Legendary Western Washington basketball coach Chuck Randall dies at 89

Chuck Randall, who attended Central Valley then coached several area high schools before becoming Western Washington University’s Coach of the Century, died Wednesday. He was 89.

Born in 1926, Randall’s family raised him in Veradale and he became a three-year letterman in football, basketball and baseball at Central Valley, according to a news release from Western.

Randall served as a paratrooper in World War II before returning home and attending Eastern Washington, where he played baseball. He later obtained his master’s degree at Washington State in 1954.

After teaching grade school a few years, Randall began his coaching career with stops at Riverside, Republic, Lindbergh, Freeman and Lind high schools.

He was hired 1963 to coach men’s basketball at Western Washington, where he stayed until 1981. He posted a record of 275-186 and was named the school’s Coach of the Century for 1900-1999.

Randall’s best Vikings team was the 1971-72 season when they finished 26-4 and reached the quaterfinals of the NAIA national tournament.

“UCLA had its John Wooden, Western had its Chuck Randall,” Western athletics historian Paul Madison said in the release. “He was a great coach and an even better person. He had a knack for making people feel better about themselves and bringing people together.”

Randall, who also coached the Western baseball team for a time, received inductions into the halls of fame for Central Valley, NAIA, Western and EWU.

In total, he coached basketball for 35 years and earned 516 victories.

In addition to coaching, Randall started the first summer basketball camp for children in the state during the 1960s and also helped innovate the development of breakaway rims.

Randall, who suffered heart trouble for a number of years, died Wednesday from congestive heart failure.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Doris (Reihl); daugther Jennifer; and sons Jeff and John. Services had not been completed Thursday.