Lemmon’s Coaching Passion Led to Success

Lemmon died in 2020 at age 58, a victim of brain cancer, but not before leading the Castro Valley’s Girls Basketball program to a decade of success, including a 33-3 run to the Northern California finals in 2016.

The most successful Girls Basketball coach in Castro Valley High history had a wife who wasn’t an athlete and two daughters who liked soccer and softball.
Out of it, the late Jim Lemmon didn’t just make lemonade. He made champagne.

Lemmon died in 2020 at age 58, a victim of brain cancer, but not before leading the Castro Valley’s Girls Basketball program to a decade of success, including a 33-3 run to the Northern California finals in 2016. For that, he was selected to the 2024 class of the Castro Valley Sports Hall of Fame. 

Those closest to Lemmon insist that winning was only part of the fun of coaching. “He coached because he loved to,” observed former Castro Valley athletic director Andy Popper, who recruited Lemmon to coach at Monte Vista. (Lemmon died midway through his second year with the Mustangs.)

“Other than spending time with his family,” Popper continued, “what brought him happiness was coaching. He wasn’t ordinarily coaching his own kid. He wasn’t coaching club. He wasn’t coaching AAU. He just wanted to be an old ball coach. I think that’s why people liked him and respected him and gravitated toward him. He just did it for the love of doing it.” 

A 28-year veteran of law enforcement who rose to the level of Lieutenant in the San Leandro Police Department, Lemmon enjoyed his children’s participation in sports at least as much as his own coaching success, according to his wife Carolyn. 

Asked to identify what her husband would claim as his single-biggest career highlight, Carolyn responded: “I’d say it was a tie. In coaching, it was when they went to Sacramento (for the NorCal finals). But I’d also say it was when (youngest daughter) Jessica got to go to the (NCAA) tournament (in softball) when she was at Saint Mary’s.” 

Lemmon, a Massachusetts native who moved to Castro Valley in 1982, didn’t coach that Gaels squad but was heavily involved. 

“On my travel ball team,” daughter Jessica recalled of the East Bay Nuggets, “four girls played for Saint Mary’s. My dad really worked with the (Saint Mary’s) coach to come out and see us play. He got us there.” 

Also, a Castro Valley Sports Hall of Famer, Jessica rode dad’s tutelage to stardom in softball, basketball, and soccer. Older sister Samantha also often played for dad in soccer and basketball. But it was like Jim Lemmon had more than two daughters, Jessica says. 

“He really took the time to teach you all the basics,” she gushed. “He pushed you in a way to reach your limits. He really cared for you as a person. You felt motivated. People wanted to play for him. It was like a family.” 

Lemmon also found time to demonstrate his athletic prowess as a powerlifter, when he wasn’t challenging other officers in football, softball or whatever sport season came next. It was all made possible by his wife, Jessica noted.  

“Coaching is a lot of late nights, a lot of giving up a lot of your husband and family time,” she said. “It wouldn’t have worked without my mom. They were always on the same page.” 

Jessica now coaches softball at San Leandro High. She’d love to be as successful as her dad someday. 

“My dad really inspired me,” she assured. “I learned you have to have patience. Pushing them, but in a way that allows them to stay passionate about the game. If your players know you want the best for them, they’re going to see that, and they’re going to work hard.” 

This is the 12th in a series of 16 articles profiling the 2024 inductees into the Castro Valley Sports Hall of Fame.  The Hall of Fame ceremonies and banquet will be held on Sunday, April 21, at Redwood Canyon Golf Course.  For tickets, go to castrovalleysportsfoundation.org and click on “Events.”