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Geneseo hires Bettendorf assistant Martin as head basketball coach

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By Jon Gremmels | Friday, May 16, 2008 |

Dave Martin wasn’t scouring the want ads looking for a coaching job. But, he certainly didn’t shy away when he saw the head boys basketball position at Geneseo available. He said he believed he and the Maple Leafs were a good fit for his first head-coaching position.

Martin, a member of Kevin Skillett’s coaching staff at Bettendorf, was hired Monday to replace Brad Storm and lead the Maple Leafs on the court. Storm stepped down after guiding Geneseo to a 21-9 finish last season.

“I was not necessarily looking, but when a job like that opens, it’s something you look for,” he said Monday. “I don’t know if I’m surprised — and I feel prepared — but I’m fortunate to get that kind of job for my first job.”

Martin, who graduated from Bettendorf in 1994 before going to the University of Iowa, said he had started researching the North Central Illinois Conference, in which Geneseo plays, and has some familiarity with it because of his Quad-City roots.

He also is trying to familiarize himself with his team.

“It sounds like they graduated eight or nine seniors,” he said of a group that included Storm’s son, Tyler, a Northern Illinois recruit. “But, they have had success, and that’s a key. I’m looking forward to working with the kids coming back and the kids at the lower levels. It sounds encouraging.”

Storm compiled a 73-49 record in five years at Geneseo, and Mike Kiss was 291-287 in the previous 22 years.

“Hopefully, I can build on the success Storm had and Kiss (had) before him,” Martin said.

Martin said he hoped his team would play a style of basketball that the players would enjoy.

“My philosophy starts on the defensive end,” he said. “You can control that. On offense, I like to push the ball and attack all we can. I hope to play an up-tempo, exciting game with lots of pressure.”

Martin also will teach and coach boys golf at Geneseo, but said he is hoping to remain as Bettendorf’s girls tennis coach for at least one more year.

Jon Gremmels can be contacted at (563) 383-2294 or at jgremmels@qctimes.com.