The Spears Era begins for Edmonds women's basketball

LYNNWOOD -- Edmonds College has announced Rafael Spears as its next head women’s basketball coach, effective immediately. He takes over for Nick Amrine, who resigned for personal reasons.

Spears has coached boys and girls basketball from grassroots to high school and college. He has experience in all the functions of running a successful program, including the behind-the-scenes areas of breaking down film, weight training, conditioning, mental training, and facilitating academic success. Spears’ reputation is that of being a team builder and teacher of the game.

Spears started his coaching journey as the boys coach from 1991-95 at Eastside Christian High School in Bellevue.

Rafael Spears

He was the Director of the Orange County Crush Basketball Girls AAU Program for elementary and middle-school girls from 2002-2006 in the Fullerton, CA, area. The organization competed in AAU tournaments, and high school summer and fall leagues. Eleven of the girls ended up participating on their varsity teams as freshmen.

From 2006-2009 Spears was the Finest Basketball Club head coach, a 15U Girls National Travel Program based out of Rancho Cucamonga, CA. The club competed on the Adidas national circuit and Spears helped girls in the recruitment process to college.

His last stop was as the associate head men’s basketball coach at Fullerton College from 2009-2014 where he spearheaded the team’s defensive efforts among other responsibilities. While at Fullerton, 90% of their sophomore student-athletes moved on to four-year universities.

Spears is excited to get back into coaching and Edmonds is excited to have him lead the women’s program.

“Rafael is at a point in his life where this fits perfectly. He understands the challenges we face at our level and he is genuinely excited about this opportunity,” said athletic director Spencer Stark. “Rafael is able to see the big picture. He already knows the values of his program and those align with what we are trying to create here at Edmonds. He is a leader.”

“Having started my coaching career in the State of Washington, I’m happy to have returned and thankful to Mr. Stark for the conversations, the interview, and ultimately being selected to lead the women’s program at Edmonds as head coach,” said Spears.

He believes obtaining a degree is part of the foundation for young athletes. “Recruiting student-athletes to Edmonds will be made easier by the opening of the new Hazel Miller Hall which is adjacent to our athletic facilities,” Spears said. “I look forward to educating recruits who may be deciding on a major, and the benefits and vast opportunities with a career in a STEM field.”

The women’s basketball program will not participate in this year’s modified COVID season but members of the team who are in the area will have the opportunity to practice under EC Athletics’ Return to Play Plan. Coach Spears’ first opportunity to sign women’s basketball student-athletes for next year is on April 1, 2021, when the Northwest Athletic Conference letter of intent period opens.

“Like a great home, the current foundation of administration, facilities, and focus on the student-athlete experience is already in place. We intend to build the women’s basketball program by recruiting athletes of character. I believe the JUCO experience is unique and empowering and I’m eagerly looking forward to helping transform young women in our program into leaders on the court, in the classroom, and at the next level. We are going to compete every day both in the classroom and on the court,” Spears said.

Spears earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo and works for The Aerospace Corporation as Director of Commercial Space Applications. 

Spears has added Shalynn Leonard as an assistant coach and can be reached at rafael.spears@email.edcc.edu.