One of Dane Dominguez and Grey Garrison’s earliest memories of basketball are when the Western Washington University men’s basketball team took on Duke at the historic Cameron Indoor Stadium in 2012.
Dominguez, the son of Western men’s basketball head coach Tony Dominguez, and Garrison, the son of Western women’s basketball head coach Carmen Dolfo, have been around basketball their entire lives.
It’s hard to grasp how much their parents have achieved at Western for such a long amount of time for both of them.
“It is very crazy how successful they are, but they’re good coaches and it shows,” Dane said.
Having parents coaching at a high level has given them unique knowledge and experiences.
Dane and Garrison, both juniors, currently start for the Sehome High School boys basketball team, but that’s not because of who their parents are.
“I think [Dane] knows all eyes are on him and his position on teams is always questioned because of his status in the basketball community,” Tony said. “He’s done well, played well and proved himself, but I think he feels the pressure of having to continue to do that.”
Tony Dominguez, second from left, watches his son Dane (33) as Sehome takes on Anacortes in a boys basketball game on Jan. 8 in Bellingham. Western Washington University’s head women’s basketball coach Carmen Dolfo and men’s coach Tony Dominguez both have children playing on the Sehome boys basketball team. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
Growing up in homes where wins and losses have been so important, the pair said they haven’t felt the pressure to succeed, but instead know what it takes to be successful.
“I do think both of them love the game and work incredibly hard. They’re in the gym all the time and that’s by their choice,” Dolfo said. “They love it and they want to do that and they know it doesn’t just happen by showing up to practice everyday.”
Being Dolfo’s youngest child, Garrison has spent a lot of time on the road traveling with the Western women’s basketball team.
He’s been able to see firsthand everything that comes with playing at the next level — wins and losses included.
“He’s seen all the difficulties of losing and how you can learn from loss,” Dolfo said. “He’s seen the lessons of sitting in a hotel room while we’re watching game film and he was on his video games. He’s kind of seen it all. The thing that makes me happy is he loves it and doesn’t look at it like he wants to get away from it. He wants to have that experience, too.”
Dane witnessed the pinnacle of sports at age 6 when Western men’s basketball won the national title in 2012 while Tony was associate head coach, before being promoted to head coach the following season.
“It’s a little faded because of how young I was, but it was great seeing that win,” Dane said. “Then, the next year when my dad got the head coaching job, he brought them back to the final four and it was just a crazy experience to be there.”
Having coaches for parents, Garrison and Dane said they know they’ll always have someone to help them every time they watch film or just want advice.
It’s also given them motivation and drive to play at a high level.
“It’s been cool always watching the games and watching the guys growing up and wanting to eventually play there or at that level of basketball,” Garrison said.
Carmen Dolfo, upper right, watches her son Grey Garrison shoot a free throw as Sehome takes on Anacortes in a boys basketball game on Jan. 8. Dolfo, Western Washington University’s head women’s basketball coach, and men’s coach Tony Dominguez both have children playing on the Sehome boys basketball team. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
Growing up together, Dane and Garrison are now in the middle of their high school basketball careers.
When Tony and Dolfo are sitting in the bleachers at Sehome High School watching them play, it’s a mixed bag of turning the coaching part of their brains off.
Tony said he’s probably watching through more of a coach’s lens.
“I’m just sitting there watching, but I have my opinions,” Tony said. “I’m actually growing as well as a parent because I’m learning how to not put those pressures on [Dane] as he’s doing his best.”
Turning off the coaching switch comes a lot easier for Dolfo.
“You’re not thinking so strategically of what needs to change,” she said. “It’s just being able to enjoy and see him happy and enjoy what he loves to do.”
Dane and Garrison’s junior season at Sehome is in full swing with the postseason on the horizon. The Mariners are poised to make a playoff push, hoping to return to the state tournament for the first time since 2015.
