Coupeville Sports

   Jae LeVine savors the sweet, sweet taste of chasing down a wayward runner. (John Fisken photos)

Sharing a moment with Kayla Rose early in their volleyball careers.

“Run … on me?!?!?!? FOOL!!!!!!!!!”

Jae “Flash” LeVine — she’s kind of a big deal.

Bad things happen, for a lot of reasons, and terrible people get a lot more of the headlines than they deserve.

We can’t ignore the terror, the tragedy and the stupidity of the world around us, but one of the best ways to deal with it is to embrace that which is good.

To savor triumph, to reward kindness and effort, to celebrate the wonderful people who light up the world around them, instead of dampening it.

Which is why it is so nice to spend today talking about Joltin’ Jae Levine, who, in words, action and spirit, is a truly remarkable young woman.

It would not matter if she had never played a sport; she would still be one of my favorites.

Jae, who celebrates a birthday today, is a medical miracle, a fighter who has never backed down from her battle with serious heart issues, yet has never been defined by her health.

Instead, the woman of 1,000 nicknames (Mighty Mite, JaeBird and the current favorite, Flash) has always been defined by her sunny nature, the sweetness of her spirit, the way she lights up every room she enters.

Whether on the stage, as part of the CHS theater troupe, pounding on the drums like John Bonham or gunning down runners from second base for the Wolf softball squad, LeVine is a winner.

But it’s the small moments which make her a legend.

The way she slides along the bench, creeping up on a teammate having a bad game, suddenly bear-hugs them, then is gone again almost before they register what happened, leaving behind only a Cheshire Cat grin hanging in the air.

You know that moment on an oppressively hot day, when suddenly an unexpected cool breeze ripples past, and suddenly the world becomes an entirely new, happy place?

Jae is that breeze, come to life.

She picks up other people’s spirits with a smile, a quiet zinger or two, or just her mere presence.

Now, I can’t tell you Jae’s perfect. I’m sure, like everyone, she has her bad moments.

But, having been around her for the last four years, I can say, without a doubt, she is one of the most entertaining, truly lovely people I have met in the world of prep sports.

There is such a genuine sweetness to how she operates on a daily basis, such an embrace of joy, that it is truly awe-inspiring.

So, ask me, do I play favorites?

Of course I do.

And Jae LeVine is up there in that top 1% of my favorites.

When she’s at bat, I am, internally at least (have to maintain at least some journalistic integrity), rooting as hard for her as I do for anyone.

I want to see her succeed and I am thrilled when she does.

Because it’s karma coming back her way, and that is beautiful to see.

She offers hope, love and friendship to the world, a whip-smart wisenheimer who is one of the strongest, kindest young women you will ever meet.

Happy birthday, Miss LeVine; I hope your dreams come true and you have the chance to spread the gospel of Jae far and wide in the coming years.

We are so lucky here in Coupeville to have you be even a small slice of our lives, and I hope you always know how much we all think of you.