Basketball Coach
For 36 years (1969-2005) Keith Kingsbury was a physical education instructor and men’s basketball coach at Edmonds Community College (EdCC). He was men’s assistant basketball coach at EdCC for four years before becoming head coach for the next thirty two years. His teams won 570 games and participated in 18 *Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) post season playoffs. In 1985 his team won the Northwest community college men’s basketball championship. Three other times his teams placed in the conference championships placing second in 1993, third in 2001, and fourth in 1979. He is the all-time winningest coach in EdCC history.
In 2009, Keith was elected to the Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, which is quite an honor since he is one of just a very few inducted into this HOF without ever coaching a high school game. In 2013, Keith was inducted into the NWAC Hall of Fame.
Over the years, he sent over 100 players to four-year colleges including approximately 25 to NCAA Division 1 schools. He is well known for helping his players find a good fit at a four year college, and his players knew him as not only their coach but as a teacher about life, an on-going supporter, and a lifelong friend. He was a coach who never cut a player and for those who did not make the team roster but came to practice and worked hard, he would try very hard to suit up and play him at some point during the season. He was also held in high regard as a mentor to young coaches and was highly respected by his coaching peers. They could always count on him for advice, critiques, conversation and on-going support.
After a battle with cancer, Keith passed away in August 2020 at the age of 80 years old.