Lawrence High wrestling coach Jeff Tummons, who produced five state placers in four years, has announced his resignation so he can help with his wife’s family business in Mission.

“It was very tough decision,” said Tummons, who lives in Tonganoxie and was Tonganoxie High’s head wrestling coach for three years before joining the LHS staff. “Wrestling has been a sport I’ve been involved with for a lot of years. It’s given me a lot of great things. I got into coaching a sport I love.

“Hopefully, I gave a lot back to it and to the kids I’ve coached.”

Tummons’ father-in-law recently retired from running the family’s pawn shop. Tummons will help his wife, Robin, run the business.

“This is going to be good opportunity for our family,” Tummons said. “It’ll be a more stable position.”

Tummons, a special education teacher at LHS, said proposed budget cuts and elimination of some school personnel didn’t influence his decision. He does want to help find a successor.

“With everything going on in the district, there are not a whole lot of teaching positions opening,” Tummons said. “I told them (LHS principal Dick Patterson and LHS athletic director Ron Commons) I’d like to help them out as much as I can.”

Sean Patton and Jeff Hauber, second-place finishers in 2001, were the highest state performers Tummons coached at LHS.