TUSCOLA — Tuscola athletic director Ryan Hornaday didn't must look far for his subsequent women basketball coach.
Michael Rosenbaum — who coached the Warriors' junior varsity crew and likewise assisted Tim Kohlbecker the previous 5 seasons — rose to the highest of Tuscola's program after posting a 117-26 report on Kohlbecker's employees.
“I'm actually simply excited for this chance,” Rosenbaum mentioned. “It's good that I don't have to put in a bunch of stuff. I can simply tweak issues right here or there to swimsuit my persona.”
That continuity helped the Warriors easily into their first summer time below Rosenbaum's steerage.
“Being a younger coach, he brings plenty of power,” Hornaday mentioned. “He has plenty of ardour for the sport. Extra importantly, he has a ardour for Tuscola basketball and our children.
“It's incredible that hiring Mike offers us somebody within the constructing who may be with the youngsters all day.”
Rosenbaum — who additionally teaches math at Tuscola — got here into Kohlbecker's employees with a deep understanding of the native basketball scene. A 2011 graduate of Arthur-Lovington, the place he performed below Dale Schuring, Rosenbaum was a relentless within the health club throughout his faculty years at Lake Land and Jap Illinois, the place he was a observe participant for the Panthers' ladies's basketball crew.
He started his teaching profession with center college basketball and freshman soccer roles at Central A&M.
“The primary one who supplied me a training job was Brent Weakly,” Rosenbaum mentioned. “He took an opportunity on me, letting a 22-year-old play for his freshman crew.”
Basketball, nevertheless, was Rosenbaum's true ardour.
“I believed I knew soccer, and it turned out I didn't,” Rosenbaum mentioned with fun.
Rosenbaum credit Weakly with serving to him acquire the expertise he wanted earlier than coming to Tuscola. He had by no means coached women basketball earlier than becoming a member of Kohlbecker's employees.
Thus far so good in latest seasons.
“Primary, he's an educator,” Kohlbecker mentioned. “From my understanding, he’s a really, excellent trainer. … He’s very obsessed with basketball. He likes the sport. He likes to review it. He likes to speak about it. We spent plenty of these 5 years simply speaking basketball year-round.
Rosenbaum may have a gradual supply of recommendation in Kohlbecker, even because the 20-year coach gave him room over the summer time to make his personal mark on this system.
“The one factor that has all the time impressed me about him is his folks administration expertise,” Rosenbaum mentioned of Kohlbecker. “He all the time had an awesome relationship along with his gamers and all the time interacted effectively with all of the transferring components that include being a basketball coach or only a coach usually.”
Kohlbecker is optimistic the Warriors will decide up proper the place they left off within the 2023-24 season, which ended with a 28-Three report and a Class 1A regional berth.
Working a younger household can even come into play for Rosenbaum; his two-year-old daughter, Francis, joined him Monday on the Warriors' closing summer time observe.
All of the credit score, Rosenbaum says, goes to his spouse, Taylor.
“I couldn't do that with out my spouse,” Rosenbaum mentioned. “She supported me on a regular basis. … It's loads, however I wouldn't have it some other manner.”
On the courtroom, the Warriors must handle the departures of Zoey Thomason and Syndey Moss, as each had been integral components of Tuscola's roster a season in the past.
However the likes of Ava Boyer, Lia Patterson and Taylor Gordon shall be again within the fold so as to add loads of spark to the brand new look Warriors.
“All up, I’ve six seniors,” Rosenbaum mentioned. “Having six seniors is so good. It's a very good group of ladies, in order that helps.”