Mitch and Tami Aparicio
No ‘stache, but tons of studliness
Aparicio works his magic behind the drum kit. (Shelli Trumbull photo)
Sydney Aparicio’s old man had some serious skills.
Long before his little girl became a three-sport star (volleyball, cheer, softball) for Coupeville High School, Mitch Aparicio was a ‘stache-rockin’, award-winnin’ beast with a motor that never stopped running at full-speed. A three-time Mr. Hustle award winner in basketball — while playing for his future father-in-law — he remains one of the most honored athletes in school history.
By the time he graduated CHS in 1987, a year before younger brother and fellow high school ‘stache enthusiast Marc, he was an 11-time letter winner (four in football, three apiece in basketball and baseball and one in track). Toss in All-League baseball honors as a sophomore and junior and a ton of football awards, including being selected as the team’s Defensive and Offensive Player of the Year in different seasons, and he had a nice run.
And, while he and his teams had big moments — football went to state three times in four seasons — it’s the memories he made that will stay with him long after the awards get dusty on the mantle.
“Looking back at it now, I believe the best memories I have are of living in a small town and being close to family,” Aparicio said. “Living in a small community was a great opportunity to be involved, to play everything and get recognized by your family and community.”
Ask him about his time on the gridiron, and the moments tumble out, one glorious memory after another.
“Football was my favorite sport because of the man time,” Aparicio said. “Lifting, goofing around, practicing, hanging out together, playing on Friday nights then watching game films on Monday.”
His favorite moments include big wins (“Beating the undefeated Darrington Loggers at Darrington. They were ranked in the top five of the state. We didn’t just beat them, we spanked them, 42-12!”), huge individual efforts (“Playing Orcas Island in the pouring down rain, I rushed 30 times for 194 yards and we won 12-0”) and transcendent plays by teammates (“Jay Roberts catching a fake punt pass in the mini-playoffs against La Conner to go to state. We ran that play twice in the two weeks! What a stud!”)
He also has two memories from his freshman year, of a lighter note, that remain burned in his brain.
“Dan McCutcheon would dare that he would eat bugs and slugs during stretching to raise money and keep it light,” Aparicio said. “And when we were at La Conner and Scott McGraw and the center changed the play in the huddle and ran a fake hike play that went for like 60 yards and Coach Franz got so mad.”
The chance to play multiple sports with the same teammates cemented relationships, and the closeness of Coupeville itself has provided him with new friendships long after graduation.
“I have some great friendships from my high school years and with guys I didn’t know in high school, older or younger,” Aparicio said. “When I meet them years later as a former Coupeville grad, we would talk about how they looked up to me and the other way around, or, you know someone’s brother, etc.
“We have a connection to CHS through having experienced team sports together,” he added. “Scott Losey, Rusty Bailey, my brother, Marc, Jon and Jay Roberts, Rob and Rick Alexander, Dave and Tony Ford. A band of brothers and we didn’t even know it!”
Now a father (he married high school sweetheart Tami Stuurmans in 1991), he has had a chance to coach both of his daughters in various youth sports. Looking back on his own time as a young athlete, he realizes what an impact the teachers and coaches of his youth ended up having.
A talented drummer, he credits English teacher Steve Hill with giving him his big break musically. After joining the band Confessor as a high school junior, he played with them three years before quitting to play college football at Western Washington University, though he has continued to wield the sticks over the years in other groups.
On the playing fields, two men stand out — a football coach barely older than his players and a basketball dean who would go on to figure prominently in Aparicio’s life.
“I think having Ron Bagby come to coach football my sophomore year was a great fit!,” Aparicio said. “He looked like he was our age, but lightning fast and didn’t take any guff!
“I don’t remember any deep discussions with “Bags”, but you knew you were in for a battle as soon as you stepped on the field or court with him,” he added. “He had swagger. Coupeville needed an attitude adjustment back then and we got just what we needed when Ron and his group of buddies arrived in ’84.
A scrapper and hustler on the basketball court, Aparicio worked his butt off for the man whose family he would later join.
“As far as having a favorite coach, it would have to have been Cec Stuurmans,” Aparicio said. “He knew I didn’t have graceful skills on the b-ball court, but he knew I would do what he asked and he trusted me out on the court to put the hammer down on unsuspecting opponents.
“Plus, I married his oldest daughter, Tami, so I want to make sure I stay in his will!,” he added with a huge laugh.
A 25-year vet of the IT infrastructure and network operations industry, Aparicio enjoys watching his daughters follow in the footsteps of their parents (Sydney gets her cheerleader genes straight from mom). While careful not to push them too hard (“We looked at it as an opportunity to get with friends and run around, so that was the main focus, having fun”), he does feel the old juices flowing.
“Sitting in the stands is tough, because I’m very competitive,” Aparicio said. “I get very frustrated at the high school level watching teams that don’t have solid fundamentals. Not sure if it’s just the way kids are today, but I don’t think they have that same level of competitiveness for sports. Seems like it’s more important that everyone had fun, but losing is not fun, so not sure how you turn that around.
“I love to see how the kids experience the games, growing as individuals and learning how to work together, developing a strategy to get something accomplished,” he added. “It’s so awesome when that all comes together.”
Now clean-shaven, the man who helped usher in ‘staches to the Wolf squads of the ’80s (one photo from the period shows half the CHS boys’ basketball team sporting fuzzy lip action), Aparicio is content to let others carry on the mission today.
“I don’t miss it, but I can appreciate guys who can grow and support a gnarley ‘stache!”
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