Thomas Jefferson HS bowling and baseball coach Joe Townsend dies

The Federal Way community was shaken on the morning of April 30 with news that Thomas Jefferson High School head baseball coach Joe Townsend had died the night before at age 52.

Townsend leaves a legacy behind him of teamwork and perseverance. He had been coaching Raider baseball since 2009 and made an impact on every person who came in contact with him.

The native of Brooklyn, N.Y., called Federal Way home, a place that he said took him in and he fell in love with it. He was beloved by coaches and players from across the state.

In his final year on this planet, he coached his bowling team to a state title. It was a team that was his own, a program that he could not have been more proud of.

Then there was baseball. It’s a sport that has a special hold on people who latched on to Townsend and he paid it back with everything he had. From fundraising to play at Cheney Stadium to practice days at Brennan Park the last four years, before finally having a place to call home with Thomas Jefferson’s new home fields.

Townsend also held his own on the baseball field, being nominated to the Men’s Senior Baseball League Hall of Fame back in 2021.

There was no bigger Yankee fan than Townsend in the state, and he carried that pride, along with his New Yorker accent every where he went.

Townsend was always about community and nothing brought that out more than when the Raiders played their first game in school grounds in March 2025.

Getting community leaders involved and recognized was also very important for Townsend. For example, King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer was in attendance at the opening of the fields at Thomas Jefferson.

He is survived by his daughter Mohagani, who he called his “Mini-Me; the best part of me,” in an interview with Men’s Senior Baseball League back in 2021.

Kort Baker, Joe Townsend and Kyler Herwick during the commissioner’s cup in 2023. Photo from Joe Baker.