POULSBO — A teacher of aikido and former assistant coach for multiple Kingston High School sports programs was hired as the new North Kitsap High School wrestling coach.

Tim Larson was announced as the newest head coach in the Vikings family, June 11.

“I’m just looking forward to seeing what these kids can do and building this team,” he said.

Larson began coaching in the district in 2009 when he was selected as an assistant football coach. He moved to the area in 2008.

Larson later began working on the Kingston wrestling team as assistant coach.

Though he took time off from coaching last year, he still filmed for the Kingston football program.

Larson has about 30 years experience coaching aikido. His top students are seventh-degree black belts, he said.

Larson replaces Joe Amick, who resigned after the 2012-13 season after six years with the program.

During his time with the Kingston Buccaneers, Larson helped coach the 2012 football team to a berth at state for the first time in program history.

While coaching with the Buccaneers wrestling program, Larson and the coaches guided numerous wrestlers to state and brought home top medals from the tournament in the Tacoma Dome.