Coach Radliff grew up in Enumclaw, Washington where he attended White River High School, which was at the time a combination of Enumclaw and Buckley. He lettered three years each in football, basketball and baseball and two years in golf. He was a student body officer and won the Chuck Smith Award for the outstanding senior athlete.
Coach Radliff attended Western Washington College. He lettered four years in basketball. He was the inspirational player in his junior year and captain in his senior year.
He began his teaching and coaching in Friday Harbor in 1957 where he was the head coach in basketball and softball. After two years, he left Friday Harbor and went home to Enumclaw where he was a 9th grade football assistant and sophomore basketball coach. He also coached tennis for one year, started the cross-country program. was JV basketball coach for two years under Ralph Still and assisted Frank Osborne in the baseball program. Gary became head basketball coach in Enumclaw in 1962-63. Frank Lancaster was his assistant coach. They worked together for 25 years.
Enumclaw basketball had a great support system, good coaches in the basketball program, had a good administration, a wonderful community and super kids. This, along with the association of other state coaches, made a very enjoyable 25 years.
During Coach Radliff’s twenty-five years of coaching, Enumclaw won 6 league titles (two undefeated), played in ten district tournaments and won two district titles. They played in six state tournaments and placed in five, the state tournament record was 11-9 and the overall record was 312-261.
Coach Radliff was selected as the state nominee for the National Basketball Coach of the Year in 1986 and was voted three times league coach of the year. He was the assistant coach to Ed Pepple in 1985 in the Washington All State Game.
Gary’s daughter was a stat girl for three years and his three sons all played for him and were able to participate in state tournaments. In addition to Gary’s four children, he has two stepsons and nine grandchildren and resides in Enumclaw with his wife, Judy.
