(Missouri Valley) -- Keefer Jensen spent nearly the last two decades helping the Missouri Valley wrestling program reach new heights.

Coach Jensen has decided to step away from coaching, after a remarkable 17-year run where he helped the Big Reds become one of KMAland's most consistent wrestling programs. However, Jensen tells KMA Sports he won't be completely stepping away. He'll likely stay around the program in a more unofficial capacity, perhaps with the junior high program."

"It'll be different. There's going to be some different roles, and I'm going to be here to help and advice or experience or whatever anybody needs from me. But it was just an important decision to make for my family and just being home. That's why I decided to do it."

A Missouri Valley alum, Jensen has spent most of his life around the program, first as a wrestler before coming home and swiftly taking over his alma mater after a brief stint as an assistant.

"I've always loved wrestling," he said. "I grew up wrestling. My dad wrestled, so my brothers and I got into it pretty early. That was kind of our childhood, That was how we spent our time as a family for a big chunk of the year. I knew I wanted to stick around with it past college. Luckily enough, I was able to come back after my senior year in college."

Jensen's first year as a coach coincided with his brother Dalton's senior year. He helped coach his brother to a state title. Dalton also caught the coaching bug and has put together a national championship career at Nebraska-Kearney.

The older Jensen took over the program from the late Chuck Earleywine shortly after and slowly built the Big Reds into a constant contender in the Western Iowa Conference.

"Those early years, we had some great kids," Jensen said. "We were just thin on numbers, but people like Walker Marshal and my nephew, Brett Marcum were bought in. They worked hard, and we had state medalists. We were just kind of learning those ropes of figuring things out, building a team and getting the culture right. Those are things you learn along the way that you don't always understand very well when you're a young coach."

As they shined on the individual side, the Big Reds also found the most team success they have ever had under Coach Jensen. They reached the State Dual Tournament for the first time in program history in 2017 and followed with three more trips in 2018, 2019 and 2022. Jensen's successes earned him the first KMAland Wrestling Coach of the Year honor in 2018.

"We had some good young kids in the room," Jensen said. "Then it was really just kind of building around the three kids that are really into it. Then four kids were really into it. We were building those pieces to get them in the room and keep them practicing. Maybe they weren't successful as freshmen or sophomores. But by junior and senior seasons, they're taking you to the state duels because they're in the room, and they're buying into what you're doing."

Since 2010, Coach Jensen's program has accounted for 24 state medalists and two state champions (Arron Olson in 2019 & Eli Becerra in 2022). This past season marked the Big Reds' first since 2013 where they didn't have at least one medalist. He's also helped the girls program get off the ground. Those efforts have been highlighted by Nicole Olson's state title in 2024.

Coach Jensen always prided himself on getting the most out of his wrestlers and having them wrestle their best toward the end of their time at Missouri Valley.

"Wrestling is a super tough sport," he said. "You're getting your butt kicked every day. You have to have a special type of grit and toughness to stick that out. We preached fighting and competing. Seeing those kids succeed is probably the best part of it."

Click below to hear much more with Coach Jensen.