The King’s Academy has some big coaching shoes to fill. Chris Race, the longtime head girls varsity basketball coach at TKA has stepped down from the job that he has held for the last six years.
During the last six seasons, TKA’s girls varsity basketball team has been one of the most successful programs in Florida. During his tenure, Race has coached the Lions to four district titles, four straight regional final appearances, and a pair of regional championships that earned TKA back-to-back trips to the Florida High School Athletic Association’s (FHSAA) Class 3A state finals.
As head coach, Race has compiled an overall record of 123 wins and just 41 losses — a .750 winning percentage. In four of those six seasons, TKA has won more than 20 games.
Race’s two best years were the 2021-22 season and the 2022-23 campaign. In 2021-22, TKA’s record was 24-6. The team reached the Class 3A state finals in Lakeland. There, the Lions lost to Cardinal Mooney High School from Sarasota, 50-42, in the state semifinals. In 2022-23, TKA’s record was 23-5, and again the Lions finished their season in Lakeland, but losing, again, in the Class 3A semifinals to Cardinal Mooney, 52-39.
Race’s reasons for resigning are understandable.
“I stepped down to spend more time with my kids,” said Race, 46. “I’ve missed out on watching my daughter’s [Jordan] two seasons of college basketball at Southern Wesleyan in South Carolina. I’m going to help out with some middle school football. I’ll still be around supporting the [girls basketball] program from the other side of the court.”
Race has fond memories of leading the girls varsity basketball program.
“We had a great run at King’s, but it kind of felt like it was time to step down for my family and my business,” Race said. “It was a tough decision because I really love coaching there.”
TKA Athletic Director Adam Winters has nothing but words of praise and appreciation for Race’s dedication to the girls basketball program over the last six years.
“The King’s Academy has been blessed to have Chris Race as our girls head basketball coach the last six years. Coach Race revitalized the girls basketball program with his heart, passion and love for the game and his players,” Winters said. “The girls basketball program achieved a high level of success on the district and regional level, including two trips to the FHSAA Final Four under his leadership. Coach Race’s impact on his players is felt now and on the lives of the players that he has impacted for eternity.”
A new head coach for the TKA girls varsity basketball program has been named. It will be Race’s assistant coach, Adam Lusk, who has been a part of the program for the last three seasons.
Lusk is excited about this new coaching opportunity.
“We are going to try to build upon the foundation established by coach Race here at King’s,” said Lusk, 41.
Lusk will be looking for on-court leadership this coming season from three key members of last year’s team.
“We return three starters from last year — point guard Sofia Rathbun, shooting guard Maddy Buccilli and small forward Sophia Vazquez,” he said. “For the most part, we have a really young group of players on this year’s squad. I think we will do better than most people expect us to play. We’re focused on returning to the FHSAA’s final four.”
