During the summer, July and August are two months when most professional sports, outside of Major League Baseball, are on pause. This lull creates the perfect opportunity to spotlight the future of sports. In the coming weeks, we will feature some of the best-kept secrets, stories, teams, and players in high school athletics from across the country.
Spokane, Washington, has long been recognized for its basketball pedigree, with legends like John Stockton and the prominence of Gonzaga University putting the city on the map. However, the Pacific Northwest has traditionally lacked high-level prep schools that give elite athletes the platform to showcase their talents nationally. That narrative is beginning to change, especially in Spokane, with the introduction of MODE Prep Academy.
MODE is a school that emphasizes basketball development while maintaining a strong academic foundation. With elite instruction, top-tier facilities, and exposure opportunities in a region rich with college basketball programs, including one just ten minutes away in Spokane, MODE is carving out a new path for athletes. Head coach John Adams, a native of nearby Idaho, left Coeur d’Alene High School after leading the team to a 21-5 record, securing their first league title since 2016 and first outright title since 2014.
He’s excited to grow with the school and lead its national team to success in its inaugural season.
“My most gratifying thing in coaching is the kid who calls me when he’s 23 years old to check in to let me know what’s going on… We do it for the right reasons. The coaches I’m hiring are doing it for the right reasons. Nobody is in this for a paycheck, not here. Not for what we’re doing here,” Adams shared.
The facilities at MODE Prep, powered through Liberty Launch Academy, are among the most impressive in the country. Student-athletes will have access to a 250,000-square-foot complex that includes an indoor field for soccer, rugby, and lacrosse, six indoor basketball courts, an indoor football field, a rock climbing wall for strength training, and 14 indoor pickleball courts.
For leisure and recovery, the campus features a barbershop, a recovery room with a cold plunge and cryotherapy, a sports medicine facility, three yoga studios, a sauna, and even an in-season internship program.
Additionally, the campus hosts office spaces for employees of Fortune 500 companies. Students can use their third-period class to shadow professionals in their desired field, creating an invaluable career development opportunity.
Athletes will reside in a 14-bedroom mansion with scenic views of the water, just seven minutes from campus.
The vision for this school is clear. MODE Prep Academy has the potential to become the premier destination in the Pacific Northwest for athletes who want to elevate their game, pursue higher education, and lay the groundwork for a successful future. Within three years, MODE is expected to be recognized as a national powerhouse.
