Coupeville Sports

   Danger has returned. The electric current that sparks the Wolves, Madeline Strasburg, is back in uniform. (John Fisken photos)

Back in her natural environment, flying on the break.

“Ooh, this is gonna hurt you a lot more than it’s gonna hurt me!!”

With all due respect to her eight teammates, Coupeville High School senior Madeline Strasburg is the most electrifying player on the floor.

Makana Stone is the most talented Wolf hoops player, but Strasburg hits such highs and such lows, generally followed 0.3 seconds later by more immediate highs, that she is a show like no other.

Even as she had to sit out seven games with a leg injury, having only played in the season opener against South Whidbey, she was the most animated person in the gym.

Stalking the sideline like a wild animal (barely) caged, she made an excellent assistant coach.

Every one of “her” players, upon exiting the game, got a slap on the back, a kick to the butt or a soft pat on the head and a few quiet words of encouragement in their ear.

Even out of uniform, Strasburg walked the walk, talked the talk, screamed out the assignments and used every fiber of her being to will her teammates to victory.

Seeing her back on the court Monday against Vashon Island — she came off the bench and scored eight points while flying from end to end with wild abandon — was especially nice.

This is a young woman who once hit half-court buzzer-beating three-point bombs from the same spot on the court in consecutive games — 17 days apart.

Even if she never asked for it, she earns the nickname Maddie Big Time every single freakin’ game.

But it’s more than that.

Few people seem to really, truly love playing high school sports as much as Miss Strasburg does.

When she graduates, she will go out head high, knowing there was never a moment when she gave less than her all.

I wish every high school athlete would look at Madeline, see her joy and drive, the bounce in her step, and pledge to approach their career the same way.

You’ll never get these days back, so why waste even one?

Maddie embraces life, and athletics, in a bear hug and squeezes every bit of joy she can.

She is wild jubilation mixed with breath-taking danger out there. She is something to behold.

So glad to see her back where she should always be — having the time of her life.