While most coaches were probably stars for their high school teams, that was not the case for Bill Hawk, a Clover Park graduate. In fact, the only varsity sport he played for the Warriors was football, which he continued to play at Western Washington University. But he knew he loved sports and wanted to get involved in the coaching end, so he became a serious student of both football and basketball and started his coaching career in his first year of teaching, and forty- three years later, he’s still at it.
For his first seventeen years he was either the freshman or voluntary varsity assistant basketball coach as well as the defensive coordinator for the football team at Enumclaw High School. Then after Hall of Fame coach Gary Radliff retired, Bill took over the Hornet reigns and had a hugely successful fifteen-year run, amassing eight championships, nine state appearances with five placings, seven league coaching honors, and a 276-95 record. His team’s two highest finishes were a 3rd in 1990 and 2002. He was especially proud of the ‘90 team because they were 26-0 in the semi- final game before losing to Mt. Vernon, but came back after that crushing loss to finish 27-1.
In 2002 Bill, Mindy, his wife of 32 years, and sons Jeff and Kevin moved to Vancouver where he coached the Battle Ground Tigers for four years before he lost his retire- rehire job to a series of double levy failures, and traveled back to the Puget Sound area to coach at White River for two years. The coaching record at those schools did not refl ect the many positive relationships he formed. Opportunity knocked once again with a chance to start a program from the ground up at a new school, Muckleshoot Tribal School. He and athletic director Tim Tubbs relished the challenge of making the Kings a competitive program that would be a source of pride to the community, and that pride continues today. All four of his teams have at least made it to the district playoffs, and two of the teams played in the state tournament, which culminated in a 6th place finish for the 2012 team. His current record is 379-220.
Many of Hawk’s players have continued to play ball at various levels from community college to Europe and the NBA, and he always makes it a point to try to see every player play at least once each year. A source of particular pride for Bill is going to watch the over-25 players who have gone on to coach and pass on life lessons and athletic skills they have learned under his tutelage. What a thrill it is to watch these coaches interact in such a positive manner in their players’ lives.
Bill has learned at least as much from those he has coached and coached with as he has imparted. He is truly indebted to those many loyal assistants who have shared his vision of impacting young men’s lives through sports! His thirst for knowledge has never diminished and likely never will.
