Chris Ellersieck loves coaching and will have plenty of those opportunities with Community R-6.

Ellersieck was announced this summer as the head coach of the boys basketball and baseball programs. The Columbia native has logged over 15 years of coaching and teaching experience — he will also be a physical education instructor — in college and high school.

Despite most recently coaching boys basketball and baseball a little more than three hours away at Cabool, Ellersieck has ties to Mid-Missouri with his mother still living in Columbia and his aunt living in Mexico. 

“It gives me an opportunity to get a little closer to home,” Ellersieck said. “I felt really welcomed and optimistic about the opportunity.”

Ellersieck’s coaching background can be traced to coaching basketball at alma mater Frederick Douglass High School and then as a student assistant with the University of Missouri under Quin Snyder. He held positions at the college level at Lincoln University while finishing his physical education degree and Moberly Area Community College on the staff that led the Greyhounds to the 2016 NJCAA Sweet 16. Ellersieck was the freshman boys basketball coach at Hickman and served as the head coach of boys basketball and baseball at Cabool.

While Ellersieck was a head coach for both sports at Cabool, he said it didn’t happen in the same school year so this upcoming school year with Community R-6 will be the first time he’s been both at the same time. He said basketball has always “been in my blood” but does have experience with both sports during his high school playing career. Ellersieck said his first high school basketball game was actually against Community R-6 at the Hearnes Center.

“I love coaching kids and athletes,” Ellersieck said. “It’s certainly going to be a challenge. I’ll coach every day of the school year next year, but that’s what I was born for and built to do. I was given that grace by God. When much is given to someone, much is required.”

Ellersieck said he is excited to teach the importance of extracurricular activities and the benefits of athletics. His hire wasn’t announced until the beginning of July so Ellersieck hasn’t connected with his kids yet but fully intends on doing so before the end of the month.

Every day, Ellersieck said he will come to work with his “hard hat on,” meaning he is passionate about athletics and education. He said he wants to see passion from his kids along with a willingness to do what it takes to improve. 

“It’s not about the coach, but it’s about the kids and the families in the communities that support these kids in their endeavors,” Ellersieck said. “Athletics are an opportunity to better yourself as a person. I’m a faith-driven individual so that will be at the core of (what we do).”

Ellersieck said his approach to coaching can be translated to the court, the field or anywhere else. He said it’s about sufficiently training kids to have the proper skills and prepare kids for game situations. Talent and work ethic are both synonymous with success, Ellersieck said, so any talent will be wasted if kids don’t work hard.

“With young people, you have to stay positive, but you also have to be really firm and hold people accountable,” Ellersieck said. “If you’re not coming every single day, not committed to getting better every single day and being the best every single day, it’s going to be hard to compete at a high level.”

Being committed to success includes being committed to the team’s success, which Ellersieck said means every kid has a role. He said he can’t wait to figure out what role each Community R-6 kid can fill in the programs. No matter what, Ellersieck hopes they can bring “hard work, toughness and accountability” because that’s what he plans to bring as a Trojan.

“They were left in good hands with both the guys that were here before and their assistant coaches,” Ellersieck said. “I’m excited to get to know all these families, teachers and board members.”