Brian Lund finally got his wish Tuesday after he was handed the keys to the Redmond High School (RHS) gym.
Lund, a 1991 RHS graduate and former Mustang basketball star, was named the school’s new head boys’ basketball coach.
“I’ve always wanted access to the gym,” said Lund, a Redmond lifer who was the head basketball coach at Lake Washington High School (LWHS) last winter. “I’ve always wanted the keys. I’m almost 40 and I finally got them. I am really excited.”
Lund takes over for Jeff Larson, who resigned as coach to take the associate principal job at RHS. In his eight years as head basketball coach, Larson compiled a 95-93 record and guided the Mustangs to two Class 4A state tournament appearances, including a fifth-place finish in 2009.
Lund was a three-year letterman during his playing days at RHS and was part of three state-tournament teams including the 1991 Mustang team that lost to Garfield in the state-title game.
“We are extremely excited to have Brian returning home,” RHS athletic director John Appelgate said in an email. “He is a huge part of Redmond’s basketball history, and is the right person to continue on the tradition of success for RHS student athletes both on and off the court.”
Lund, 39, started the 2011-12 season as an assistant coach at LWHS, but when head coach Barry Johnson, Lund’s former RHS teammate, was placed on administrative leave in December, Lund took over head-coaching duties for the rest of the season.
Johnson, who is also a 1991 RHS graduate, faces charges for communicating with a minor for immoral purposes while at the high school. Johnson pleaded not guilty to the gross misdemeanor and the court proceedings are set for Aug. 6.
Lund led the Kangaroos to 22-7 record and a fourth-place finish in the Class 3A state tournament.
Lund said he wasn’t looking to leave LWHS, but when the RHS job became open, he jumped at the opportunity to coach for his alma mater.
“We went through a lot last year (at LWHS),” Lund said. “We built strong relationships with the kids. It’s always hard to leave.”
But as Lund puts it, “if I’m going to pursue coaching to the point of being a lifer, Redmond is where I want to be.”
Lund, who owns a residential and commercial painting business, has lived in Redmond his whole life and his only stint away from living here was when he went on to play college basketball.
After graduating from RHS in 1991, Lund went to play at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Ore.
After a year in Salem, Lund then went to Washington State University (WSU) and became a walk-on player for the Cougars.
Lund returned to Redmond after graduating from WSU and started a family. He has three children — Cameron, 6, Isabell, 9, and Jalen, who recently played for Redmond’s 5th-grade select team. Lund was the co-coach of his son’s team while he also coached at LWHS.
Now as the RHS head boys’ basketball coach, Lund wants to “build the program,” through the youth programs and get the Mustangs back to being regulars at the state tournament.
The Mustangs advanced to the state tournament seven straight years between 1988-1994, including state-title wins in 1988 and 1989.
“Our goal is to get out there in the community and start building those youth programs and give kids that sense of a bigger picture,” he said.
