Justin Callahan

Coach

Boys 7th 8th B Team Basketball

Coach Callahan graduated from Farmington High School in 1982, where he played basketball on a 19-7 team his senior year.  Upon graduation, he went into the United States Marine Corps for four years, before returning home to go to school at Mineral Area College.  While at MAC, he played basketball for two years under Coach Tim Gray.  He was named Academic All-American his sophomore year on a team that won 22 games.  He then went to Southeast Missouri State University, graduating in 1990 with a degree in teaching mathematics.  He started teaching math, coaching both junior varsity basketball, and middle school football for the Farmington School District that same year.  He served as the junior varsity coach under Steve Noble for two years, and Ed Street for three years.  He became the head basketball coach in 1995.  He remained the head basketball coach for seven years, and then took an administrative position for the district.  During the years of teaching and coaching he continued to go to school and he earned both a Master’s degree and Specialist degree in administration.  He remained in administration until 2012 when he retired as Principal of Roosevelt Elementary.  He returned as the head coach of the varsity basketball team for the 2012-2013 school year. 

 During Coach Callahan’s first stint as head coach, the Knights had an overall record of 126 wins and 62 losses.  This included two conference championships, one Farmington tournament championship, one Central Christmas tournament championship, one district championship, three conference tournament championships, and one Coach of the Year award.  

 Since his return, the Knights have won four straight MAAA Large School Conference championships, two conference tournament championships, a Christmas Tournament championship, a district championship, and have posted an overall record of 69-46.  During the 2013-2014 season the Knights won their first ever playoff games in basketball.  They made it to the Final Four in Columbia where they lost two close games to finish fourth place in class 4. He was named 2014 Class 4 Coach of the Year by the Missouri Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association. He was also named KTJJ Dream Team Coach of the Year in 2014.

 Coach Callahan is married to his wife of 28 years, Lisa, who retired from the Farmington School District as a third grade teacher and 8^th grade girls basketball coach.  They have two sons, Derrick and Garrett.  Derrick is attending the University of Pittsburgh, working on a Doctorate Degree in Bio-Medical Sciences (Immunology).  Garrett is a senior at Southeast Missouri State University, and will graduate in May with a degree in Secondary Mathematics Education.