Originally published May 12, 2008 at 12:00 AM | Page modified May 13, 2008 at 12:17 AM
Garfield names Ed Haskins new boys basketball coach
Rainier Beach assistant coach Ed Haskins says he has landed his dream job — head coach of the Garfield High boys basketball team.
Seattle Times staff reporter
Even four hours after Garfield High School made it official, Ed Haskins still could not believe he had landed a dream job.
The school that defined basketball success in his formative years said Monday that it wanted Haskins to lead the Bulldogs back to their dominant ways. Garfield's long search for a coach finally ended Monday when it hired Haskins, a Rainier Beach assistant.
"It's definitely up there with all the big accomplishments in my life," Haskins, 35, said. "I'm from Tacoma and I grew up watching the great Bulldog teams of the '80s and early '90s, and you never think you'd be in a position to lead that storied program.
"It's a tremendous, tremendous, tremendous honor to be the head coach."
Haskins was one of two finalists principal Ted Howard spoke with Monday before delivering his final choice. Howard said the other finalist was Shoreline Community College coach Butch Estes, a former assistant at the University of Miami and Seattle University.
"It's good to be in that place where you have two good candidates to look at," Howard said.
Haskins, a 1990 graduate of Clover Park, was coaching middle school basketball in 1998 when Rainier Beach coach Mike Bethea asked him to come aboard as an assistant.
"I'm extremely grateful for Mike Bethea for giving me an opportunity to coach," Haskins said.
Aside from one year at Franklin, Haskins spent every year since then at Rainier Beach, and he helped the Vikings win three state championships in that span.
"He'll demand a lot of his players," Bethea said. "He's a real good X's and O’s guy."
Haskins has coached two players who went onto the NBA — Jamaal Crawford and Nate Robinson — plus Louisville star Terrence Williams. Bethea said that experience should suit Haskins well in coaching Garfield phenom Tony Wroten, named the top freshman in the country by EA Sports this winter.
Said Haskins: "Make no mistake about this: I'm going to coach Garfield. I'm not just going to coach Tony Wroten. I'm definitely committed to help make Tony a better player, but my job is to coach Garfield basketball. That's what I'm committed to."
![]()
Wroten is one of several talented young players returning for Garfield. Former coach Dan Finkley led the Bulldogs to their second consecutive state tournament appearance and a 17-9 record last season, before he resigned.
"We have to go into the season with expectations to win," Haskins said. "Not just to win games, not just to win league, but to win state."
Haskins said he had been a finalist for a few other head-coaching jobs, but he said he was "always the best man, never the groom." And in late April, it appeared to happen again.
Haskins had been a finalist when the original selection committee at Garfield chose former Seattle Prep player Tavio Hobson from a field of 40 applicants. But Howard, after a conversation with Hobson, decided to reopen the position and add two students to the committee. Howard confirmed Hobson interviewed again for the job last Friday, but was not one of the two finalists.
Howard said Garfield interviewed Haskins at least four times, and he emerged as the candidate Monday, particularly after Haskins pleased Howard with a promise to focus on academics.
But Haskins' three state championships as an assistant at Rainier Beach didn't hurt his case.
"The ultimate goal is to win a state championship, but I think the coach we're bringing on board is a teacher and will get us to that level," Howard said. "Anything less than that at Garfield is a moot point."
Tom Wyrwich: 206-515-5653 or twyrwich@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
First load of rescued fish moved to Salmon Creek
Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
Real Salt Lake wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
Steve Kelley: A fantastic finish to first MLS season in Seattle
Sideline Chatter: Fourth-down gambles leave New England in shambles

Real Salt Lake wins MLS Cup
Real Salt Lake defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy with penalty kicks after 120 minutes of play at Qwest Field in Seattle.
shopping
events for Monday, Nov. 23
- Fall/Winter Sale at Clover
- Holiday Sale at Pink Ginger
- Cicada Bridal Party Dress Sale
- Capers November Sale
editors' picks
More shopping guides- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Tugboat sinks at Seattle waterfront pier
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
- Craigslist adoption ad: A plea by young mother-to-be? A scam?
- Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
- Woman stabbed by stranger in North Seattle
- Snow piles up on Cascade slopes
- Denny Triangle gains skyline, but tenants slow to come
- Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
148 - Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
132 - Palin excitement builds in Tri-Cities
129 - Tight Senate vote launches health care over hurdle
124 - Illegal workers quietly let go
117 - Cutting through breast-cancer confusion
103 - Historic health care bill clears Senate hurdle
90 - Game thread
70 - New York terror trials will restore faith in rule of law
69 - Climate change speeds up since 1997 Kyoto accord
62
- Sprouts, raw fish on attorney's 'do not eat' list
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- It's possible to recover a life lost to hoarding
- Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
- Rediscovering Moab, 'the most beautiful place on Earth'
- Tattoos at Mill Creek church pierce skin, soul
- Washington state wines make annual best-of list
- Architects, chefs find 'kid' within to build Gingerbread Village

