Over the past 11 seasons Rainier Beach High School boys basketball head coach Mike Bethea has transformed what had been a solid, yet unspectacular basketball program into arguably the most dominant program in the state.
His resume has been so strong that one could easily be mislead into believing that Rainier Beach was always a stepping stone in Bethea's quest to someday become an NBA or college head coach. Ironically, however, Bethea never had a grand vision. In fact, one could say the opposite is true - Rainier Beach had a grand vision for Bethea.
"I was actually kind of tricked into coaching," said Bethea of his first season, 1994. "The guy who was the previous coach, Francis Williams, he asked me to come aboard with him and told me at the end of the year he wanted to quit. I told him, 'cool we'll do this thing together then at the end of the year we'll both call it quits.'"
Rainier Beach's powers that be, apparently recognizing a talent when they saw one, wouldn't let him slip away so easily. Shortly thereafter, Bethea awoke to a surprise. While reading his morning paper he duly noted the retirement of Williams, effective immediately, with eight games still remaining in the season!
"I told the athletic director and the principal, 'you know, that's it for me,'" he said. "When the season's over you guys can hire someone else because I'm not interested in being a head coach."
This time the athletic director, who happened also to have been a friend and mentor of Bethea's since the mid-70s when he starred at Franklin High School, took action.
"He just appointed me coach and said he wasn't going to interview anybody else," said a laughing Bethea.
Thus began what was to be the short-lived head coaching stint of Bethea. What a wonderful ride it has turned out to be. Over the course of his 11 seasons Beach has won three state titles, visited the state 3a tournament eight straight times, had a streak of five straight state finals visits, collected over 200 victories, and sent 15 players to Division-1 college programs including Jamal Crawford, Lodrick Stewart, Rodrick Stewart, Nate Robinson, CJ Giles, and Terrance Williams. In fact, the team has had enough success that it can be said they have established a mini-dynasty.
"Everybody wants to be part of a winner," said Bethea. "I mean it's just like the 60s when the Celtics had that legacy going. Like the Lakers and the Celtics in the 80s, a lot of players want to be part of that. On a much lower scale at the high school level, when you have a team that's having a lot of success like Rainier Beach's program has had, kids not only want to be part of that, but be able to carry on that legacy."
And that's why one season translated into 11 and beyond for Bethea. The players who have come through the program have been tremendously talented, but without direction talent can be wasted. Bethea, clearly astute at focusing his players' talents, has established a program where winning has built itself upon winning - and also built upon his desire to continue. Players who may not have been inclined to try out, have joined up because his program is associated with success. He thrives from getting the most out of his players, and seeing them move on to higher levels of competition.
"That's really how I measure my wins and losses is seeing all my kids having a lot of success," says Bethea. "It lets me know that all of it wasn't for naught. They were actually listening to what I was saying and applying it to their lives."
Natural motivator
How does Bethea get through to his players so well? Coaches take different approaches towards establishing relationships with their players. Some are strict authoritarians who establish a clear hierarchy with the coach at the top. They convey their message by making it clear who the head honcho is, but perhaps sacrificing some of their grasp of the team's psyche and morale as a consequence. Others strive to create a closer relationship with their players, perhaps to some degree sacrificing authority. We call these coaches a player's coach, and Bethea naturally levitates towards that, having been a former player himself.
"I've always been real close with all my players," said Bethea. "I let them know there is a time for basketball, but then there is a time to get away from basketball and let them see the real side of me, the person that I really am. I think that's what really draws kids close to me, is the fact that they see I am really just a real, everyday type of guy. I'm the type of guy they can have fun with and joke with. If they need a shoulder to cry on I'm there for that too."
Having stated that, Bethea would not have been so successful if he had not been able to establish a sense of urgency and work ethic among his players that can only be termed grade A. For him, it all starts with how they approach practice time.
"In my practices I hold all the kids accountable," he said. "I don't let them slough off. I make sure they aren't just going through the motions. I Make sure they give it their all, and that they have the same approach to practice that they do towards their school work. If you slough off in your school work that's the difference between getting an A, C or D. You try to carry that same thing over into practice. If you guys are going to slough off in practice this is going to be the result."
This past year, despite high expectations, Rainier Beach fell short of the state finals. They lost to Mark Morris, 56-44 in the semi-finals, and players, including the Louisville-bound Williams, walked off the court in rare defeat. Bethea has taken it all in stride, seeing the bigger picture, and again, seeing beyond the wins and losses.
What does he tell his players after finishing with such a tough loss?
"One plus is you played a team that was a senior-laden team," said Bethea. "A team that had been together since grade school, and we were basically a young team. I mean you take away Terrance and you have a team full of freshman and sophomores and a couple of juniors. We're going to have 90 percent of our team coming back.
"I just let them know it's not about wins and losses. It's about developing a good work ethic. Learning how to give it your all every time you step out on the court. If you give it your all every time you step out on the court, win or lose, I can accept that."
Admittedly, it still hurts him to see his kids go through tough losses. After last year's lost to O'Dea in the state finals he purportedly did not sleep for four days straight. Gone are the days where Bethea considered basketball a moonlight job, but it is still very much year to year.
"I'm going to take a couple of trips, nothing major, like go down to the Oregon coast, just chill for a little while and enjoy my grandkids a little bit," said Bethea. "It's year by year. When I lose that passion for it, then I'll step away."[[In-content Ad]]
