Coupeville Sports

Willie Smith – the body may be at rest, but the brain is constantly firing at 100 MPH. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

“It’s a terrible idea.”

Friday Harbor High School Athletic Director Brock Hauck is not a fan of a proposed Coupeville Schools budget cut which would remove Willie Smith as AD, and hand his duties off to an already-busy assistant principal.

Hauck and Smith have become friends over the years, but the Friday Harbor AD is all about the business when he looks at the potential fallout of such a move.

“I don’t think most people are aware of the time and effort put in by AD’s behind the scenes,” Hauck said. “With the constant phone calls and emails, it’s almost a 24/7 job.”

Asking an assistant principal to balance the AD job with their other duties would make for a juggling act, one which Hauck doesn’t believe would benefit Coupeville, or the Northwest 2B/1B League.

Smith is currently president of the NWL and works to solve issues for the other six schools as well as his own.

“Willie is very valuable, not just to Coupeville, but to our league,” Hauck said. “He has a lot of knowledge, a great networking system, and is always consistent.

“(Losing him) would be a big loss for our league, and our teams in general,” he added. “He’s a quality man.

“I don’t believe it will go well, and I think you will see sports programs fall off without him.”

While Hauck, like all coaches and athletic directors, appreciates that budget cuts often have to be made, he doesn’t think the relatively small savings Coupeville would generate from the switch balances out with the repercussions.

“I just don’t think that’s the place to cut.”