Genson has no regrets as he approaches the end of his coaching, teaching career

By Greg Gielczyk
LocalSportsJournal.com

SCOTTVILLE–He just felt it was time for a lot of reasons.

After 31 years as the athletic director and educator at Mason County Central, and 24 as the Spartan boys’ basketball coach, Tim Genson is leaving the office and sidelines at the end of the school year.

Genson, 55, made his decision to retire back in the summer, for personal reasons and not due to any outside pressure. And, he is very comfortable in his decision.

“You renew your teaching contract every 5 years, (and) 2024 is the end of my current teaching certificate and I thought I’m not going to do a renewal because if I renewed it, I knew there was no way I was going to do more than a year,” Genson said. “So, I knew a couple years ago that 2024 was going to be the max finish line. In that window, our son (Noah) got engaged back in the fall of 2021 and he moved downstate to live closer to where her family was, which is down near Ann Arbor.

“They got married in October, (and) they did live in Dundee. This summer my wife and I had a number of little conversations about where we were, and where we wanted to be in life.”

Photo courtesy of LSJ Photographer Leo Valdez

His wife, Carrie, works in banking and possesses a wide range of expertise in the field, which gives her the flexibility to find employment anywhere.

Genson teaches government and U.S. History at Mason County Central, and will have 33.5 years in the system at the conclusion of the school year.

He also tirelessly advocated for the expansion of the West Michigan Conference, which came to fruition this year with the addition of Manistee, Ludington, Fremont, Hesperia, Holton and Orchard View. That created two divisions, the Rivers and the Lakes.

“The timing just seems right for me, and my wife, and my son and everything for us to look at the flexibility to go down there (Ann Arbor) on a more regular basis to see them,” said Genson. “They’re not going to move back up this way. It makes sense for them. For my wife and I this will give us a little more flexibility, whether this leads to a possible move, whether it leads to the flexibility to spend a little more time down that way.

“Especially, God-willing, we have a grandkid or two sometime. I’m fortunate to still have both my parents still around, this gives me a little more flexibility to have a little more time with them.”

He also said that he has a couple of “irons in the fire” associated with school athletics.

“First of all, my wife would kill me if all I was doing was sitting on the couch and figuring out a way to get to the golf course more,” said Genson. laughingly. “That would not go over well. I need to do something. I need purpose, like all of us, so I’ll be doing something. Hopefully, it may be in some capacity with the MHSAA, it may be with a sporting goods company. There are a couple of things I’m looking at.”

Photo courtesy of LSJ Photographer Leo Valdez

But he’ll miss the kids, both those he coached and taught.

“That will be probably the biggest adjustment,” said Genson. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching kids grow, watching them become adults, watching them become mothers and fathers, professionals and community leaders.

“Several guys that I coached over the years that are coaches themselves,” he said. “To me, that’s a pleasure to see. I’ve had the pleasure of coaching guys that are captains of industry and doing well. I’ve coached people that are in education themselves now.”

Genson’s love for teaching and coaching remains strong, but it’s time to pursue other avenues.

“I love what I do,” he said. “I look forward to going to work. I’ve watched people over the years who hung on, for whatever reasons and they get to a point where they’re miserable. I don’t want to be that person. I just think I’m ready to do some different things. I feel good about the decision.”

He said he turned in his papers the end of January and insists he’s not going to look back on it with regret. It’s a done deal.

He certainly can stand on his record.

Under his guidance, the Spartan boys’ basketball team enjoyed its most success in program history, including a berth in the then-Class C state semifinals at the Breslin Center in 1997 and a state runner-up finish in 1998.

Genson’s teams won five conference titles, eight district and two regional crowns. He has accumulated more than 300 victories coaching the Spartans.

“Not many complaints over the years,” Genson added. “I suppose nothing is perfect, but it’s been pretty darn good.”