The Kohses’ roots run deep at Xavier High School. During the holiday break, three generations of the family come together in the name of basketball, when Xavier host its post-Christmas tournament.
The annual event is named for Art Kohs, the patriarch of Xavier athletics. He served the school for 34 years as athletic director and coach. The gymnasium, too, bears his name.
The Falcons have been coached by Art’s son, Mike, for two decades. Xavier is off to a strong start with wins in its first three games, and Mike’s son, Stephen – Art’s grandson – is a senior guard and one of the team’s best shooters.
In the tournament championship game, Stephen Kohs led the Falcons with 13 points and Xavier locked down Glastonbury, 47-41, to win the title.
It was the 300th victory of Mike Kohs’ career.
In normal circumstances, Mike would have entertained lots of questions about his milestone and what it means to him, especially with his son close by and his father in the stands.
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But the week was a blur for Team Kohs. Tim, who coaches the basketball team at Mercy and won state championships in 2013 and 2018, fell ill during a recent home game and is recuperating.
“To be honest, the 300 wins, games, tournaments are nice, but oftentimes we get reminded about what really matters,” Mike Kohs said. “Life can certainly change on a dime. I tried to remind myself and my team during Christmas that your family is what matters most and to enjoy the time you have with one another.
“On behalf of Tim, his wife Carlye and children Avery and Brett, and our entire family, we want to thank everyone for the outpouring of concern, love and support. Tim is doing well all things considered. His spirit is great, and all that know him know that he’ll be back as soon as he’s ready.”