Woods Retires; Leonard Hired -- Bcc Men's Coach Stayed 30 Years

Bellevue Community College did something this week it hasn't had to do for 30 years - hire a new men's basketball coach.

Ernie Woods, 57, has been BCC's head coach since 1967. He didn't really want to retire. But he felt he had to.

Pension benefits for Woods would begin declining after 30 years as a BCC employee.

"The retirement system caught up with me," he said. "It was a situation where the retirement system really is a disadvantage to stay in it."

Pat Leonard, a former player and assistant under Woods at BCC, was hired to replace him. Leonard resigned last spring after two seasons as head coach at Juanita High School, where his teams had a 17-22 record.

Leonard previously coached six seasons at Lindbergh High School, where his teams won two Seamount League championships. Leonard was named Seattle Times prep boys coach of the year for the Seattle area in 1993.

Leonard replaces one of the Eastside's most successful coaches. Woods compiled a 541-298 record in 30 seasons. He won 15 league titles, seven regional championships and two Northwest Association of Community Colleges championships.

"This is a lifetime opportunity, but you don't replace Ernie Woods," said Leonard, who will remain at Juanita as an English teacher. "Thankfully, Ernie will still be around. As far as I'm concerned that's Ernie Woods' office as long as he wants."

Woods was named NWACC Coach of the Year seven times and had eight players drafted or invited to NBA camps. More important to Woods, however, is his assertion that more than 90 percent of the players he coached eventually graduated from four-year schools.

"We've had a lot of success and it's been fun," Woods said.

"What kept me in coaching at this level is the players all want to get to the next level. They listen to you. They're real coachable."

The last thing Woods did as BCC head coach was to speak at the U.S. Basketball Academy in Eugene, Ore., last week. The other three guest speakers? Oregon State Coach Eddie Payne, former California coach Pete Newell and former UCLA coach John Wooden.

Woods, who did not rule out a return to coaching, will remain active in basketball. He has been working at basketball camps in Europe for Adidas International. He has also been working with Bob Kloppenburg, former Seattle SuperSonic assistant now with Toronto Raptors, and consulting for Cybersports, a software company that specializes in sports.

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. The Ernie Woods resume .

Ernie Woods retired as men's basketball coach at Bellevue Community College this week. Here are some of his accomplishments:

-- 541-298 career record .

-- 15 league championships .

-- 7 regional championships .

-- 2 NWACC championships (1968, 1994) .

-- 7 times named NWACC Coach of the Year .

-- Recipient of Bellevue bicentennial outstanding educator award (1989) .

-- Played at Washington State University under then-coach Marv Harshman .