Headed For Retirement, Middle Grove Coach Jim Todd Worthy of Celebration
In all sports activities, coaches come and go. However each every now and then, there are people who’re a bit totally different. Jim Todd of Center Grove High School and Middle Grove Aquatic Membership is a kind of coaches. As Todd will get able to stroll off the pool deck for the ultimate time on the conclusion of Speedo Sectionals this weekend, there is no such thing as a doubt he’s forsaking an enormous legacy.
A Historic Profession
To totally grasp how historic of a head teaching profession Jim Todd has had, it’s important to return to the beginning. In 1982, Todd was employed at Seymour Excessive Faculty and after two years, he felt his calling to return residence to the Indianapolis space. There, he took the newly created head teaching job at Middle Grove Excessive Faculty in Greenwood, Indiana.
When constructing this system, Todd had core values that have been and nonetheless are on the coronary heart of his crew.
“Our core values included trying to get many kids into our program when we first started in 1984,” he mentioned.
Picture Courtesy: Middle Grove
Though getting youngsters to affix this system was a giant a part of his philosophy, extra importantly he wished to verify his swimmers felt part of one thing. “I wanted to make sure kids have the opportunity to participate and keep the kids involved.”
The profession that will evolve over the following 4 many years would solidify Todd’s standing as the most effective coaches within the state of Indiana. Over his time at Middle Grove, Todd received 55 sectional titles (28 boys, 27 ladies). On prime of that, three of his ladies groups have been topped IHSAA state runnerup (1998, 1999, and 2010). In a state that’s fiercely aggressive relating to highschool swimming, these accolades are spectacular.
Middle Grove Athletic Director Scott Knapp is indebted to the work Todd has performed.
“Coach Todd has taken the aquatics program here at Center Grove and turned it into a family,” Knapp mentioned. “Generations of kids whose parents swam for Coach Todd are now on the pool deck today because of him.”
The Final Season
Going into each new season, expectations are at all times excessive, with each crew’s purpose to win a sectional title and advance to the state meet. To say that Jim Todd’s remaining highschool groups exceeded these expectations could be an enormous understatement.
Each his ladies and boys groups introduced residence sectional titles in 2022. For the women, it was the primary time since 2015, and for the boys, it was the primary time since 2011. To cap off this final season, each groups completed within the prime 15 on the state meet, with the women ending thirteenth and the boys ending eighth.
On prime of those accomplishments, at his final boys highschool state meet, Todd was voted coach of the 12 months by his colleagues, additional cementing a historic profession.
One Final Time
Forty years after Todd coached his first highschool crew, he’ll coach his final crew. This weekend Todd will stroll off the pool deck for the ultimate time as the top coach at Center Grove. When requested about his plans for retirement, he mentioned he plans to do a variety of fishing, and though he would possibly not be teaching, Middle Grove won’t ever be removed from his thoughts.
The Finish
When Jim Todd appears again on the profession he had, one second stands out as his proudest.
“Being in Omaha, Nebraska watching two of my swimmers swimming in the semifinals of Olympic Trials, thinking it won’t get better than this,” he mentioned.
For as many accolades as he has obtained, it will be simple to select a second about himself, however Todd didn’t select that route. He selected a second about his swimmers, and that reveals what sort of coach he has been.
Knapp mentioned it finest: “He has been instrumental in getting our swimmers to the next level of competition. He has a whole community of swim families that love and support him. He will be greatly missed.”
