Coach Harvey Kitani One Win From 1,000th Career Victory

After four decades of shaping young athletes, high school basketball coach Harvey Kitani is about to join one of the most exclusive clubs in California sports history.

The Rolling Hills Prep coach currently sits at 999 career victories and has two chances this weekend to reach the historic 1,000 mark. He'll face Bishop Gorman on Friday at Mater Dei and Hawthorne Math & Science Magnet on Saturday at Harbor College.

Only two other coaches in California history have achieved 1,000 wins. Gary McKnight at Mater Dei and Mike LeDuc at Damien are the only members of this elite group, according to CalHiSports.com.

"You kind of are trying to comprehend that," Kitani said. "It's nothing I signed up for."

Kitani's journey to this moment started in 1979 and took him through three schools across Southern California. He spent 35 years building a powerhouse program at Fairfax High School before moving closer to home.

In 2016, he joined Rolling Hills Prep, just 15 minutes from his house and where two of his sons attended school. Since then, he's added four section titles to his already impressive resume.

Why This Inspires

What makes Kitani's achievement remarkable isn't just the number of wins. It's the consistency, longevity, and dedication required to stay passionate about coaching for 40 years.

Kitani credits his support system at home for allowing him to pursue his calling. He's remained healthy and committed through decades of early mornings, late practices, and countless games.

His path wasn't always smooth either. After one season coaching at San Fernando in 1979, he lost his teaching position and had to spend a year helping at Cal State Dominguez Hills while earning his special education certification.

That setback led him to Fairfax, where he would spend more than three decades transforming lives through basketball. Sometimes the detours lead us exactly where we need to be.

As Kitani prepares for what could be a historic weekend, his humility stands out as much as his record. He never set out to chase numbers or break records.

Win number 1,000 represents something bigger than basketball: a lifetime of showing up, investing in young people, and proving that quiet dedication creates lasting impact.