Timson happy to be ‘back home’ with Fenwick hoops

It’s official. Bishop Fenwick has named Chris Timson its next boys basketball coach. He takes over from Kevin Moran, who retired at the end of the winter season.

Timson is an alumnus who graduated from Fenwick in 1999, where he was on the basketball team before heading to Keene State to continue his hoops career.

“It’s a good feeling, being back to where it all started,” said Timson, a standout point guard at Fenwick in his day. “I had a lot of good memories in the gym and I’m hoping to repeat that, coaching-wise. It’s a good feeling to be back home.”

Timson brings 17 years of coaching experience. He began as the Crusaders’ varsity assistant from 2007-2011 before being named JV coach at Marblehead High in 2011. Then, he was Mike Giardi’s (Marblehead’s head coach) assistant on the varsity team for five seasons until he was named head coach of Danvers from 2017-2023.

After stepping away from the Danvers job, he returned to Marblehead and was an assistant this past season.

But now, things change.

“I found out that coach Moran resigned and I inquired through (Athletic Director) Scott Connolly. I had to wait a couple of weeks after I sent him my resume,” Timson said. “We had the interview process and then I found out I got the job. A little nerve-wracking during the interview process, but it turned out pretty good.”

When asked to describe his approach to coaching, Timson said he prefers a run-and-gun style, but added a need for the right personnel.

“That’s how I played and that’s how I played during college,” he said. “I love that system, but you have to do what will work with the players you have. If I don’t have the personnel to do it, then you have to adapt.”

“I have the old-school mentality, but I bring the new era with it. I intermingled what I learned from my coaches growing up, but I modernized it,” he said. “You can’t coach how coaches used to in the past, and I’m still a ‘tough love’ type of coach, but I make sure to show them the love the players need.”

After scoring more than 1,000 points at Keene State, Timson took a couple of years away from hoops, but realized how much he missed the game.

That said, coaching is what fuels his itch.

“I loved playing basketball. I took a year or two off after college because I needed a break. During that break, I realized I needed to get back into it,” he said. “I don’t play anymore. I shoot around a bit, but I get my competitiveness through the kids now, coaching-wise. That’s what keeps me going.”

And at the end of the day, the Beverly firefighter knows it’s about more than wins and losses.

“We just had some really strong teams when I played. I had a really good experience and I loved everything about it. Not just on the basketball court, but in the halls, too,” Timson said of Bishop Fenwick. “Everything was a great fit for me. I’m just going to preach to the kids about enjoying your time here because it goes by fast. I want them to have a good experience. Sometimes, it’s not about winning or losing, but about becoming a better person. That’s what Fenwick made me – a better person and better basketball player – but overall, a better human being.”

“I’m looking forward to developing the relationships with the players – this is why we do it. We don’t do it for the wins or losses; we do it to help the kids. We want to help mature them, develop them, and, also, get them ready for life,” he said. “That’s what basketball did for me. It got me ready for life. All the hard work and discipline carried into my career and into my life. That is, ultimately, why I coach – to give this back to the kids.”

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