Matt Thuli has stepped down as boys' basketball coach at Holy Family but will remain at the school as AD and assistant principal. In a statement released this morning, Thuli cited wanting to spend more time with his family as the reason. Thuli's sons are entering first and fourth grade in the fall.

The only coach Holy Family has had since opening in 2000, Thuli led the boys' basketball program to conference championships in 2006 and 2007. The Fire also won the Class 2A state championship in 2007, defeating Maple River.

In six years covering high school sports here at the Star Tribune, one of the neatest moments I've seen is was when Holy Family won that game. The players, fans and assistant coaches went nuts. Thuli simply walked a few steps onto the court, one arm raised above his head with a clenched fist. And he kept it there for what seemed to be minutes - almost as if he couldn't believe his made-from-scratch team had just won a title. Holy Family won just three games in 2001, its inaugural season.

"I'm still really trying to figure out what happened," Thuli said shortly after the team won its 2007 championship.

Joe Burger, a former assistant at Holy Family and interim head coach at Minnetonka for the end of last season, has already been named as the new head coach for the Fire.