Bob Torgrimson has decided to give his fans an encore.
The accomplished basketball coach has decided to put his retirement on hold, opting to coach the Ashby (Minn.) boys basketball team this winter.
"They got me in a moment of weakness," Torgrimson said. "My plan was to be in Hawaii this winter, but now we're going to have to go down there for a couple weeks, get a tan and come back."
Torgrimson - who holds a 507-270 record in a coaching career that started in 1968 - insists it's only for the one season to help ease assistant Ryan Risbrudt into the position.
Torgrimson said he and his wife have had a house in Ashby - located 75 miles southeast of Fargo-Moorhead - for the past three years, so it wasn't like he was picking up and moving anywhere.
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"They came to me and convinced me it was a good thing to try for one year if I planned on being around," Torgrimson said. "We're going to try and get something going here and let the young guy take over.
"It's only going to be for the one year - unless things go really, really well."
Torgrimson coached Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton for the past eight seasons.
The Rebels went 22-5 last year, falling 62-61 to Breckenridge in the second round of the section playoffs.
His coaching career started in 1968 in Backus, Minn., and included stops in Motley, Minn., and Redwood Falls, Minn., before he came to West Fargo in 1979.
He coached the Packers from 1979-93, winning three state championships along the way.
On Oct. 28, Torgrimson will be inducted into the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
"I'm sure I would've missed it if I hadn't been coaching, but this will be a good way for me to ease out of it a bit at a time," Torgrimson said.
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Readers can reach Forum sports writer Kerry Collins at (701) 241-5548.
Collins' prep sports blog can be found at www.areavoices.com He's back Kerry Collins 20071011
