Shelby Eastern reverses decision to opt out of competing in Shelby County tournaments

Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 3:38 PM

Shelby Eastern Schools’ decision to no longer compete in Shelby County Tournaments created uproar around the county.

Days later, that decision has been reversed.

In a statement released jointly by Shelby Eastern Schools (Morristown and Waldron), Southwestern and Triton Central Tuesday, all county tournaments at the high school level will continue this fall.

“The athletic departments from Morristown, Triton Central, Waldron and Southwestern have agreed to continue hosting Shelby County Tournaments for all high school sports beginning this fall. We thank our student athletes, coaches, fans, communities, and school boards for the continued support of these tournaments and the proud tradition. We look forward to seeing everyone when athletics start back up in the fall. Thank you for your continued support!”

The fate of county tournaments at the middle school and elementary levels are still being discussed.

The Shelby Eastern Schools board asked Wednesday night at its monthly board meeting for the athletic directors and administration to continue meeting about the decision that was prompted by decreased fan interest, competitive balance of foes, and student athlete apathy, according to the two Shelby Eastern athletic directors.

This announcement allows for the Shelby County basketball tournaments to continue in 2027 with Morristown as the host school. The 2026 event was the 100^th for the boys basketball tournament and 50^th for the girls basketball tournament.

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