Winger spent 26 years as a head boys’ basketball coach at the high school level in Coeur d’Alene and capped his career in grand fashion. He led Lake City to a perfect 26-0 record in 2023 and its first state basketball title in program history.
Winger spent 48 years in the Coeur d’Alene School District as a student, student-teacher, teacher, coach and administrator. He was athletic director for 22 years at Lake City, where he was the school’s first basketball coach.
Winger played basketball and baseball at Coeur d’Alene High, where he graduated in 1984. He then played baseball for a season at North Idaho College before transferring to Gonzaga University, where he played baseball and graduated in 1989. He taught three years at Lakes Middle School in Coeur d’Alene and then was hired as boys’ basketball coach at Coeur d’Alene High where he went 33-18 in his two years.
In 1994, Winger went to the new high school in town, Lake City, and posted a 151-73 record in nine seasons, but he stepped down midway through the 2001-02 academic year to become the Timberwolves’ athletic director. However, he couldn’t stay away from the sidelines and returned five years later as basketball coach and guided the team for another 15 years. Overall, he posted a 410-222 record in 26 seasons at the two schools.
In his time, Lake City qualified for state in 13 of his 24 seasons and played in three title games. He also led the Timberwolves to two third-place finishes.
Winger stepped down as Lake City’s athletic director in 2022, and as basketball coach following the 2022-23 season. During his career, he also coach freshman football at both schools, American Legion baseball, was a volunteer high school baseball assistant coach, and coached softball and golf. He officiated high school basketball, football and baseball and was a college baseball umpire.
Winger and his wife Teri have been married for 36 years and they have a daughter Katie, and a son JJ. Jim’s mom Gwen, a loyal Timberwolves’ fan, is 86.