Irv Leifer devoted 30 years to coaching basketball at Renton High School, becoming one of the most successful and respected coaches in Washington history. Beginning his career in 1947, Leifer built a dynasty, compiling a career record of 481–302 (.704) and becoming the first coach in state history to lead four teams to WIAA basketball championships.

Leifer’s Renton teams captured their first state crown in 1953 with a victory over Aberdeen, then added titles in 1960, 1966, and 1967. Under his leadership, the Indians claimed 12 league championships, three district titles, and an extraordinary 72 postseason victories in 113 games. In three decades of coaching, Leifer endured only three losing seasons—two of which still ended in playoff appearances. His remarkable run concluded in 1977, when he was honored as the Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association’s 3A Coach of the Year.

Before becoming a legendary coach, Leifer was a standout player himself. He earned All-American honors at Eastern Washington University, where he is enshrined in the Athletic Hall of Fame. His influence on the game extended far beyond Renton, as he was inducted as a charter member of the NAIA Hall of Fame and later into the Washington State Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.