The562’s coverage of Jordan Athletics is sponsored by former LBUSD superintendent Chris Steinhauser and the Timu Foundation.
Long Beach Jordan head coach Chris Francis hit a milestone few high school coaches ever reach, earning his 300th career win after the Panthers’ victory over Narbonne last Friday at the Artesia HOOPSgiving tournament.
But for Francis, the achievement is less about the number and more about the journey; one that he never expected to take.
“It’s a humbling feeling,” Francis said. “I’m just a kid from Fisherville, from Lake Charles, Louisiana. I never even played high school basketball. A lot of people don’t know that.”
What he did have was a deep love for the game. That passion carried him overseas as a player and, unexpectedly, onto the sideline. His coaching career began by accident more than a decade ago, when a friend at a Compton gym needed someone – anyone -to coach a youth team that had been left without a leader.
“Man, I don’t want to mess nobody’s kids up,” Francis recalled telling him.
But after some playful coaxing, Francis stepped in and never stepped out. Through stops at Millikan and now Jordan, Francis has built his coaching philosophy around purpose, not wins. He also led Jordan to a CIF title during the 2023 season.
He quotes Mark Twain when describing his mission: “The two most important days in your life are the day you’re born and the day you find out why.” For Francis, that purpose is crystal clear.
“I use the game to teach young men how to be men,” he said. “Basketball is just the vehicle. You teach respect, morals, responsibility. That’s what lasts.”
This year’s milestone came with personal emotion. Francis’ longtime partner passed away two years ago in late November, “everything I do is dedicated to her.”
