Coupeville Sports

Rhiannon Ellsworth

Some players you just root for more than others.

Whether it’s because they work harder, have had to overcome more or just exude so much friendliness it’s hard not to, players like Rhiannon Ellsworth garner a lot of support. Which is just the way it should be.

The Coupeville High School senior, a veteran Wolf cheerleader who is trying to rebound from ACL surgery and make an impact on the basketball court this winter, is the comeback kid. As long as she can stay upright, with both legs working, it’ll be easy for Wolf fans to root her on.

Getting back on the court hasn’t been easy. Ellsworth, who has played basketball since elementary school, pulled an ACL in her left knee as a freshman, then tore the one in her right knee as a junior.

“My main goal is to earn my spot. I’ve worked so hard,” Ellsworth said. “The only reason I cried last year when I tore my ACL was because I worked so hard and I knew I was out. Still to this day I get emotional about it.”

Ellsworth, who switches between guard and the post, enjoys the fast-paced flow of the game.

“I enjoy mostly the intensity and speed of the game,” she said. “My strengths, I believe, are my intensity, speed, and love for the game. I’d like to work more on ball handling, though.”

After three years as a Wolf cheerleader, Ellsworth played volleyball her senior season, and the reconstructed knee held up nicely. Ditto for the first few days of hoops practice, which means a lot to her.

“Basketball is definitely my favorite,” Ellsworth said. “I’ve always loved it and I love the most beating people down the court.”

An English lover (“I love to write!”) who spends her off-court moments with friends (“Most of my spare time is spent with my best friend, Kacie Kiel, and, if not, her sister, my other best friend, Katie Kiel“), Ellsworth has begun to think of her time after CHS. She plans to apply to community colleges (Whatcom or Skagit Valley top her list), then attend a nursing program.

No matter where she goes and what she does, she knows her biggest supporter will always be there for her, both in the stands at her games and in life. Steve Ellsworth is the unsung hero in her tale.

“My dad has been the biggest impact on me; it’s been just him and I since I was five,” Ellsworth said. “He’s my biggest supporter, even at my worst.”