Coastside, Half Moon Bay and John W. Parsons

So Coastside became a giant killer of sorts in winning the latest Bay Area Memorial Day Classic but still remains an unknown basketball organization. Let's rectify that and more.

It's currently operated by John W. Parsons, whose family has a long history in Half Moon Bay hoops.

His father, John M. Parsons, along with Mike Kehoe, founded the Coastside program when the younger Parsons was in the fifth grade. There was a need for basketball instruction in the area outside of the usual winter activity so they filled it.

John W. Parsons went on to play at Half Moon Bay High, graduating in 2002 after twice earning North Peninsula Athletic League Most Valuable Player honors. " I was also two-time San Mateo County Player of the Year and had my jersey retired after my senior year," he recalled..

Parsons still holds the San Mateo County record for both most three-pointers in a season with 109 and career with 260. As a Half Moon Bay Cougar, he once hit nine treys in a game, totaled 46 points in another contest, finished his senior year with 1,512 points and a 23.4 per outing average -- all school records. Per Parsons, "in my senior season, I broke my Dad's scoring record which was pretty cool."

Then it was off to Claremont-McKenna where he became a four-year starter, a co-Most Valuable Player, twice named an all league Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honoree and his squad won the conference championship his senior season in 2006.

It didn't take long for him to enter what is a family coaching tradition.

Come 2007 and back home working in the family business, Parsons accepted the boys basketball coach position at Half Moon Bay High. His father was the assistant coach but in reality it was a combined effort with a division of duties -- "I was pretty much the head coach and my Dad handled all the administrative tasks. We had been going to games and talking with people, being told the kids weren't having a good experience so me and my Dad wanted to change that."

The previous year's team had won one game, with the program amidst a long down steak.

"In our first year, we qualified for CCS and three years in, "we won the league championship in 2010." The Cougars finished that season 18-11 overall, 7-1 in league.

But, as Parsons put it, "it [the head coach position] took up so much time."

So he reached out to former Riordan High coach Rich Forslund, who decided to take over the job and Parsons moved to coaching the Cougar junior varsity squad.

As for Coastside, "it ended when I graduated from high school." Parsons recalled.

That is, until three years ago when Parsons resurrected it. "Playing basketball year round was not an option on the coast and I wanted to change that. A big part of Coastside Basketball is allowing all players an opportunity to play regardless of their families financial situation. The costs to play year-round can add up fast and we have been able to “scholarship” about a third of the players that would otherwise not be able to play. In just the Spring alone, we have been able to get over 100 kids playing via the traveling teams, Spring Break & Friday night clinics. Now, we have six teams this spring" including the one making magic over the Memorial Day weekend.

Referring to his Coastside involvement, Parsons explained, " I received so much support when I was growing up and this is my way of giving back."

Or taking as Golden City, Greenline, the Oakland Soldiers, the Elite 24, the All Star Predators and BTI experienced back in late May.

Yes, Coastside and Half Moon Bay are now on the Bay Area basketball map.