work put in during the offseason will make a huge difference once the season begins.

I also highly encourage players to attend the Norman North Basketball Camp this summer for additional skill development and competition experience.

Basketball season officially begins in October, and tryouts will take place during school at a time that will be announced later (TBA). I’m looking forward to a great season and seeing the growth and dedication from our players throughout the summer.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

My name is Jarred Synnott-Shobert AKA Coach Sho, and I am excited to introduce myself as the new head coach for the 7th Grade Boys Basketball team at Longfellow Middle School. As a Longfellow and Norman North alumni, and previous assistant coach, I am looking forward to an exciting upcoming season and the opportunity to work with your athletes both on and off the court.

Basketball has been a major part of my life for many years. I’m excited to pass along the knowledge, skills, and experiences I’ve gained from the game. My goal is to help these players grow not only as basketball players, but also as teammates, leaders, and young men through hard work, discipline, and accountability.

This season, I plan to create an environment where our team can compete, improve, and have fun while learning the fundamentals of the game. Success will come from effort, consistency, coachability, and commitment from every player on the court and in the classroom.

Before the season officially begins, I encourage players to consider attending the Norman North Basketball Kids Camp, which will take place June 1st–3rd. The cost is $100 which includes daily sessions from 9am-12pm with the high school coaches and players, and a T-shirt. The deadline to register is 5/27/2026. I understand this is short notice, but this is a great opportunity for players to learn and gain mentorship from the high school players, stay active, sharpen their skills, and get extra reps in before our season begins. Here is the registration link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/185tbi1LQS1E1uTFMDPm4KEK5B3Ckq9SEUOGibg_kSGY/viewform?edit_requested=true

If you are unable to attend, then I highly encourage staying active with basketball this summer any way you can to ensure your athlete maintains their fitness for the upcoming season. This is not a requirement, but is highly encouraged, especially if your athlete plans to pursue basketball long term.

We will also hold a parent/team meeting next fall prior to the start of the season to discuss expectations, schedules, communication, and answer any questions. More details on that meeting will be shared closer to the season.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or need to contact me before then, please feel free to email me at jsynnottshobert@normanps.org. 

I’m excited to get started and am looking forward to a great season with this group!

GO LONGFELLOW LIONS!

Sincerely,
Jarred Synnott-Shobert AKA Coach Sho
Head Coach, 7th Grade Boys Basketball

Assistant Coach, 8th grade Boys Basketball