HASLETT, Mich. - For 14 years, Haslett girls basketball and Bob Currier have shared a strong bond. Currier has decided it is time to retire, announcing in early April he will be stepping away as head coach of the varsity team.
Currier has a dental practice in Okemos, and will be retiring from that at the end of the year as well. Currier started coaching the same way many other parents do, by coaching their own kids.
Fourteen years ago, he was asked to coach his daughter on the freshman team, where he coached for two years. In his second year coaching the freshman team, Currier and his girls went 20-0. After that, there was no turning back.
“That got me hooked,” said Currier.
When the JV job opened up the next season, Currier took it. He stayed at the JV level for another 5 seasons until he took his varsity position, which he held for seven years.
Currier has coached a lot of great teams in the past, and there’s so much he says he will miss.
“All of it,” said Currier. “The kids of course are number one… young people and their enthusiasm, it’s fun to work with.”
Athletic Director Darin Ferguson has many favorite memories from Currier’s time at the helm, most notably last year's outcome which ended with a chase of the state championship.
“Certainly last year’s tournament run to the state final game, that's always something that will be a good memory for me,” said Ferguson. “I'm sure a good memory for him, but the biggest thing is it’s a good memory for the athletes involved.”
Ferguson said he will miss Currier on and off the court.
“He’s obviously a great x and O’s guy, you know a basketball coach, but what he really was was a good representation of Haslett Public Schools,” said Ferguson. “He just represented Haslett in a classy manner every time he was out there.”
Ferguson says a job posting will be made this week, and the hunt for the next coach will begin.
“This program is one of the better girls basketball programs not only in the area but in the state, so I think we’ll get some pretty good applicants,” said Ferguson.
The posting will be up for about two weeks, and Ferguson hopes to have interviews starting by the end of April, with a head coach hired by May.