Isabelle Whiting
Contributing writer
In the Charlotte community, family is something many people value. For the Nevins family the Charlotte community is part of their own. The Nevins’ have been a part of the community for many years being incredibly involved with and impacting Charlotte Schools and athletics.
Rick Nevins started school in 1965 and attended Galewood Elementary, Charlotte Junior High downtown and Charlotte High School. Rick met his wife in 8th grade and they have been together since their junior year of high school. Rick’s daughter Shannon attended Charlotte Public Schools since kindergarten and graduated in 2005. She returned to Parkview Elementary to complete her student teaching and once again returned to Charlotte in 2018 to teach math at Charlotte Middle School after teaching in Lansing since 2012.
“I began attending Charlotte Athletic events before I could walk. My uncles were in junior high and high school and played basketball, football, baseball, golf and ran track. There are few Friday nights in my life in the past 32 years where I do not remember being at a CHS football game. I played basketball, volleyball, softball and track in middle school and continued basketball, volleyball, and track at CHS. I earned six varsity letters, one all conference award, and was a member of the 2003-2004 back-to-back conference championship volleyball team,” said Shannon. Her father Rick played football, basketball – when the school won back to back District titles in 1977 and 1978 – and threw shot and discus in track.
“My father started doing the Chains for Charlotte football games around 1965, my brother Robb joined in 1975, I joined in 1985 and my son Chip has been with us since 2010. I coached CJO Football for five years, CJO girls’ basketball for five and CJO boys’ basketball for three years, was on the CJO board for three years and was the CJO basketball commissioner for eight years. I ran a youth volleyball league for seven years, assistant varsity volleyball coach for 11 years, JV softball five years, and varsity softball six years. I was an official timer at home track meets for 20 years until I started coaching softball. I love sports and enjoy being around them in any way possible. The closer to the action, the better!” said Rick.
Shannon has also coached in the school district. “As an adult, I’ve continued to support Charlotte athletics with my passion of coaching. I have coached in the Charlotte Volleyball program for 10 years. I just coached my first year of basketball at CMS (five seasons in my career), and I enjoy helping my dad in the dugout during softball season.”
The Nevins family has always done things as a family and plans to continue to do things as a family. The Nevins’ love their town, school and teams and love what they do whether its teaching, coaching, or volunteering.
