Less than two weeks after guiding the Kentwood High boys basketball team to its first state championship since 2004, coach Michael Angelidis is stepping down.<\/p>\n
Angelidis announced his resignation on Thursday, though it was a decision he had known about for quite some time.<\/p>\n
“Sometime in the middle of January, (my wife and I) were like, ‘OK, it’s time to go,'” Angelidis said. “It’s not easy. I played at a high level in Greece when I was 15 years old. For the last 35 years, all I have been doing is playing and coaching.”<\/p>\n
Angelidis cited family as the biggest reason he chose to step down. Angelidis and his wife, Ellenore, have three children, two boys ages 9 and 13, and a 2-year-old girl they adopted a little more than a year ago.<\/p>\n
“It just seemed like it was the right time,” he said. “Our oldest son just turned 13 and I have two other children and they need more attention. Basketball is so demanding. You cannot do it half heartedly. It takes so much time. I think a lot more people would still be coaching if they could go the second week of November to the second week of February.”<\/p>\n
This was Angelidis’ 29th year coaching overall, his fourth at Kentwood. Angelidis finished his four-year run at Kentwood with a 74-37 overall record (42-18 in league play), two co-league championships, two state berths and one state title. In addition, he was named the South Puget Sound League North Division Coach of the Year this past season.<\/p>\n
The highlight, however, came two weeks ago, when the Conquerors closed out a perfect Class 4A state tournament by knocking off Jackson 67-58 for the state championship. At midseason, a playoff berth \u2014 much less a state championship \u2014 was not a given for the Conquerors, who won 14 of their last 16 games en route to the crown.<\/p>\n
“It’s definitely a great way to end it,” Angelidis said.<\/p>\n
Angelidis will remain at Kentwood, where he teaches mathematics. A return to coaching high school basketball, however, isn’t likely any time soon.<\/p>\n
“I just don’t see it. I really don’t see it,” he said. “I wouldn’t say I’m burned out like I am sick and tired of it, but I just need to get my priorities straight.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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