Pinny's Tim Floyd is Graff/MyBayCity Coach of the Month for January 2008

2008 Record Stands at 13-2; Winning is (Again) Tradition for Spartans

February 21, 2008
By: Kevin Leahy

Tim Floyd played three years of varsity basketball at Pinconning under Hall of Fame coach Lefty Franz, and it made an indelible influence on his love for the game.

"I was lucky to have those years under the tutelage of Lefty, he was a great coach," said Floyd during a recent interview.

Floyd a 1988 graduate of Pinconning, didn't waste any time following in the steps of his mentor.

In 1989 he jumped at the chance to coach at the middle school for the 8th grade boys, while at the same time the junior varsity girls position opened up so he obliged his alma matter by applying and accepting the position.

For the next seven years while attending Delta College then earning his Bachelors Degree from SVSU and Masters from CMU, he continued coaching moving up to the Junior Varsity boys and Varsity girls position at Pinconning.

While the Pinconning school district faced lay-offs from continued losing millages, in 1996 he made the hard choice to leave his hometown and accepted a full time teaching position and the boys varsity assistant position in Mio.

After four years of cutting his teeth at the varsity level up north, a steady full-time position back at his high school became available and he happily became the health teacher back at home in Pinconning.

Some would think his coaching career took a turn for the worse as he accepted the Boys Junior Varsity position to feed his need to coach.

Floyd is happy coaching at any level, and teaching fundamentals to sophomores was important to the Pinconning program.

The Pinconning administrators took notice of Floyd's dedication and love for the game and when the varsity boys position became available in 2002, their choice was a no-brainer.

Now in his sixth year at the helm, he is enjoying the fruits of his labors, as his Spartans are 13-2 this year following a 17-5 season last year.


He is also happy the community is behind his school by approving the latest millage attempt that will have his Spartans playing in a new facility next year.

If Lefty were still alive his former coach would be proud to see what his former standout has accomplished.


Sporting a 63-52 record, Floyd has renewed the winning tradition that Lefty started twenty years ago.

There have been many lean years between Franz and Floyd but the Spartans are once again a team to be reckoned with.

When asked why he coach's, Floyd responded, "because I enjoy the kids and love the game."

MyBayCity then asked: What is your first recollection of organized basketball? "Fifth and sixth grade at Saint Mike's here in Pinconning was when I started playing," responded Floyd.

Do you have any bigger coaching aspirations? "Nope, I love it here, I'll be here as long as they will have me."

Floyd is a busy guy, in addition to the varsity, he still coach's seventh grade at the middle school and he has two children of his own, six year old Hannah and three year old Tyler as well as teaching phys ed and weight training at the high school.

He could aspire to matching his former coach's record of 545 varsity wins and with 62 of his own already he's well on his way.

With the winning program he has established at Pinconning, it shouldn't take him 38 years as it did Lefty, but if it does, Floyd will be happy because he is lucky to be doing something he loves, and the Spartans are lucky to have him.

Good luck to Tim Floyd, our Hank Graff coach of the month for January and good luck to his Spartans as they prepare for the state tournament.