Tim Tallcouch coached his last game with Newtown High School this past winter, capping off an 11-year stint with the Nighthawks that was part of a 31-year coaching career, 23 as a varsity team leader.

There were plenty of exciting wins that overshadowed some tough losses, and lots of learning — not only on the part of the players Tallcouch guided, but also for the longtime coach, himself.

“I’m most proud of the fact that I got better with age,” said Tallcouch, adding that he improved his interaction with both players and officials throughout the years, while continuing to get the most out of his players on the court.

The passion for coaching, appreciation for the game of basketball, and interest in leading student-athletes is unwavering but Tallcouch, who will turn 60 in April, said it is just the right time to step down, in large part due to his style on (and pacing back and forth in front of) the bench.

“I’m a high-energy, demanding, vocal coach to my players and it’s draining on me over the years,” he said. “I coach hard.”

A few years after running three hour-long practices at the start of his coaching career, Tallcouch decided to shorten the length of practice to just two hours. “I finally found less was more,” he explains, adding that the body and mind can only handle so much and still benefit from what it is doing.

Tallcouch noted that sports are demanding but that students need to enjoy the overall high school experience and those years of growing up. “We have to realize the kid is still a teenager — they have to enjoy their lives outside of academics and athletics,” he added.

The way in which Tallcouch ran practices was such that the players worked on both their endurance and basketball skills during drills.

“All the drills had a dribbling component, a shooting component, a passing component — some had a defensive component,” Tallcouch said.

“Coaches are salesmen,” he said. “You have to keep the high school basketball player invested and interested in what you’re trying to sell.”

Tallcouch began selling his strategies and style of play at Westhill High in Stamford before moving on to coach O’Brien Tech in Ansonia, then Wilton High for five years before taking over at NHS. Tallcouch appreciated that then Newtown Athletic Director Gregg Simon supported him in a quest to lead the Nighthawks.

“That is huge. Gregg gave me the chance and I was smart enough to know how to run with it,” Tallcouch said.

Newtown’s longtime coach said his family made it possible for him to have this after-school career, one that meant many work days that started around 7 am and did not end until 10 pm or later.

Tallcouch, a Seymour resident, said his wife, Laurie, sons Tyler (30) and Josh (22), along with daughter Cameron (24), were his MVPs throughout the years. “They really did make sacrifices for me to go out and basically do this hobby I really love,” he said.

Jeff Bussey, once the head coach at New Canaan High, took on an assistant role alongside Tallcouch for several seasons. Bussey told Tallcouch years ago that he would know when it was time to step down from the head coaching role. “Smarter words were never spoken to me,” Tallcouch said.

Tallcouch is retired — from coaching; he still works full-time as a chemistry instructor at Newtown High — but embraces the possibility of following in Bussey’s footsteps to work as an assistant somewhere in the future.

“I will never say never. I highly doubt I would be a varsity head coach again but I really think that down the road I’d like to be Jeff Bussey,” Tallcouch said.

A couple of years ago, Tallcouch thought about hanging it up. Assistant Coach Marc Kenney, who also teaches at NHS, was responsible for keeping Tallcouch on board. “Marc lengthened my career,” Tallcouch said. “He’s made it so much fun.”

Tallcouch thanks all of the assistants he’s had throughout the years for their dedication and support.

Newtown High School Athletic Director Matt Memoli described Tallcouch’s passion and commitment, as well as the relationships he established with his students in the classroom as well as on the court, as being assets.

“He’s everything you want in a high school coach,” Memoli said. “One of the hardest parts of my job is hiring and retaining good coaches and he’s one of the best.”

Tallcouch also thanks Memoli and NHS Principal Dr Kimberly Longobucco “for allowing me to be me and do what I love to do, which is coach kids and lead kids by example.”

That has included both hard work and keeping the mood light.

“I try not to take myself too seriously,” said Tallcouch, who lightened the mood with light-hearted jokes about himself during games.

Every coach has some memories that stand out — be it particular wins, personalities of assistant coaches and players or, in Tallcouch’s case, one that involves removal of an air conditioning unit to access the school gymnasium for practice during his tenure at O’Brien Tech. Tallcouch recalls decades ago having scheduled a Sunday practice in preparation for a Monday state playoff game. The gym door was not left open as planned. So, since the students had tools they removed the portable AC unit from an office window, sent the smallest player through the window to open the door to the gym, put the air conditioner back, and got to work preparing for that big game.

“We went out and won the next game — and none of us got arrested for it,” Tallcouch said.

Another fond memory for Tallcouch came when he called in sick to give an assistant, former player Joel Geriak, a chance to prove himself in a head coaching role. “He won me that game,” said Tallcouch, whose former assistant went on to get a head coaching job, succeeding him at Wilton High.

Tallcouch has had a great impact on players, former players, and coaches alike.

“I can’t even put into words what he means to me,” said Kenney, who is leaving the program along with Tallcouch after four seasons as an assistant. Kenney described his coaching tenure with Tallcouch as being the most gratifying coaching experience of his life. Tallcouch took time to interact with Kenney’s son Jordan, helping him as a player.

“His knowledge of basketball is insane. He just knows how to set up kids to win and teams to win,” Kenney said.

Sports editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.