Duane Lewis
Track & Field Coach

Duane coached track and field in Edmonds School District for 51 years (46 years at Lynnwood High) retiring in 2017. At Lynnwood, his boys teams won 9 Wesco titles, 8 District titles, and 1 State championship (1994). His girls teams won 7 Wesco titles, 7 District titles, and 2 State championships (1991 & 2016). He coached 30-plus individual state champions. Both teams had incredible dual meet winning streaks: boys claiming 58 consecutive dual meet wins, 1990–97, and girls winning 44 straight, 1986-91. In 2009, he was inducted into the Washington State Track & Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame. In 2016, he was chosen Girls High School Coach of the Year for Washington State by the U.S. Track and Cross-Country Coaches Association.

Duane attended Shoreline High and wrestled throughout his four years. While watching a track and field practice as a senior, the track coach encouraged him to turn out for the team. He joined the team and ran the 400 throughout the season. He developed an affinity for track and after graduating from Shoreline, he continued his education and running the 400 at Seattle Pacific University (SPU). He lettered three years and was team captain as a senior. After SPU, he began teaching history for 30 years and coaching track and field for the Lynnwood High Royals.

Duane’s positive and charismatic approach and ability to establish meaningful connections with students inspired them to become their best. He often encouraged students to join the track program who otherwise may not have participated. A Lynnwood alumnus who ran for Lewis, Eric Hruschka, and now Jackson High’s coach says about Duane. “Convincing the kid to do the event that you think they should be in is one thing. But getting them placed in the right spot quickly, so they can spend most of the season working on those specific skills to the event — that’s hard. And he was a master at that.”