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Archive for the ‘Basketball’ Category

Family, friends inspire rising star!!

Posted in Basketball, Cheer, soccer, Volleyball, tagged , , , , on May 31, 2017| 1 Comment »

Samantha Streitler (Photo courtesy Stephanie Streitler)

Streitler leads the break in a SWISH game. (John Fisken photo)

Samantha Streitler is seeking inner peace. Sort of.

The Coupeville Middle School 7th grader is a strong three-sport athlete, and her natural aggressiveness is a positive, but she also wants to temper that with focus in the heat of battle.

“I have great leader’s skills and I’m very competitive,” Streitler said. “I need to work on not getting frustrated and keeping calm on the court and or field.”

She plays volleyball and basketball for CMS, plus youth soccer and was a captain while she was involved in youth cheer from K-6.

Once she hits the high school hallways, she plans to add cheer back to her full schedule of sports.

“I really enjoy cheering,” Streitler said.

Regardless of the sport, she wants to “become known as a persistent, trustworthy, hard worker” by coaches and teammates.

While she enjoys all of her athletic pursuits, if Streitler had to pick one as a favorite, it would be hoops.

“Basketball, because I can use my strength and aggression on defense,” she said. “But, most of all, all my best friends play on the team.

“I love seeing the community coming together and cheering for us,” Streitler added. “Plus I love sports in general.”

On the court or off, she embraces those close to her, whether they be coaches, family, teammates or friends.

“(CMS volleyball) Coach (Alexandra) Walter believed in me and pushed me and taught me I always can get better,” Streitler said. “My parents have made a huge impact in my life and are my #1 fans.

“My friends have taught me to be a winner and we will do it together,” she added. “My family and friends are my life!”

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“I enjoy being an athlete!!”

Posted in Basketball, Softball, Volleyball, tagged , , , , , on May 31, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Three-sport star Anya Leavell. (Photo courtesy Sarah Leavell)

“Sports make me feel good about myself.”

Whether it’s volleyball, basketball or softball, Coupeville 7th grader Anya Leavell embraces the opportunity each sport presents, both as a way to stay fit and a way to express herself.

“I enjoy being an athlete because I feel thrilled and excited before and during my games,” she said. “I love having to look forward to something.”

While she enjoys softball, where she’s currently playing for a Central Whidbey Little League juniors squad which has a home game Wednesday (6 PM) at the CHS diamond, the other two sports are her passion.

“Basketball and volleyball are my favorite sports because I’m super competitive,” Leavell said. “Basketball makes me feel good about myself because I feel accomplished every time I make a basket.

“I also love volleyball because it’s kind of a calmer sport that settles me down,” she added. “It’s like a stress reliever.”

Leavell, who enjoys indie and pop music (“It gets me in a good mood”) and Tim Burton flicks (“I like an eerie movie”), already has height and natural skills.

Now she wants to take the advice she gets from her coaches, mesh it with hard work, and see just how far it can eventually carry her.

“My goal for my high school sports career is to earn my spot as a true star athlete and team leader and to work on staying positive,” Leavell said.

Like all young athletes, her game is a mixture of strengths and areas she’d like to hone.

“My strengths would be my defense and stealing in basketball,” Leavell said. “Something I should work on would be to keep my head up if I make a mistake. I can always work harder to fix it.

“My volleyball strength is serving, but I need to work on not being so hard on myself,” she added. “My softball strengths are hitting and trying new positions.”

As she finds her groove in each sport, Leavell has received guidance from a number of coaches, something she embraces.

“My SWISH basketball coach, Coach V (Dustin Van Velkinburgh), has helped me improve my basketball skills so much and I am grateful for him,” she said. “My softball coaches, Mimi (Johnson) and Connie (Lippo), boost my confidence in making me a better player.

“I’d also like to thank my school basketball coach, Coach (Megan) Smith, for helping me learn new plays and helping me be part of the team.”

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Sports spark friendship for Contreras!!

Posted in Basketball, Track, Volleyball, tagged , , , , on May 30, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Hardwood hot shot Kiara Contreras. (Photo courtesy Angella Contreras)

The future is bright for Kiara Contreras.

Not only is the Coupeville Middle School 7th grader a fast-rising star in multiple sports, but, soon, she’ll be able to see her favorite film.

For the first time.

Contreras is beyond thrilled that one of her favorite books, the teen lit tearjerker “Everything, Everything” has been turned into a film which is hitting theaters across America.

She hails the trailer (you can see it at the end of this story) as her favorite thing to watch, saying “the book was awesome!”

When she’s not mainlining her #1 coming attraction, Contreras loves listening to country and hip hop, swimming and working in her wood shop class.

As an athlete, she’s a woman for all seasons, playing volleyball and basketball and running track.

Contreras doubles up as a hoops player, taking the court as a SWISH player in addition to her court time at CMS.

She enjoys the different challenges all of the sports present (“I love them all”) and may branch out further once she hits high school.

“Maybe I’ll add another sport,” Contreras said. “Not sure which one yet!”

She continues to work hard, regardless of the season, and wants to build her strengths in each of her sports.

“In volleyball, my strength is no fear of diving for the ball,” Contreras said. “I need to work on my serving.

“In basketball, my strength is being a point guard and having the ability to get the ball to the other players,” she added. “I need to work on my baskets.”

Contreras is coming off of a debut track season in which she competed for the Wolves across a broad range of events.

“In track, my strength is being able to push myself to the limit,” she said. “I need to work on focusing forward instead of looking at the other racer.”

As she moves forward in her athletic career, Contreras has firm goals (“I want to get to state with my girls!!!”), while getting a great deal of enjoyment from her time as a competitor.

Her family, friends and coaches inspire her, and push the always-in-motion fireball to keep on working and improving with every practice, every game, every meet.

“My mom Angella, pushing me to try a new sport like track and me loving it,” Contreras said. “My cousins, Raven and Willow Vick, for giving me pointers and support with volleyball and track!

“Ja’Kenya Hoskins and Zach Murtha for believing in me and supporting me. Plus pushing me to do better!,” she added. “Mrs. (Elizabeth) Bitting for making me work my hardest everyday!

“Even though we didn’t get McDonald’s…”

Contreras also got a strong emotional boost from a former CHS track star (and state meet veteran) who joined the CMS staff as an assistant coach this spring.

“Larry (Hurlburt) for giving me the courage to do the 200 by your awesome high fives!”

The outgoing Contreras gets many benefits from playing sports, but one special strong point for her has been the chance to get to know others, and not just on her own team.

“It’s a great way to learn to work together with others,” she said. “Meeting new friends on the other teams, like Aspen, who plays sports for Forks.

“Through sports I made a great friend!”

 

The trailer for “Everything, Everything”:

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Never bored, always improving!!

Posted in Basketball, soccer, Softball, Volleyball, tagged , , , , on May 30, 2017| Leave a Comment »

   Name a sport and CMS 7th grader Audrianna Shaw has played it. (Submitted photo)

Boredom is not part of Audrianna Shaw’s daily routine.

The ever-busy Coupeville Middle School 7th grader jumps between four sports (she plans to trim it down to three by high school) and enjoys them all.

“I like being an athlete because with practices and games you can never be bored and you can always stay fit,” Shaw said.

She plays volleyball and basketball through CMS, as well as youth soccer and little league softball, with plans to shed volleyball once she hits CHS (since it would conflict with soccer in the fall).

Put her on the softball diamond, where she swings a strong bat and wields a slick glove at third for the Central Whidbey Adrenaline juniors squad, and she comes into her own.

“My favorite sport has always been softball,” Shaw said. “It’s my favorite because of the competitive nature and how you must rely on teammates for success.”

As she assesses her skill-set, she’s realistic but firmly set on becoming the best she can be.

Most of all, she wants to be part of a group which leaves behind its own solid piece of the Wolf legacy.

“As of right now I don’t think I have strengths,” Shaw said. “I would like to work on all areas so I can be a very well-rounded athlete.

“You know the banners hanging in the gym for all the sports?,” she asked. “I want my team and I to have one hanging up there someday.”

Away from the field or court, Shaw “loves listening to music, relaxing and hanging out with my friends in my spare time,” while also staying focused on “keeping my grades up.” Math and history are her favorite classes.

Whether in the classroom or playing a sport, she draws support from friends and family, something for which she’s very grateful.

“My mom has always been there to drive me to games and practices. She has always been there to cheer me up if we lost and motivate me,” Shaw said. “Also my teammates, because they are always very supportive.”

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“I enjoy the challenge of competition!!”

Posted in Basketball, Softball, Volleyball, tagged , , , , , , on May 30, 2017| Leave a Comment »

   Abby Mulholland (left) with cousin, and Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Famer, Kendra O’Keefe. (Renae Mulholland photo)

Abby Mulholland is part of Coupeville sports royalty.

Her relatives, whether they played as an O’Keefe (or, back in the day, simply as a Keefe), are stocked full of Wolf legends, many of whom are enshrined in the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame.

It’s a big legacy, but one the eternally-upbeat Mulholland is eager to live up to as she prepares to start her 8th grade year at Coupeville Middle School in the fall.

A three-sport star (volleyball, basketball and little league softball), Abby is a young woman for all seasons, but hoops will always have a slightly larger piece of her heart.

“My favorite sport is basketball because of the fast pace, teamwork and adrenaline,” Mulholland said.

“I enjoy the challenge of competition and I believe in teamwork.”

She has “a decent basketball shot,” which uncle Ryan O’Keefe, noted hardwood sage, is helping her perfect, and Mulholland is always eager to fine-tune her skills, regardless of the sport.

“Areas to work on are jump spiking, serving, my speed … my goals are to make it on varsity (in high school) and continue these sports,” she said. “To cheer on my teammates and just have fun.”

Mulholland has a strong support crew and she’s grateful for the many different ways in which they help.

“My dad, who shoots around with me and helped with my basketball shot; Miss (Casie) Dunleavey helped me with serving,” Mulholland said. “Izzy Wells and Genna Wright helped with my confidence, and my mom is my biggest cheerleader.

“(Little League) coach Mimi Johnson inspired me to do better.”

When she’s not playing a sport, Mulholland enjoys her history class and playing trumpet, as well as drawing, photography and trips to Disneyland.

Favorite movies include The Sandlot, Planes, Trains and Automobiles and the Pirates of the Caribbean series and she makes her parents, radio station veterans, proud by enjoying a wide variety of music, from Queen to The Chainsmokers.

While she’s still young and her athletic career stretches far ahead of her, one thing is for sure — on the playing field or off, Mulholland is solid gold.

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