Truman State University Athletics

James Scanlan was born Jan. 4, 1936 in St. Louis. He attended McKinley High School where he was an offensive lineman on two conference championship teams and also threw shot put for the track squad. He graduated from McKinley in 1954 and went on to attend Truman that fall. While at Truman, Scanlan participated in track and football for three years. An offensive guard and tackle and defensive tackle, Scanlan lettered in football as a senior. In track he threw javelin and shot put and served as team captain for a season. After his playing eligibility expired, he served as a graduate assistant for football in 1959 and 1960 and for track in 1960. Scanlan graduated from Truman in 1959 with a degree in Physical Education and went on to obtain his master's degree in 1961. His early career as a coach and educator took him to the school districts of New Cambria, Mo. and Brookfield, Mo. before he settled in at Washington, Mo. High School. Scanlan served as head coach of the Washington track team from 1963 to 1974, leading the squad to nine conference and three district championships during that span. Scanlan took the reins of the Washington varsity football program in 1965 and filled the position until 1986. His teams compiled a 151-48-2 record during his tenure and claimed the Missouri state 3A championship in 1973. Washington returned to the state playoffs the next season and again in 1978 and finished as the 3A runner-up both seasons. Scanlan was named Sporting News Coach of the Year in 1978 and also had the honor of coaching the East Lions All-Star team that season. He was inducted into the Missouri High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1992 and the St. Louis Metro Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1993. Scanlan has also conducted summer coaching clinics at Truman and Western Illinois University. He has been a member of the Missouri Football Coaches Association for 22 years and served as vice-president for two years. Scanlan has also been a member of the National Federation of Interscholastic Coaches for 17 years and the State Director of Section Five for 10 years. Scanlan has been a member of the Missouri Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association for 21 years and been on its Board of Directors for 16 years. He has served as a Conference Coordinator for the MIAAA for seven years and spent two years as the organization's president. Scanlan received the Missouri Athletic Director of the Year award and the Missouri Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Twenty-Five Year Award of Merit in 1987, and received his certified athletic administrators certification in 1988. Scanlan has been a member of the National Interscholastic Association of Athletic Administrators for 12 years. He was a Missouri Delegate to the National Convention of the NIAAA for eight years, been on the Professional Development Committee of NIAAA for five years and been a Missouri Leadership Representative for two. Scanlan has also been on the NIAAA's Board of Directors for three years. Scanlan received the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association State Award of Merit in 1992 and the Missouri State High School Athletic Administrators Distinguished Service Award in 1996. James Scanlan was last honored by Truman State University in 1970 with the gridiron booster club's Outstanding Alumnus Award. Scanlan currently serves as athletic director and assistant principal at Washington High School. He also coaches YMCA basketball. He resides with his wife, Bonnie, has three daughters: Julie Weindel, Jayne Maureen and Janel.