Around The Sound -- Bone To Coach Snohomish Basketball

A main factor in Len Bone's big decision were the little people in his family.

Bone has been hired as boys basketball coach at Snohomish High School, replacing Jim Adams, who resigned after 18 seasons.

Bone is an assistant coach at The Master's College in Santa Clarita, Calif. He and wife Susan have two sons - Grady, 8, and Kegan, 6.

"I've always felt the Snohomish job is a great job for a lot of reasons," Bone said. "The biggest being it's a great place to live and raise a family. We're excited to be working and living in this community.

"Another reason this is a great place to coach is they've only had two coaches in the last 33 years at Snohomish High School. Not a lot of high schools can say that."

Bone, who will teach physical education, is a 1972 graduate of Shorecrest High School. His younger brother, Ken, is the men's basketball coach at Seattle Pacific University. Their father, Walt, was the boys basketball coach at Queen Anne and Nathan Hale high schools.

Bone played basketball at Seattle Pacific University. He started his coaching career as an assistant at West Seattle High School (four years), Central Washington University (two years) and Whitworth College (one year).

His first head coaching job was at La Conner High School from 1985-88, guiding the Braves to the Class B state tournament each season.

He was the head coach at University High School in Spokane from 1989-93 and an assistant coach at The Master's College the past two seasons.

The Master's College is a NAIA Division I school with a combined 59-10 record over the past two seasons.

"This was a tough choice for me. I made the move down there (The Master's) from a real good high-school situation (University)," Bone said. "The Greater Spokane League is a great high-school league. But I always wanted to be a college coach, and I had some opportunities and probably could've weathered the storm for a few more years, but this is the best move for me and my family. We're excited about the opportunity to be there."

Bone was selected from a field of nearly 30 applicants, including three finalists, Snohomish principal Ray Johnson said. Bone's hiring was approved by the Snohomish School board Wednesday night.

"The more we talked to people (about Bone), the more Len's value kept increasing," Johnson said. "When we started checking things out, everything came back positive. He's a class guy who works well with students. He's an excellent coach and an excellent teacher."

NOTES

-- Kermit Foltz, 23, is the new boys basketball coach at Newport High school. He replaces Rich Belcher, who stepped down after last season to spend more time with his family.

Foltz, who expects to graduate from the University of Washington next month with an English degree, spent the past four seasons as a Newport assistant, the past two as the junior-varsity coach.

Belcher compiled a 110-86 record - including three Class AAA state tournament appearances - in nine seasons at Newport.