Jaime Printy set 14 school records during her prep basketball career at Linn-Mar High School and was named the 2009 Gatorade Player of the Year.

Now the former University of Iowa star has returned to Linn-Mar, this time as an assistant coach with the girls basketball team.

"Growing up around basketball, I always thought I wanted to stay around the sport because I love it so much," Printy said last week. "I always had coaches who influenced me in positive ways and I thought it would be awesome some day to give back and be able to have an impact on younger kids. I'm really excited about it."

Thirteen of Printy's school records are still on the books. Kiah Stokes snapped her career scoring mark in 2011, but she still has the Linn-Mar records for assists, steals, 3-pointers and free throw shooting in a variety of categories.

Printy was named first team all-state in 2006, 2008 and 2009 and undoubtedly would have been a four-time selection if she had not torn the ACL in her left knee as a sophomore in high school. She had three knee operations during her basketball career, including two at Iowa, but refused to quit and kept bouncing back.

"I love the game and I love the experiences and the things that it teaches you," she said. "I don't see how I couldn't come back."

Printy graduated from Iowa this year after enjoying an outstanding career with the Hawkeyes. She ranks second in school history in 3-pointers (252), third in scoring (1,841 points) and fourth in career assists (412). She ranks second in Big Ten history in free throwing shooting (89.1 percent) and went 17 for 17 at the foul line in a game against Wake Forest. She made seven 3-pointers in a game against San Diego, tying a school record.

Printy garnered a variety of Big Ten honors during her career and was named an Honorable Mention All-American.

Printy is living in Marion and commuting to her job with a medical sales company in Iowa City, but she couldn't resist the urge to get into coaching and help the Linn-Mar Lions. She had talked to Linn-Mar Coach Michael Brandt about the possibility several times while she was still in college.

"I heard talk that she was missing being in the gym and wanted to get back in the gym," Brandt said. "We are very excited to have her. She is going to add a lot to our staff. And she's a great kid.

"She was a great player, a great kid off the court and works really well with any age kid. We knew that when she worked our little kids camp when she was in high school. She was really good with the kids, and obviously our team is very excited to have her."

Printy got her college degree in Recreation & Sports Business, but she's thinking about getting her teaching degree so she can become a full-time teacher and coach. Her older brother, Jordan, is a teacher at Linn-Mar and an assistant coach with the Linn-Mar boys basketball team. Jordan Printy  played college basketball at Indiana State, and one year both Jordan and Jaime played in the NCAA basketball tournament at the same time.

Printy spent her first week with the Linn-Mar girls this past week. She said she enjoys working with players of all ages.

"I have a special place in my heart for helping kids and helping people younger than me, because I always had such great people helping me when I was growing up," she said. "I think it's just awesome to be able to give back and share something that I've learned."

Printy, 23, has fond memories of her playing days with the Lions.

"High school basketball was so much fun," she said. "Our whole team got along great and we had so much fun doing everything.

"Coach Brandt was so awesome to all of us over the years. That's probably why I'm back into coaching, because I had so much fun and had such a good experience and learned so much. I hope I can do the same."