Monett and McDonald Co. coaches start unique family rivalry

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It’s often said you should keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.

That’s actually pretty easy these days in the high school basketball world.

“Obviously, you come in knowing the other coach most nights.”

That’s especially true for these two.

“When you live with the other coach, it’s a little different.”

On January 14th, Chris and Alyssa Kennedy paced the sidelines in front of their respective benches.

Coaching against each other in a battle between husband and wife.

“Coming up to this, it’s about the same as always, you’re preparing for the team that you’re playing and try to execute the plan on the floor,” Chris said.

On that night, Alyssa’s team, the Monett Cubs captured a 20 point win.

It’s Alyssa’s second win over Chris, if you count a summer league game between the two coaches last year.

“She’s got like four years on my one, so it’s one of those things that might even out here as go along,” Chris said.

Chris, coaching his first season at McDonald County, spent plenty of time around Monett’s team in recent years.

“Me being there for four years, they’ve [the Monett players] seen him at our games the last four years, so they know him a little better than his kids know me,” Alyssa.

Just across the court, one youngster in attendance refused to pick a side.

Their son Mason, donning a shirt that said team dad on the back and team mom on the front.

“The tag is in the back for team dad so team mom had to go on the front. We thought it was a good neutral color, he didn’t have to wear purple or red,” Alyssa said.

As for Mason’s future, Chris and Alyssa aren’t making any early decisions about whether he’ll become a Mustang or a Cub.

“We’ll leave it up to him,” Chris said.

For now he’ll just stick to being team mom and team dad.

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