Mike’s Story & Legacy
The Mission
Inspired by the life and words of its namesake, the Mike Simmons Scholarship Foundation empowers students facing steep adversity, academic hardships, or difficult personal choices to reclaim their path. Mike saw each and every young person he served as individuals with immense potential who just needed someone to believe in them.
Through community athletics, and purposeful apparel, we help fund the Mike Simmons Scholarship to provide the second chances and resources necessary for resilient youth to stay on the road to success.
Turning a Second Chance into a Legacy
How Mike Simmons turned a lifeline on the court into a lifelong mission of lifting up youth.
A Tough Road to Success
Michael Wayne Simmons was born on July 1, 1959, in Brooklyn, New York, the second of six children. From an early age, basketball was a constant in his life. You could often find him at the neighborhood park, basketball in hand, patiently waiting for his chance to play with the older guys.
But Mike’s path to success was anything but easy.
In an autobiographical essay he wrote while attending college, Mike openly reflected on the difficult years of his youth. He wrote about struggling in high school, falling under the influence of peers, missing classes, using drugs, getting involved with a gang, gambling, and eventually finding himself in trouble with the law.
For a young man who had once been a promising student, his life had taken a very different direction.
But that wasn't where his story ended.
"I became a serious hoodlum and got into the life of crime as well as gang busting... I could have been dead because we used chains, guns, knives and bats... I began to get tired of this wild and dangerous life style."
Finding His Way Back
Basketball became one of the first things to help Mike find his way forward.
A mentor at his local community center recognized his talent and, more importantly, saw potential in Mike that extended far beyond basketball. He encouraged him to return to school and pursue an education.
Mike enrolled at Lower Eastside Prep, where he began rebuilding his academic record while continuing to play basketball. College recruiters took notice of his talent, but his past academic struggles continued to create obstacles.
Rather than give up, Mike kept looking for another opportunity.
That opportunity eventually came from across the country.
In 1977, Mike was recruited to Seattle, Washington. He enrolled at Bellevue Community College, where he played basketball for Coach Ernie Woods and later Coach Bruce Brown. He eventually continued his education and basketball career at Seattle University, where he studied Criminal Justice.
Getting there wasn't easy. Mike had to earn his GED, overcome a difficult academic history, raise his grades, and even recover from a serious knee injury that required surgery.
But he kept going.
“It's a tough road to success, but I plan on being on that road.”
From Student to Mentor
Mike's own experiences shaped the way he viewed young people who were struggling.
He knew what it felt like to make mistakes. He knew what it felt like to have people look at your past and decide what your future would be. And he knew how important it was for someone to believe in you when you were struggling to believe in yourself.
After college, Mike dedicated much of his career to serving and mentoring others. He worked for Seattle's Downtown Emergency Service Center before becoming a Community Service Officer with the City of Seattle, a position he held for many years.
In 2004, he joined the Kent School District. He first worked as a Safety Officer before becoming Dean of Students at Kent-Meridian High School.
There, Mike became known simply as “Coach.”
He mentored countless young people, particularly student-athletes, encouraging them to work hard, stay accountable, and believe in what they could accomplish. He took particular pride in students who faced additional obstacles, including first-generation college students and young people balancing school, work, and family responsibilities.
Mike was firm when he needed to be, but he was also compassionate, fair, and deeply invested in his students' futures.
He understood that a person's circumstances do not have to determine their destination. Mike also understood the power of someone saying, “You can do this.”
A Legacy of Believing in People
Family and community were at the center of Mike's life.
He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, colleague, and mentor. If Mike considered you family, he meant it.
He was especially proud of his children and loved watching his son Micah play basketball and football. He also cherished his granddaughter Savannah and the time they spent together.
Whether he was coaching on a basketball court, encouraging a student in his office, supporting his family, or simply checking in on a friend, Mike had a way of making people feel seen.
He believed in people.
And he believed that with enough effort, determination, and support, people could change the direction of their lives.
Why We Stay Focused
The Stay Focused mission was inspired by the life Mike lived.
Mike's story wasn't a straight line. It was filled with setbacks, wrong turns, second chances, difficult decisions, and new beginnings.
But he never stopped moving forward.
The same young man who once struggled to stay in school eventually earned his GED, attended college, played basketball at the collegiate level, built a career in public service, became a mentor to countless young people, and dedicated much of his life to helping others reach their potential.
Mike knew firsthand that success isn't always about where you start.
Sometimes it's about having someone believe in you, finding the courage to try again, and staying on the road even when the road gets difficult.
“It's a tough road to success, but I plan on being on that road.”
That is Mike's legacy.
And that is why we Stay Focused.
The Mike Simmons Memorial Scholarship was created to provide opportunities for students who, like Mike, have faced challenges but refuse to let those challenges define their future.
Through scholarships and community support, we hope to give young people the encouragement Mike gave so freely throughout his life.
Because everyone deserves a chance to get back on the road.
