Courtesy of Kiera Willis

Coach Tim is a crucial part of the BSM Varsity Girls’ Basketball Team.

The girls’ basketball team has been on a roll the past couple of years, with three state championships and going 26-6 in 2023 and 2025 and 28-5 in 2024. Behind all this success is Tim Ellefson, head coach of the girls’ basketball team and math teacher. During his three-year career at BSM, he already has 80 wins.

This upcoming year will be the first year without both Olivia Olson (Former McDonald’s All-American), BSM class of 2024, and Kenall McGee (D1 Commit), class of 2025. As key offensive players, Kendall averaged 20 points per game in her sophomore year of 2023, and Olivia Olson averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds, earning the Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year award in 2024. “…[T]his will be my first team that won’t have Olivia or Kendall, two girls that were highly looked at as the best players in the state… this will be my first team here that are all players that have grown up with me as their coach,” Ellefson said.

Even with the loss of two graduates, Coach Ellefson still sees promise for the young group this year. Even with the change in players, he gives credit to the culture that has been built and will continue to be carried on. “I think one thing that we’ve established is a team culture of how we do things… so I always have returners that know what we expect, and will share that with the kids that are new to the program or joining the varsity for the first time,” Ellefson said.

Junior captain Pressley Watkins has played for Ellefson all three years he has been coaching at BSM, and with three state championships under her belt, she plays a pivotal role in the team’s success. Watkins believes that Ellefson has made her a better person and player. “Tim holds us all to such high standards and pushes us to new levels that we didn’t even know existed. He is truly so much more than a coach to all of us,” Watkins said.

Practice makes perfect, but also forms champions, and this is no different for the Red Knights. Not only does Ellefson run hard and intense practices, but he also instills life lessons into his players. “I want [practice] number one to be organized. But after that, I try to make it very competitive. So everything we do, we keep score, we have winners and losers, basically trying to instill that, that all life and sports are all competition,” Ellefson said.