Coupeville Sports

Hunter Smith drills a jumper back in the day. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Coach can shoot.

Coupeville High School is reaching into its recent past to add to its coaching staff, with Hunter Smith coming out of retirement to take over the reigns of the JV boys basketball team.

Smith, a 2018 CHS grad, needs to be officially confirmed by the school board, but that’s 99.2% certain.

In a unique twist, Hunter replaces his dad, Chris Smith, who stepped down from the JV boys basketball job after moving off-Island.

The Wolf young guns will have a chance to learn from three of the program’s biggest stars of yesterday.

Smith rippled the nets for 847 points during his varsity hoops career, placing him 12th on the all-time CHS boys basketball scoring list.

Wolf varsity coach Brad Sherman is 8th on that chart, with 874 points, while volunteer assistant Greg White is 30th, having tallied 604 points on the high school hardwood.

In addition to his hoops highlights, Hunter Smith owns half the record board for CHS football, and was a star pitcher and shortstop for Wolf baseball.

The middle of Charlotte Young’s three children — trailing CJ and preceding Scout — Hunter holds the school’s career records for receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and interceptions.

He also holds single-season marks in all three of those categories, and the single-game record for receiving TD’s.

With the start of a pandemic-shortened basketball season just around the bend, Sherman and his assistants — longtime coach Randy Bottorff is helping out as well — are primed to go.

“Really excited to have Hunter coming onboard,” Sherman said. “To be able to bring in someone of such high character, who not only knows the game, but is passionate about the success of the program, is a huge win for our athletes.

“Hunter is a great fit to lead our JV team and I know the whole coaching staff can’t wait to get started in a couple weeks.”