While growing up in a basketball crazy town like Lynden, it is no surprise that a young active boy would easily come to enjoy the game of basketball. So the story of Roger’s path to the WIBCA Hall of Fame begins. But perhaps even more than his love of the game is his genuine love of the people he has impacted through the game: his players, his assistant coaches, parents of his players and many opposing coaches. Roger is passionate about most everything he is involved with, his family, basketball, his business, and most importantly his love of the Lord. It is Roger’s faith that compels him to reach
out and serve people. Perhaps it is hard to imagine in a competitive sport that a coach could be motivated by relationships over wins and losses, but Roger is that rare person. It is his love of the Lord that challenges him to demand the best of himself and therefore he places similar demands of excellence on all who play for him or work with him.
In high school Roger was a competitive athlete in football, basketball and baseball winning a basketball state championship in his senior year. He went to Northwestern in Iowa out of high school to play baseball. Eventually he came back to the northwest to earn his BA in Business Management and Business Marketing from Seattle Pacific University and his MA in Teaching from City University. After bouncing around a few jobs and a coaching stint at Bellevue Christian, Roger became the head coach at Seattle Christian in 1989. For nineteen years the Warriors were state competitors, playing in the state title game 5 times in 6 years between 1998 and 2003, winning the state title in 2000. Roger’s Seattle Christian teams earned 8 state trophies, 6 leagues championships and 6 district or tri-district championships.
In 2009 Roger returned to his hometown and his alma mater and became the head coach of the Lynden Christian Lyncs. In his 7 years at Lynden Christian he has 4 Northwest Conference 1A championships and in 2016 LC became the first 1A team to win the overall conference championship, 2 district championships and in 2012 earned his second state championship. In so doing Roger found himself in rare company in Washington State by winning a basketball state championship as a player and coach at the same high school.
Roger has been married to his lovely wife Jill for 24 years and they have three wonderfully active boys, Jaden 14, Cole 12 and Chase 9. Anyone who has ever coached knows the importance of family support and Roger has four faithful supporters in his corner every night. There is a special place in heaven for a coach’s wife and Roger is blessed to have his best friend and confidant at his side for all the challenges, joys and heartaches of coaching. It is also a source of great satisfaction in their lives to watch the boys develop a growing interest in their relationship with the Lord and basketball among other activities.
“It’s not about you” the opening sentence from Rick Warren’s book The Purpose Driven Life is one of Roger’s favorite statements to his players. This summarizes his approach to coaching. It is about the team and what they can accomplish for the Kingdom of God, not what the individual can accomplish for their own glory. Every player who has played for Roger has probably also been challenged to championship living and decision making off the court more so than on the court. It is his desire to see young men grow to be men of faith and action to carry out God’s call on their lives. When Roger challenges his players with considering others above themselves he is likewise challenging himself to coach for something more than a Hall of Fame. As rewarding as this honor is, Roger would far more likely desire to see those he comes in contact with become followers of Jesus Christ and live out God’s Kingdom’s call and promises.
