Tim Stewart talks about move

May 10, 2008 10:40 am

— TERRELL LESTER
Sports Editor

One of the first issues addressed by Tim Stewart on the day he was selected to head up the Claremore Zebras boys basketball program was that of being perceived as a coaching gypsy.
Claremore will be the sixth entry on his coaching resume. In his last four jobs, Stewart’s timeline has declined from five years to three years to two years to one year.
It was a year ago this month that he was introduced as the head coach at Sequoyah.
“The way it all played out, it did take me off guard,” Stewart said on Thursday.
“We hadn’t thought about leaving. We were happy where we were. I was treated excellent.
“That’s not my nature to move. That’s part of what made it a hard decision.
“I had a vested interest in Sequoyah in the short time that I was there. You have a little bit of feeling like you’re letting them down.
“But they know that I didn’t come to Sequoyah to land a bigger and better job.
“I came to Sequoyah to do a good job, and to help kids be good basketball players and good individuals.
“In life, there are going to be changes. And change can be hard. It hurts sometimes.
“When a good opportunity comes in the professional world, you have to do it.
“The opportunity came, and I took it.
“I’m very surprised by how God opens doors. I believe that there is a perfect plan for me. We just don’t know all the parts of it.”
At Sequoyah, Stewart worked for Superintendent Terry Saul.
“He’s tops on my list,” Stewart said. “He puts kids first, and, for me, that’s tremendous.”
Stewart has discovered the same commitment to youth from the Claremore administration that includes Superintendent Mike McClaren and High School Principal Todd Steidley.
“I’m confident that we’re all on the same page,” Stewart said.
“They’re here for the kids, and that’s why I’m here.
“To me, the superintendent, his first job is to take care of the kids. That’s the kind of man I want to work for.”
Stewart said that he has no thoughts of making another move.
“Both sides of our family are here in Claremore,” he said, introducing his wife, Julie.
“We want our kids to be able to say we’re from Claremore. Not we’re from, say, nine different cities. Like a military family. That’s not our vision for our family.
“We want to put our roots down and put our passion into the school and the community and be a part of it.”