Most students know Ken George as the Honors English 10 teacher or former FHC basketball coach, but if you Google him, with a little scrolling you’ll learn more about his former life as a college athlete.
George was a point guard in the late 1980s at Albion College and still holds two basketball records: three-point percentage in a career (46%) and free throw percentage in a season (87%). George made 149 three-point shots in his college career after playing throughout high school before there was a three-point line, and he scored 1,077 career points.
“I played point guard, and I wasn’t a big scorer,” George said. “When I was left wide open I would look to shoot, but I guess I ended up scoring a lot because I played all four years. They added the three-point line the year I got to Albion; it was a dramatic change and I utilized it a lot when I was open, but I couldn’t really create my own shot.”
George, who is an assistant basketball coach at Hope College, started all four years at Albion and credits his college coach, Mike Turner, for enhancing his love for basketball and coaching. He also said he learned a lot from his dad, a high school coach in Livonia for 25 years, and his high school coach, Mike Teachman.
“As a coach, I think I’m a combination of my dad, coach Turner, and coach Teachman,” he said. “I’m so thankful for their impact on my life as an athlete, teacher, man, and coach.”
George was recruited by a few small schools for basketball before deciding on Albion. Initially, he thought he might play college baseball, too.
“I was a solid baseball player in high school, but I liked basketball better,” George said. “I was recruited by Hope, Kalamazoo, and Albion. When I was on a college visit to Albion, I got out of the car, walked around, then shot some with the coach. When I got back in the car I said to my dad, ‘That’s where I want to go.’ Something about it just felt right.”
Detroit Catholic Central High School was where it all started for George. But, after his freshman year, he transferred to Farmington Harrison High School where he was all-league junior and senior year and led his team to two straight conference championships.
“I went to CC because my brother went there,” George said. “They had 23 players on the freshman team, and I was the 23rd. I never played a minute, but I cheered the team on and was a great teammate. After freshman year, my dad and I decided that I would go to school in the district where I lived. I’m glad I made the switch and loved my time at Harrison.”
George’s high school career was just the start, but his college career didn’t end the way he wanted it. In a game at Olivet in the middle of his senior season, he suffered a heal injury that limited his playing time and ability for the last several games.
“During the game, I went to save a ball from going out of bounds, and my foot went flying and hit the wall. The old Olivet gym had all of its walls quite close to the baseline and they were all concrete. I bruised my heel and there’s no solution for it. You can’t walk or run well at all. I missed about four or five games, and in my last few games I played, but I just never got healthy again.”
He still remembers the specific moment when his college basketball career ended.
“I remember the walk off the court the very last time, and I knew that it was the last game,” George said. “Walking off and shaking coach Turner’s hand was surreal, but I knew I was ready. I loved my career as a college basketball player, and I had a lot of fun, but I was ready for the next chapter.”
Now, George enjoys coaching at Hope, teaching English and journalism, and watching his two sons turn into outstanding coaches themselves. His youngest son, Tyler, is a coach for the Michigan Basketball Academy, and his older son, Jordan, is the head boys coach at FHC.
“I’m just a really lucky guy,” he said. “I have a great family, my two sons are successful and solid young men, and I have a lifetime of special memories. I’m living my best life, that’s for sure.”
