Tom Zuzelski has been named Bainbridge High School head boys golf coach, Athletic Director Annette Duvall said Thursday.

Zuzelski, a chemistry and physical science teacher at BHS, became interested in coaching while golfing with former BHS coach Bob Dwyer.

“Ironically, I went out to play golf with Bob and found out that he was the golf coach,” Zuzelski said. “I just told him that’s my ideal job right there –  teaching chemistry and then coaching the golf team. It doesn’t get any better than that.

“That was earlier in the year. I didn’t even know that he wanted to stop doing it. He shoots me an email [later] saying the golf job’s open.”

Zuzelski came to Bainbridge four years ago as a mid-year chemistry substitute, and stayed on the following year.

The next year, however, Zuzelski’s wife, who is in the Navy, was transferred to Okinawa, Japan, and the family moved there for two years.

“Golf is huge in Japan,” Zuzelski said. “I played golf five or six times a week.”

Zuzelski, who grew up in Colorado, returned to Bainbridge for the 2009-2010 school year as a chemistry and physical science teacher.

This will be Zuzelski’s first varsity coaching position after coaching youth sports such as baseball and soccer.

“I’m what you call a mechanic when it comes to the sport,” he said. “Really into the technical aspect.”

Since Zuzelski teaches primarily freshmen and sophomores, he has yet to meet most of the players.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know all those guys and really looking forward to feeding off the success that Bob built,” Zuzelski said. “It intrigues me to have such a high quality set of players.”

Zuzelski inherits a team flush with experience. Carl Jonson, who has committed to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, will return as a senior, while Bobby Griffin and Will Whealdon will be juniors. All three players competed at the state tournament, helping the Spartans earn the fourth-place trophy.

“Tom will continue sound fundamentals and promote the ‘team’ concept in the golf program,” Duvall said.