No one is happier than this North Crowley superfan to see team go ‘all the way’
If you’ve been to a North Crowley basketball game, you’ve heard this chant:
“I know they can play! The North Crowley Panthers going all the way.”
When you played that rhythmic line in your head, you probably heard the voice of longtime North Crowley superfan George Shelton. There is no one happier than him about the Panthers’ upcoming trip to the Class 6A Division I state championship.
Beyond basketball, he said he is excited for the city of Fort Worth to have an opportunity to win its first state title since North Crowley’s sole title in 2008.
“It’s been a long time since the city had a basketball celebration,” Shelton said. “[North Crowley’s win] popped the community up. This is exciting for the city, exciting for North Crowley, and everybody in the 817 area code. It brings the community together.”
With a larger-than-life personality filled with kindness, friendliness and a whole ton of Panther spirit, Shelton has helped create a unique environment for North Crowley home games with the power of positivity for nearly three decades. If you go to a game, his cheers and chants are hard to miss.
“George means the world to me,” North Crowley coach Tommy Brakel said. “He’s not just a great cheerleader, he’s not just a great fan. He’s a great person. He’s a great man, and his whole family has meant so much to not only me … having him here all 28 years means a lot to the program.”
North Crowley associate head coach Chris Hastings said Shelton is not just motivational for North Crowley basketball, but for the whole North Crowley community.
“I knew about him before I even signed on to work here, and was excited,” Hastings said. “He brings the energy. He brings a positive vibe, not just to us as coaches and to the players, but also to the crowd.”
That energy can genuinely translate to the court. We’ve all heard the moments when you can hear a pin drop when an opponent makes a big shot — but Shelton keeps the energy flowing.
“Anytime you can get a crowd behind you as a coach — that’s the best thing ever,” Hastings said. “I don’t have enough words to say how appreciative I am for the support that he brings to North Crowley.”
On multiple occasions, he even sacrificed some of his own money, handing dollar bills to students, just to put a smile on their faces during a game.
“I’ve been in a spot where I could use that money,” Shelton said. “I’ve been there, where that extra dollar means the world when I was growing up.”
In an era in high school sports where boos, jeers, and uncalled-for chants are the status quo, Shelton steers fans to uplift rather than put down.
“The world has plenty of negativity,” Shelton said. “Just turn on the news. Talk to some people. But when you spread positivity, you draw people, because people need to hear something encouraging.”
As a pastor at The Lord’s House, it’s in Shelton’s nature; he said positivity is a gift God gave him. With 51 years of service and counting at UPS and his time cheering on the Panthers, he aims to spread positivity not just to the church but to the entire community. He preaches on Facebook every Sunday.
But it wasn’t always easy for Shelton, especially when his wife got sick with cancer. She died five years ago. Before, she asked him to give her eulogy, and he said it was one of the most difficult things he’s ever done.
“I got through it,” Shelton said. “Still trying to be positive.”
Becoming a North Crowley superfan
Shelton moved from New Orleans to the Fort Worth area in 1996. At the time, North Crowley wasn’t even open. Crowley was the sole high school in the district.
“So, I became a big Crowley fan singing these songs,” Shelton said.
Crowley won a state championship in 1999, and Shelton was cheering there. He was still a fan, but his loyalty would soon switch to the newly opened North Crowley, where his son played for the Panthers’ freshman team and, eventually, for Brakel, the school’s inaugural varsity coach.
Over the years, the Shelton family has put its fingerprints all over Crowley ISD. One of George’s sons coached with the Panthers, and all these years later, his grandkids are in the district.
“The whole Shelton family is great,” Brakel said. “They mean so much to me. I grew up in this profession with the Sheltons, and so I remained close with them all along.”
Shelton has had a front row seat to see the entirety of one of Texas high school basketball’s most storied careers, which includes a thrilling state semifinal victory against Duncanville. Brakel will aim for his 828th victory in San Antonio, and Shelton will be there to cheer him on.
He can’t do handstands or slide down the stairs as he did in his younger days, but Shelton will do what he can Saturday to give North Crowley some energy. After 17 years and a few heartbreaks, the Panthers are finally going “all the way.”
“Come on y’all,” Shelton said. “Get behind these boys, and make some noise.”
This story was originally published March 13, 2026 at 12:28 PM.
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