UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. -- When Saginaw Valley State University Head Men's Basketball Coach Randy Baruth decided to add a new member to his coaching staff, he did not have to complete an extensive search to find someone who fits the job description.
Baruth, who in 2023-24 enters his 12th season at the helm of the Cardinal men's basketball program, in late January 2023 named Tim Inman as a special assistant to the head coach.
In December 2022, Inman retired from SVSU after more than 38 years in the Office of University Communications. His role in that position included photography, graphic design, copy editing, and project management.
"We were already very familiar with Tim's skills in marketing and communications," Baruth said. "He has been a resource for our athletic program long before I joined SVSU."
Baruth noted that for years Inman has contributed graphic design and photography services in support of the Cardinal athletic department, including the championship banners that hang in the James E. O'Neill Jr. Arena. In addition, Inman recently created the design of the basketball court in the arena, as well as the volleyball court in Hamilton Gymnasium.
"The basketball court was quite an interesting project," Inman said. "It's not every day I would have an opportunity to create a design on a canvas that measures 94 feet long by 50 feet wide."
Inman notes he was not responsible for painting the designs onto the floor.
"That part of the project was outsourced to a company that specializes in refinishing wooden courts," Inman said. "My role was to collaborate with athletic department staff, including Interim Athletic Director Angela Pohl and her staff, and the coaches of the respective men's and women's athletic teams that compete in those facilities.
"The athletes also were given an opportunity to vote on which design they wanted to see on their home court," Inman said. "In total, I'd estimate I created about 50 different concepts before we all agreed on the final design that is represented out on those two courts today."
Baruth noted that Inman's new job description will go beyond the artistic abilities he demonstrated for many years at SVSU, where he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree as an art major. Inman also has a Master of Education degree from SVSU.
"Tim also brings very strong organizational skills, and we plan to rely on him to help us stay up to date on the many different forms, reservations, reports, and written communications that we need to generate every week throughout the year," Baruth said. "We'll also tap into his experience in marketing and sponsorships to help promote our program — including our summer camps and Roundball Club — to our target audiences."
Inman said the volunteer position on Baruth's staff matches up well with how he had hoped to keep busy after his retirement from his full-time career in the University Communications department.
"I've always had an affinity for our basketball program, having coached for several seasons under Robert Pratt when I first joined SVSU in the mid-1980s," Inman said. "I love the game of basketball and I rarely miss a home game; so, this opportunity feels like a perfect fit for my passion for the game and the team. I'm enormously thankful to Coach Baruth for giving me this opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to his program and, as an alumnus, to our university."
