High School Sports

News and commentary on high-school sports around Puget Sound.

Lee Adams has resigned as head girls basketball coach at Holy Names High School after 11 seasons.

Rhonda Smith (Banchero), who has been his assistant the past seven years, will take over the position.

Adams has built one of the most successful programs in Washington. The Cougars were young this past season and just narrowly missed a state berth this past season, losing in overtime to University of Spokane in the regional round.

Here is the press release sent by Lacey London, the school’s athletic director:

“Lee Adams, head coach of the Holy Names Academy varsity basketball team for the last 11 years, has resigned from the program for personal reasons.  He would like to thank HNA staff and fans for the support they’ve shown the program over the years.  Most importantly, he thanks all of his players, past and present, for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to each other and to the program as a whole.  Under Coach Adams’ leadership since the 2002-2003 season, the school’s basketball program has grown from a 5-15 record during his first season into one of the most widely respected among the state’s 3A programs, amassing a collective won-lost record of 200-88.  His teams have won two Metro League Championships and three consecutive SeaKing District 2 Tournament Championships, and advanced to the WIAA State tournament six times, finishing third  in 2009 and second in 2010.  And in 2011, the Holy Names Academy team won the Washington State 3A Championship, culminating in a perfect record of 29-0.  Coach Adams was named Metro League Coach of the Year in both 2010 and 2011 as well as The Seattle Times’ Star Times Coach of the Year in 2010.  Holy Names Academy thanks Coach Adams for the role he has played in helping to develop outstanding scholar/athletes, and the school wishes him all the best in his future endeavors.

“Coach Adams will assist the school with the transition this spring as Rhonda Smith (Banchero), assistant coach for the last seven years, assumes the head-coaching position.”