As the boys’ basketball coach of the Rainier Beach Vikings for the past 20 years, Mike Bethea has built one of the most storied programs in state basketball history. Mike is one of four children born to Robert and Earlene Bethea, whom he credits as the two most influential persons in his life. Mike attended Franklin High School where he lettered in football, track and excelled at basketball. Coach Bethea did his college time in eastern
Washington attending Yakima Valley College and Central Washington University.
During his tenure at Beach, Coach Bethea has compiled a record of 459-110 while making a difference in lives of countless young men. He has won enough championships and cut down enough nets to supply a gill netter. Coach Bethea’s teams consistently show improvement over the year and consistently peak in the postseason. As a result, Mike’s teams have won 13 city championships, 12 District Championships, 7 State Championships, more than any other team in the last 20 years. After the 2014 season, the Vikings traveled to New York to play in the prestigious Dick’s Sporting Goods national tournament. Mike has been State Coach of the Year seven times and has also coached the WIBCA All-State game seven times.
Coach Bethea has been recognized nationally be serving as head coach of Team USA at the Nike Global Games (Silver Medal, 2008), Head Coach of the East Team at the Kentucky Derby Classic All-Star Game, and Head Coach of the West Team at the Jordan Brand Classic All-Star Game.
Coach Bethea has developed some deep, lifelong relationships through his years in the gym which include his Dudes: Harold, Jurdy, Bigg Dogg, and Boss. Mike has coached over 55 Division I players including 3 NBA Players: Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson, and Terrence Williams. Mike also coached bodybuilder and 3-time Mr.
Olympia Phil Heath. On a warm summer night in Seattle you can often find Mike hanging in the gym with his guys Jamal, Dave, Phil Nate, T-Shep, D-Dub, Lod, Rod, CJ, Terrence, Mike L, Ababe, Diggs, AD, Dion, aling with his 6 grandkids. Always the competitor, Mike relishes beating Jamal, Nate and Terrence in pool, well maybe not Jamal……yet.
When he is not coaching, Mike loves vacations visiting historic sites throughout the country and hanging in his three favorite cities: Las Vegas, New York, and San Francisco. Mike also loves spending time with his fiancé Virginia and his three children Dion, Dee Dee, and Angie as well as his six grandchildren Alyanna, Michael, Jalin, Kelton, Kahlil, and Devin. Mike attends Emerald City Seventh Day Adventist Church and thanks his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for the many blessings he has received.
