Varsity Head Coach

Coach Brooke Cates grew up in Columbia Falls, Montana where she was a three-sport, all-state athlete in volleyball, basketball and track and field.  After high school, Brooke fulfilled her dream of playing in the PAC 10 by becoming a two-sport athlete at the University of Oregon, competing in both Women’s Basketball and Track and Field, where she was an All-American javelin thrower. Go Ducks!

Coach Cates started coaching in Canby, Oregon as an assistant boy’s basketball coach under Dane Walker.  She was also the head coach for the highly regarded Oregon Lords boys AAU team where she developed multiple athletes who have gone on to play at the next level and professionally.  Her first high school girls coaching job was at Canby High School.  She spent five years as Canby’s varsity head coach before coming to West Linn. This will be Coach Cates forth year as head coach at West Linn High School.  Coach Cates is currently a middle school Physical Education and Health teacher at Baker Prairie Middle School. 

Coach Cates has been married to her husband Scott for 28 years and has three children: Coby (graduate of Oregon State University and current pharmacy student), Jace (graduate Concordia University and current mortgage broker for Advantage Mortgage) and daughter Cianne (graduate of University of Oregon and current healthcare negotiator and analyst for Interlink Health Services).  Brooke really enjoys working with high school athletes and has a successful track record for ensuring that her student athletes work hard on the court and in the classroom.  When not coaching/teaching she enjoys working out, and spending time with her family and dogs (Jimmer, Starsky & Hutch) and cat (Jinxy).

Coach John VanAcker graduated from Michigan State University, class of 1980 and promptly moved due west 2,400 miles to begin his teaching career in Canby, Oregon. Over the course of a 38 year career in Canby John taught 2nd grade (13 years), 4/5 split classes (15 years), 6th grade math/science (3 years) and served seven years as Academic Interventionist at the middle school level.  After retiring from the Canby School district in 2018,  John taught five years @ Athey Creek Middle School retiring in June 2023 after 43 years as an educator.

Coach John also began his coaching career in 1980, first coaching middle school football, basketball and track. In 1982 John transitioned to coaching at the high school level and over many years worked as a junior varsity coach, as a varsity assistant and varsity head coach. John was also quite involved in the community youth basketball programs, volunteering for more than a decade as coach and president of the junior basketball association.  All in all John previously coached 37 of his 38 years as an educator in
Canby and now the past six years at West LInn High School.

Mostly retired now (other than coaching)   Coach John is excited to be a 7th year assistant in the West Linn girls program, and loves working with the exceptional student-athletes representing the West Linn community.

Coach John has been married to his wife Kelley for 41 years and has two adult children Tyler and Lindsay.  Coach John and Kelley are now in the  grandparent mode having two grandsons - Ezekiel and Harlow.  Outside of the gym John enjoys camping, sailing, reading,  music and spending time chasing deer and moles from his yard.

Varsity Assistant Coach

Assistant Coach

Coach Ryan Patrick grew up in Damascus, Oregon where he was a two-sport varsity athlete in basketball and soccer.  He earned first team all-league, league MVP, and All-State honors his senior year in basketball. After high school, Ryan started his basketball coaching career at his alma mater where he coached both at the youth and high school level. Ryan is finishing his college degree through Grand Canyon University, where he will receive a Bachelor’s in Communications, and will ultimately earn his Masters in Teaching.  Ryan loves teaching the game of basketball and helping athletes find success on the court. When he is not in school or coaching, Ryan enjoys spending time with his friends and family.