For 16 years, Jim Adams roamed the sidelines as the head coach for the Snohomish High School boys basketball program. Many of the kids he taught are now high school coaches themselves. “He understood what players needed — what each individual player needed to be motivated — and he would do that,” said Roberts, a 1986 Snohomish graduate. “I don’t think you can do that unless the kids really respect you as a person, which means they aren’t your buddy, but they like you.”
Adams’ squads were known for their fundamentals and physical play on defense. With each kid on that team, he would treat them the way that they needed to be treated to get the most out of them,” Roberts said. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all thing in coaching, and I think he was as good at that as anybody I ever played for.” Adams was known as a compassionate leader with a knack for getting the best out of his teams.
Adams took over head coaching duties for the Panthers’ boys basketball program in 1977 after spending 10 years in the same position at Molalla High School in Oregon. His Panthers teams made three state playoff appearances during his tenure, topping out with fifth-place finishes at the AAA (now Class 4A) state basketball tournament in 1985 and 1987. Snohomish claimed three district championships and at least a share of four conference titles under Adams. He retired from coaching in 1994.
Adams, who stood 6-foot-3, was an undersized post at the college level. He still holds school records for rebounds in a season, rebounds per game in a season and rebounds per game in a career. He was a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics All-American honorable mention in 1963. Jim Adams was inducted into the Western Washington University Hall of Fame in 1983. Off the court, the longtime coach enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.
