Closing the Playbook to Open the Next Chapter

Tim Shepler is retiring from Homewood High School's basketball program after three decades of coaching!


"It was just time," Coach Shepler said. "But no rocking chair for me. I am unsure what is next, but I know God will show the way." Hailing from a devout Christian household, his upbringing instilled in him strong values that have shaped his character and outlook on life. His focus transcends mere victories or defeats, aiming to impart invaluable lessons that shape the character and values of the young men under his guidance.


Born and raised in Indiana, the heart of basketball country, he developed a passion for the sport from a young age. His formative years coincided with the heyday of Bobby Knight's tenure at Indiana University. After graduating as a player from Oral Roberts University, Shepler took a job coaching football and basketball at a middle school in Louisiana. And then a few years into his career, on a whim, he called the legendary John Wooden, who not only answered the phone, but then invited Coach Shepler to his home to talk further! This amazing opportunity became a pivotal eight hour conversation that truly helped shape his coaching career.


"He never talked about winning," Coach Shep said. "He only talked about your best effort, doing your best. And if you do that, you can be satisfied. His old, famous definition of success was basically doing the best with what you have, all the time."


Wooden said that when he got to UCLA in 1948, nobody cared about basketball. It was all about surfing and other things. So it took time to grow that program. Wooden didn't win a championship until 1964, his first of ten. Inspired by Wooden's longevity and emphasis on character, integrity, and teamwork, Shepler adopted these principles as the cornerstone of his coaching style, eventually building up to a Class 6A state title in 2016.


"John's was a 16 year plan, mine was a 20 year plan to build a championship team," Coach Shep jokes.

His career was no joke though! In 29 seasons at Homewood, coupled with five years as a head coach in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Coach Shep amassed 662 career wins. In addition to the 2016 Class 6A state championship, the Patriots also finishing as state runners-up in 2008 and 2010. Under his leadership, his teams secured 13 area titles, and 28 players advanced to the college ranks, a testament to his ability to nurture talent. And bringing the wisdom of John Wooden and his philosophy full circle, Coach Shep recently won the Alabama Association of Basketball Coaches 2024 John Wooden Legacy Award! The recognition seeks to honor scholastic basketball coaches around the country who are educators and have achieved excellence on the floor, in the classroom and in the community that further embody the characteristics and legacy of Coach John Wooden. The criteria for this award are rooted in the ideals of education, longevity, character, service and excellence!


Throughout Coach Shep's coaching career, he has been fortunate to have the guidance and support of numerous mentors who played a pivotal role in shaping his success. Now he is hoping to pass that along working for the last two seasons with assistant Elijah Garrison, who figures to earn strong consideration for the head coaching position.


"No matter who the school picks as coach, I hope the foundation we have built will make it easier for someone to step in and have success," Shep said.


It was clear that what has also been particularly gratifying, especially since announcing his retirement, is that he has gotten a lot of texts from ex-players, parents and other coaches reminding him of the impact he has had on their lives, that he made a difference.


"You know, it didn't take long after getting to Homewood in 1995, and getting in the school system, and being around faculty and people in Homewood, that you realize this is a high level excellence minded community that really makes you step up your own game," coach said. "This community is about excellence. And so I think it's challenged me to be as good as I can be. And, hopefully I've done that for 29 years in Homewood!"


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June 13, 2025
Golf Carts Are Not Allowed on Public Roads in Homewood The Homewood Police Department has received reports of both children and adults driving golf carts on public roads. We want to remind all residents that traditional golf carts are not street legal under Alabama law and may not be operated on public roadways in Homewood. Children are never permitted to drive golf carts on public streets, under any circumstance. There is an important difference between golf carts and low-speed vehicles (LSVs). What Counts as a Low-Speed Vehicle (LSV) in Alabama? To qualify as a legal LSV, the vehicle must: Be registered with your county and display a valid tag Be insured, just like a standard vehicle Include required safety features (seatbelts, headlights, mirrors, turn signals, child restraints if needed, etc.) Be operated by a licensed driver age 16 or older Only be driven on roads where the posted speed limit is 35 mph or less Properly registered and insured LSVs that meet these criteria may be driven on public roads in Homewood by licensed drivers. For everyone’s safety, please follow these rules and talk to your children about the dangers and legal restrictions of operating golf carts on streets.
June 10, 2025
Council Meeting June 9, 2025 Agenda: https://bit.ly/3Hx7xoy Meeting schedules & archives: https://bit.ly/3bvufcT Summary: Samford University withdrew all rezoning and development plans tied to its proposed Creekside District projects. The city approved contracts for Fire Station No. 1 and design work at 185 Oxmoor Road, along with support for Jefferson County's Safe Streets grant and a zoning amendment allowing drive-thrus only in Wildwood Center. A new Field Plans Examiner role was approved, and hearings were set for the U.S. 31 tunnel, Bulldog District plan, and Oxmoor Road traffic calming. Expanded: Item 09.04.25: Rezoning request for 1601 Parkview Lane and 600–601 University Park Place as part of Samford University’s proposed Creekside District West. The applicant withdrew the request. Dropped Item 10.04.25: Final development plan for the same property under the Creekside District West proposal. The applicant withdrew the request. Dropped Item 11.04.25: Rezoning request for 1891, 1919, 1921 South Lakeshore Drive, and 1100 University Park Place under the Creekside District East plan. The applicant withdrew the request. Dropped Item 12.04.25: Final development plan for the Creekside District East properties. The applicant withdrew the request. Dropped Item 16.05.25: Contract with MBA Engineers for concrete slab design at Fire Station No. 1. Approved Item 17.05.25: Contract to provide engineering design services at 185 Oxmoor Road and fund transfer. Approved Item 18.05.25: Set bid date for U.S. 31 tunnel improvements for July 8 at 3:00pm. Carried over Item 19.05.25: Field Plans Examiner position was discussed and recommended for approval. Approved Item 21.05.25: Resolution supporting Jefferson County’s Safe Streets and All Implementation Grants. Approved Item 22.05.25: Survey funding for a right-turn lane on Cobb Street. Approved Item 13.05.25: Zoning amendment to allow food and beverage drive-thrus only in Wildwood Center. Public hearing was held and the change was approved. Approved Item 10.05.25: Bid opening for Homewood Library Interior Finishes Phase 3 was scheduled for June 10. Carried over Item 35.04.25: Public hearing on traffic calming system for Oxmoor Road set for July 14. Carried over Item 37.04.25: Homeowner at 214 Edgewood Blvd was approved to keep planted trees in the right of way with indemnification. Approved Item 10.05.25: Public hearing set for June 23 for Samford University’s Bulldog District residential plan at 800 Lakeshore Drive. Carried over Item 10.06.25: Request for right-of-way work in front of the Trak Shak was added to the agenda and referred to Special Issues Committee. Carried over Item 08.06.25: Approval of city vouchers from May 20 through June 9. Approved Item 09.06.25: Establishment of an ad hoc committee to plan the 2026 Homewood Centennial Celebration. Approved For all the details about this meeting watch the video above.
June 6, 2025
Board of Zoning Adjustments (BZA) Highlights June 5, 2025 SV 25.06.01: This was for three variance requests from Samford University for three new residence halls. These projects aim to help meet the university’s 75% on-campus residency goal, which has grown harder as enrollment increases. Samford requested height variances up to 52.5 feet, explaining that building up rather than out helps preserve green space. City staff explained how Samford’s development plan, which is separate from this request, had been reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission, with a final public hearing scheduled for Monday, June 23, before the full city council. Ultimately, the board approved one of the three height variances (for Stadium Village) and denied the other two (West Village East and West). SV 25-06-02: This item was for a privacy fence built atop a retaining wall that slightly exceeded height limits. Despite neighbor support, that variance was denied. SV 25-06-03: This item was for a new three-foot picket fence for safety on a corner lot; this request was approved. Agenda: https://bit.ly/3HHlAru Upcoming meeting schedules: https://bit.ly/3bvufcT Archived meetings: http://bit.ly/2UiSIaA For all the details about this meeting watch the video above.
June 4, 2025
The City of Homewood is making big changes to Oxmoor Road between Dale Ave. and Evergreen Ave., in front of Dawson Baptist. The project will remove the center turn lanes, currently in place, to add 29 new parallel parking spaces on both sides of the street. This stretch of Oxmoor sees heavy foot traffic and a lot of cars, especially near the Edgewood business district. Narrowing the lanes will help slow down vehicles and make the area safer for people walking, dining, and shopping. Work is expected to begin mid-June and take less than a month, weather permitting.
June 3, 2025
Finance Highlights June 2, 2025 Members approved contracts for engineering work at Fire Station One and the former Waffle House site, supported hiring a new plans examiner, and backed a $4.4 million Safe Streets grant for future sidewalk projects on Oxmoor, Valley, and Salter. A right-turn lane survey for Cobb Street was also approved. Several items were carried over for more information. Agenda: https://bit.ly/450JlEJ Upcoming meeting schedules: https://bit.ly/3bvufcT Archived meetings: http://bit.ly/2UiSIaA Watch the full video above to learn more about all the items presented.
May 27, 2025
This is NOT a change to Amwaste's garbage and recycle schedule! This is only for debris and trash you normally place at your curb once a week. Our Public Works department has moved to a 4-day, 10-hour workweek. This change lets crews get more done by reducing time lost to setup and breakdown. It’s also helping with employee satisfaction and recruitment. Starting Monday, June 2 , pickup routes will follow a new schedule based on our updated four-ward map . Every resident is still covered, just be sure to check to see which day is yours. Check the updated map and find your pickup day with the button above:
May 20, 2025
Every year, thousands of crashes happen between civilian vehicles and first responders. These collisions can be devastating, not just to the public, but to the emergency personnel risking their lives to help others. Up to 25% of firefighter deaths in the line of duty are caused by vehicle accidents. Many of these are preventable tragedies. That’s why Fire Chief Brandon Broadhead is committed to doing everything possible to keep that number at zero in Homewood.
May 20, 2025
Council Meeting Highlights, May 19, 2025 Nothing major, mainly just procedural items. Agenda: https://bit.ly/4j9Fcl2 Upcoming meeting schedules: https://bit.ly/3bvufcT Archived meetings: http://bit.ly/2UiSIaA For all the details about this meeting watch the video above.
May 20, 2025
Finance Highlights May 19, 2025 44.04.25: Samford's development team provided an explanation of the proposed Community Investment Program (CIP) tied to the Creekside "West" project. Unlike traditional tax incentives that support single projects, this CIP is meant to fund major infrastructure needed for a large mixed-use development. They stressed that the private sector—not the city—would take on the financial risk, including $140 million in upfront infrastructure costs. In return, they’re seeking a capped rebate over 20 years totaling up to $26 million from lodging, sales, and property taxes (excluding school taxes). They emphasized community benefits like boosting school funding, walkability, environmental stewardship, and long-term quality of life. The agreement must still be finalized, and the item was carried over for further review in committee. 07.05.25: The committee heard requests from three businesses seeking forgiveness for late penalties on their business license renewals. The first business owner explained she missed several years of payments due to serious post-COVID health issues and staff issues. They agreed to pay all fees and interest, and the committee voted to waive penalties and interest if all payments are made within 30 days. The second business asked for forgiveness on a one-time penalty due to a change in ownership and a software transition. Since they had already paid the license fee, the committee voted to waive their penalty and interest. The third company had a large penalty and was noted to be a repeat offender. They did not waive this penalty. Agenda: https://bit.ly/43hNLo5 Upcoming meeting schedules: https://bit.ly/3bvufcT Archived meetings: http://bit.ly/2UiSIaA Watch the full video above to learn more about all the items presented.
May 16, 2025
The City of Homewood has purchased the property at 185 Oxmoor Road—the site where the old Waffle House sat empty for years in West Homewood. The building has been an eyesore for a long time. City leaders say the deal came together quickly, prompted by the city pressing with legal action against the previous owners. The sale now allows Homewood to take immediate control of the site. The plan? Parking! With new restaurants and businesses opening nearby, parking is in high demand. The city expects to level and pave the back area of the existing lot to expand capacity and better serve the growing activity in that part of town. Demolition is expected to start almost immediately.
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