King, who patrolled the bench with a balanced intensity, said he enjoyed “sharing an appreciation of the game” with his players.

His youngest son, Tyler, graduated from Coupeville this spring and will run for the University of Washington in cross country and track next school year. His oldest son, Kyle, a junior at Eastern Washington

University, competes in the same sports. Daughter Brianne lives in California.

Basketball season, for King, consumed the most traditional of family times, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Now, with no children at home and no basketball responsibilities, he will have much more flexibility in his schedule

to see his family and to watch his sons compete collegiately.

King began coaching as a volunteer in 1973 and has been at it ever since, taking over the Coupeville varsity in 1991-92.

He added with a laugh, “And, thankfully, I’m still married.”

King doesn’t know his overall won-loss record, and added, “When you go 0-20 your first year and 3-17 the second, you don’t worry about those things (records).  It wasn’t about that. I am really thankful I got to work with some of the best kids in Coupeville and to have the confidence of the community and administration. I

thought the kids played hard and showed good sportsmanship – that’s important to me – and I’m proud of that.”

He said he doubts, after a break, he will return to coaching basketball: “I don’t see that happening, but never say never.”

He said he will “miss the intensity of the games; that will be hard to recreate.”

King ended the conversation with, “You know, I got to work with a lot of great kids.”

King will continue to teach and coach varsity track at Coupeville.