Derek Roberts takes over Mount Vernon boys’ basketball program from retiring Ed Timm

MOUNT VERNON — Ed Timm doesn’t like talking about himself, which is why he didn’t respond recently when asked to comment on stepping down as head boys’ basketball coach at Mount Vernon and his retirement from coaching.

He didn’t mean any disrespect. He just believes the program as a whole is bigger than himself.

So it’s up to others to extol his considerable virtues.

“Ed does such a fantastic job of building relationships and making a difference,” Mount Vernon activities director Matt Thede said Wednesday, when it was announced that Derek Roberts will take over as new MV head varsity coach. “He is selected as the senior (graduation) speaker over and over again by his kids. They love his class. They talk about it all the time. And that just builds relational capacity to go and do a great job in whatever he does.

“Just when people say his name around here, people think highly of Ed Timm.”

Timm had two stints as head coach at Mount Vernon, where he will continue to teach. That included winning a Class 2A state championship in 2012.

Prior to Mount Vernon, he was head men’s basketball coach at Cornell College. Several of his former players have gone on to become successful coaches in the state, including Camanche’s Josh Davis and Treynor’s Scott Rucker.

Timm plans on continuing to be involved in boys’ hoops, believe it or not, as an official.

“He’s got a schedule, and he’s going to work with some new officials and mentor young officials,” Thede said. “Just kind of help them through games and kind of give back in that area. That really energizes him.”

So will you see Ed Timm reffing varsity games in 2022-23?

“I think you’ll see him in some 1A-2A games, yeah,” Thede said.

Mount Vernon’s program seems to be in good hands still with Roberts. He was an assistant for Timm for the past three years, has been an assistant under Bob Fontana at Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Ankeny Centennial and has head coaching experience at Maquoketa (one year) and Iowa City High (three years).

Mount Vernon went 10-12 this past season and will return an abundance of players who had important roles.

“I’m just really thankful and really humbled to get to lead these kids we have here and be part of this community in a little different light,” Roberts said. “We’ve got really good kids, and I’m just really excited for the opportunity.”

“He’s sharp, just a basketball junkie,” Thede said. “Super knowledgeable about the game. Just a great fit, something we were excited about when he came on board, knowing we would be making this transition at some point with him.”

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