Longtime SEMO, Cape Catfish coach/administrator calls it a day - for now

For 40 years, Cindy Gannon has played a massive role within the sports landscape of Cape Girardeau. However, after doing some soul searching, the longtime coach and administrator, initially with Southeast Missouri State, and most recently the Cape Catfish, is stepping aside to “get to know me again.”

“It’s kind of an epiphany,” Gannon said of her (for now) retirement. “I sensed the same thing when I quit coaching. I prayed about it.

“It just seems right.”

Gannon has spent the past five years as the Assistant General Manager with the Cape Catfish after retiring – for one month – from a 33-year career at SEMO, where she served in a multitude of positions.

“It’s bittersweet,” Gannon said, “because I love the Catfish. But it is time for me to figure out what the next chapter in my life is.”

Can’t plan life

Gannon came to Cape Girardeau in 1983 following a couple of years at Mineral Area Community College. She had visions of earning a physical education degree and then returning to her hometown of Desoto, where she thought she would coach and teach for the remainder of her career. However, following her graduation from SEMO in 1985, she was offered a graduate assistant position in both softball and volleyball (among other duties), and she has never left town since.

“I was going to move back home,” Gannon said, “and that was going to be the beginning of where my career went.”

She served as the assistant coach for both volleyball and softball, as well as taught classes, and worked in recreational sports.

“I basically had four jobs,” Gannon said.

The right fit

Gannon spent three seasons under Lana Flynn (Richmond), who served as both the head coach in softball and volleyball, but as the university eyed a transition to NCAA Division I from Division II, the Redhawk leadership knew that one coach couldn’t handle both sports.

Initially, Flynn (Richmond) was put in charge of the volleyball program, and Gannon was leading the softball program.

“But volleyball was my passion,” Gannon said, “and softball was Lana’s.”

So, the university “flip-flopped” the coaches, and Gannon began a storied career that she is still being honored for to this day.

From 1991 through her retirement from coaching, Gannon led SEMO to eight Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championships, and five OVC Tournament titles. For her success, she was recognized this summer as a selection to the OVC 75th Anniversary Team in volleyball, as well as four of her former players (Krista Haukap, Pam Kirsch, Tuba Meto, and Emily Scannell).

“I didn’t get into coaching for the accolades,” Gannon said. “I got into coaching because I wanted to impact young people’s lives, and I had a passion for volleyball.

“I never had any idea that my career would end up the way that it did.”

Gannon ultimately was the OVC Coach of the Year four times and is (by far) the winningest Redhawk coach in history (366-211, 63.4 percent win rate, and 204-45 in OVC play, 81.9 percent).

She is not only in the SEMO Athletics Hall of Fame, but the OVC Hall of Fame, as well.

“I’m honored,” Gannon said, “and I am humbled. The people that I am listed with, I have so much respect for.

“I don’t know how to describe it. It is just one of those things where I say, ‘Thank God that He put me in the right place at the right time and gave me the right people.’ It has all been a God thing for me.”

Next Chapter

When Gannon stepped away from coaching, she was already holding the dual responsibility of serving as the top women’s administrator within the SEMO Athletics Department, so she just transitioned into one full-time position instead of holding two.

When she retired from administrative work in 2018, that break lasted just one month before Catfish General Manager and Team Owner Jim Limbaugh reached out to her about helping them start up the franchise.

“I thought about (the Catfish job),” Gannon said, “and I thought ‘You know, this is a really cool opportunity to give something back to the community.’

“It was something really special, and to be able to get involved from the very, very beginning.”

For now, she has plans to work around her home, and just see “where life takes me.”

“I told myself (at the beginning) that I was going to do five years and see where we are,” Gannon said. “My summers are valuable to me.”

Despite having an extended period of relaxation staring her in the face for, really, the first time in her life, Gannon said this was the right time to make this move, but that doesn’t mean that it was an easy transition.

“It’s difficult,” Gannon said of leaving the Catfish. “It is a tough decision because I cannot be thankful enough for the people who got me involved in this. I learned so much.

“I got to feed my purpose and help something in the community.”

So, what is next for Gannon? She doesn’t know and that uncertainty isn’t worrisome to her.

“I hope that there is something else out there for me,” Gannon said, “but I am going to take a few months off and see where I go with this. If (an opportunity) finds me, then great. If it feels right, then I’ll go for it.”