TWIN FALLS — Twin Falls High School boys basketball coach Matt Harr is resigning from the job after 18 seasons.

Harr, who started with the Bruins in 2002, turned in his letter of resignation to the Twin Falls School District on Tuesday, and the letter will go before the school board next week. He will continue teaching at the high school.

Speaking Thursday, the longtime coach told the Times-News that he has enjoyed coaching the Bruins and still has a passion for the game and for the student-athletes in the program. But he also said he feels worn down and thinks now is the right time to step away.

“It seems like there’s more and more to do outside of coaching,” Harr said, adding that he did not want to be simply a program manager.

Among the responsibilities shared by today’s Idaho coaches are certification courses for dealing with concussions, mental wellness and first aid, as well as fundraising. Harr said he understands the value of all of those aspects in a program, but it was starting to pile up.

Harr will continue teaching at the school for at least a few more years

“I’ve got four or five more years of teaching,” he said. “I still enjoy the classroom. I’m not going anywhere.”

The coach’s resume with the Bruins includes 14 state tournament appearances and three state championships in 2006, 2010 and 2014. He coached both baseball and basketball at Burley High School before coming to Twin Falls.

The final year coaching the Bruins has had its challenges, especially at its outset since the team lost most of its contributing players from the year before to graduation. But Harr said it was still a special group.

“For the most part, my toughest years of coaching were years we competed for state titles, because you put so much pressure on yourself,” he said. “I knew I had good kids and I knew they would play hard. You have to tip your cap to these guys because we lost 99% of our scoring and we still put up a .500 record.”

“I’m definitely going to miss the kids and the relationships you build with them,” he added. “Whether you’re 5-15 or 20-0, the relationships should always be there.”

Harr said his post-coaching life plans include traveling and spending time with his family.