CLEVELAND — Sean Flannery is the new Walsh Jesuit High School basketball coach, but he’s no stranger to Northeast Ohio basketball. Flannery played high school basketball at St. Edward and college basketball at John Carroll. He went on to coach at Xavier University and Georgia State, and now, he’s back in Ohio.

“I got the opportunity to come back here, come back home,” Flannery said.

It’s a job he never expected to take.

“If you would’ve asked me a year ago, you’d be at Walsh Jesuit in six months, I’d say you’re crazy,” Flannery said.

His players, like JP McMullin, are glad he did.

“I think we were excited for like what he was gonna bring to us and I think it’s been fun with him,” McMullin said.

Flannery learned the game of basketball from his dad, Eric Flannery, who’s been coaching high school basketball at St. Edward for almost 30 years. 

“My dad being a coach I spent my entire life in a gym in Northeast Ohio in a gym and my idols growing up were the St. Edward High School basketball team,” Flannery said.

Flannery explained that there’s so much that his dad taught him, that he uses on the basketball court.

“One thing that has stuck with me my entire coaching life that he’s taught is to just be yourself, always be yourself, even if you don’t know if things are going to work out or people question you, stay true to who you are,” Flannery said.

McMullin explained that Flannery’s basketball history helps him as a coach.

“It’s nice having a person that played in the area, and his dad is coaching in the area, as our coach,” McMullin said.

Flannery said that he’s exactly where he’s supposed to be.

“I really do believe that I’m the luckiest guy in the world because I get to coach at a great school,” he said.