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Archive for the ‘Fundraisers’ Category

They came to run in the sun

Posted in Fundraisers, Running, tagged , , , , on August 14, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville’s Jeannie (left) and Sophie Sandahl competed in the 10K Saturday. (Photo courtesy Sandahl family)

They turned out in force.

Official stats show 277 runners competing Saturday in the annual Race the Reserve, the biggest fundraiser for Coupeville High School’s next graduating class.

The 5K was the most-popular event, attracting 107 competitors.

Meanwhile, the 10K snagged 99 runners, and the half marathon featured 71 people ambling across the prairie.

Two of the day’s three winners have a direction connection to Coupeville Middle and High School cross country.

Andrew Wyman, husband of CMS harrier coach Amber Wyman, claimed the crown in the half marathon.

George Spear, who will be a Wolf sophomore this fall, outran the field to win the 10K, while the 5K title was copped by Levi DeBoard, who seems to have no connection to the Wolf running programs.

 

Complete results:

 

Half Marathon:

Andrew Wyman (1st) 1:28:22.8
Zack Rikkinen (2nd) 1:32:49.7
Nikki Leith (3rd) 1:35:31.6
Kim VanSant (4th) 1:40:40.7
Rich Frazier (5th) 1:41:18.6
Jon Leachtenauer (6th) 1:47:38.3
Jakobi Baumann (7th) 1:49:33.1
James O’Brien (8th) 1:50:56.5
Ayla Gizlice (9th) 1:51:17.0
Pin Laurent (10th) 1:54:39.3
Terry Wadkins (11th) 1:55:31.8
Alexander Zarifis (12th) 1:55:57.1
Roy Seliber (13th) 1:56:05.0
Anna Smukowski (14th) 1:58:53.8
Jakob Kirschenmann (15th) 1:59:14.6
Josh Collins (16th) 2:00.31.7
Brian Austin (17th) 2:02.39.8
Andrey Kuksyuk (18th) 2:04:00.7
Steve Zarafis (19th) 2:04.09.8
Hank Milnes (20th) 2:05:18.5
Diana Mladosich (21st) 2:05:40.6
Genevieve Tedder (22nd) 2:05.56.3
Vivian Tedder (23rd) 2:06:40.1
Renee Tedder (24th) 2:06:54.9
Jen Swanson (25th) 2:07:10.7
Gina Salama (26th) 2:08:56.4
Randy DeWolde (27th) 2:08:56.8
Kate Anderson (28th) 2:09:14.6
Shelley Jackson (29th) 2:11:42.9
Griff Overturf (30th) 2:13:31.9
Landon Overturf (31st) 2:13:33.2
Vesa Rikkinen (32nd) 2:14:36.8
Jonathan Roberts (33rd) 2:15:25.3
Debbie St. Aubin (34th) 2:15:43.5
Tina Beus (35th) 2:16:20.2
Matthew Moberly (36th) 2:19:21.0
Rob Bevis (37th) 2:19:38.2
Loren Osborn (38th) 2:21:07.2
Kaylee Giles (39th) 2:21:32.9
Kay Sterner (40th) 2:22:07.7
Melissa Clarke (41st) 2:22:19.6
Jake Martel (42nd) 2:22:24.6
Lindsey Martel (43rd) 2:22:25.4
Selen Gizlice (44th) 2:22:37.6
Cassidee Beus (45th) 2:23:13.7
Jim Sterner (46th) 2:24:30.2
Trenton Mueller (47th) 2:24:47.8
Nikki Garcia (48th) 2:27:01.4
Misty Martin (49th) 2:27:55.8
Rayna Burke (50th) 2:29:15.0
Alysha Best (51st) 2:30:30.0
Pat McFaul (52nd) 2:33:11.9
Taylor Kirschenmann (53rd) 2:35:03.2
Nicole Rikkinen (54th) 2:35:09.1
Luke Kruger-Howard (55th) 2:36:02.5
Brina Hatcher (56th) 2:36:16.0
Karen Hatcher (57th) 2:36:16.1
Rachel Ruddell (58th) 2:37:37.2
Kelly Powers (59th) 2:41:57.8
A. Powers (60th) 2:41:58.1
Kevin Lavering (61st) 2:42:10.1
Theresa Manns (62nd) 2:44:10.8
Hiusze Noom (63rd) 2:45:42.9
Kimberly Hutchins (64th) 2:46:20.1
Andrew Strappazon (65th) 2:47.31.9
Andrew Jenkins (66th) 2:55:40.5
Chiage Zediker (67th) 2:56:46.3
Elizabeth Walker (68th) 2:58:41.6
Jeremy Walker (69th) 2:58:42.4
Katrina Riippa (70th) 3:09:18.4
Gerard Lopez (71st) 3:24:08.8

 

10K:

George Spear (1st) 43:50.0
Tom FitzMacken (2nd) 45:23.9
Stephanie Ballard (3rd) 45:26.3
Shawn Ross (4th) 46:02.0
Charles Arndt (5th) 46:09.9
Sam Howat (6th) 46:50.9
Cristian Rivas (7th) 48:17.5
Michael Hutchinson (8th) 48:53.9
Ralph Gamble (9th) 50:52.0
Vincent Tramonte (10th) 51:20.9
Cyrus Sparacio (11th) 51:40.1
Emily Starks (12th) 51:45.2
Michael Briddell (13th) 52:37.1
Amy Harper (14th) 53:37.5
Lydia Li (15th) 53:59.7
Dale Haley (16th) 54:16.8
Elizabeth McKeon (17th) 55:02.0
Van Gamble (18th) 55:11.5
Kevin Wunderly (19th) 55:14.0
Laura Evelle (20th) 55:27.9
Marti Murphy (21st) 56:18.9
Dina Deliyanides (22nd) 56:28.5
Sandra Johnson (23rd) 56:31.1
Susan Jones (24th) 56:35.8
Nick Abbott (25th) 57:02.2
Theresa Sanders (26th) 57:11.4
Katelyn Kean (27th) 58:03.2
Dana Montgomery (28th) 58:22.2
Maddie Miller (29th) 58:50.4
Miguel Razo (30th) 1:00:36.4
Erica Hendricks (31st) 1:00:48.9
John Basso (32nd) 1:00:55.2
Tessie Robertson (33rd) 1:01:02.8
Ivan Mauricio Navarro Martinez (34th) 1:01:03.5
Sophie Sandahl (35th) 1:01:22.0
Maddy McLain (36th) 1:01:32.0
Eyonna Mason-Vaughn (37th) 1:02:26.0
Hazel Busic (38th) 1:02:38.2
Richard Bourcier (39th) 1:03:53.0
Holden Usherwood (40th) 1:04:05.4
Tova Barden (41st) 1:04:15.7
Nathan Nicholson (42nd) 1:04:33.0
Shaelyn Pitta (43rd) 1:04:33.7
Tyra Mulligan (44th) 1:05:14.4
Ian Sebastian (45th) 1:05:14.9
Rebecca Rhodes (46th) 1:05:19.3
Dillon Sylte (47th) 1:05:21.2
Ali Mollhoff (48th) 1:05:21.7
Trina Gardner (49th) 1:05:48.5
Wade Gardner (50th) 1:05:49.2
Ellen Haley (51st) 1:05:52.0
Alondra Rivas (52nd) 1:06:17.6
David King (53rd) 1:06:24.5
Vasilios Andrews (54th) 1:06:40.9
Madeleine Winslow (55th) 1:08:05.0
Claire Sites (56th) 1:08:44.0
Kurtis Smith (57th) 1:08:45.5
Christina Jump (58th) 1:08:51.8
Brian Hickey (59th) 1:08:55.2
Anonymous Participant (60th) 1:09:54.9
Melissa Van Buhler (61st) 1:09:57.4
Ava Ford (62nd) 1:10:13.4
Hannah Nicholson (63rd) 1:10:13.7
Rachel Delshad (64th) 1:11:00.9
Mary Ann Duhrkopf (65th) 1:11:01.7
George Thawley (66th) 1:11:51.7
Thierry Lopez (67th) 1:12:12.3
Alexa Sandefur (68th) 1:12:13.3
Carolyn Pape (69th) 1:12:18.8
Patrick Kreek (70th) 1:14:01.9
Brittany Kreek (71st) 1:14:02.1
Catherine Hoover (72nd) 1:15:22.2
Tawnya Wavada (73rd) 1:15:51.9
Susan Briddell (74th) 1:15:56.3
Robin Murphy (75th) 1:16:03.5
Lindsay McClellan(76th) 1:16:59.4
Kyle McClellan (77th) 1:16:59.7
Zane Bennett (78th) 1:17:00.0
Thomas Moffitt (79th) 1:17:49.9
Maribeth Wunderly (80th) 1:17:56.0
E. Bookwalter (81st) 1:18:10.1
Kearstyn Small (82nd) 1:18:12.6
Madeleine Orton (83rd) 1:18:58.3
Pasi Rikkinen (84th) 1:21:32.6
Jeannie Sandahl (85th) 1:21:32.7
Lori Holt (86th) 1:27:45.0
Peter Kettler (87th) 1:27:55.2
Joy Hickey (88th) 1:28:19.2
James Bookwalter (89th) 1:28:27.5
Dawn Stobaugh (90th) 1:29:10.7
Lincoln Kelley (91st) 1:30:24.9
Heidi Ford (92nd) 1:30:38.5
Mike Simpson (93rd) 1:30:56.5
Olesya Matson (94th) 1:31:57.6
Chris Holt (95th) 1:34:00.3
Brandy Bookwalter (96th) 1:37:08.2
Chelsea Stobaugh (97th) 1:37:10.6
Kasha Portrey (98th) 1:48:36.2
Mikel Bryant (99th) 1:48.37.7

 

5K:

Levi DeBoard (1st) 16:44.9
Jeroam Wood-Pina (2nd) 19:09.5
Nolan Saltonstall (3rd) 20:58.7
Cael Wilson (4th) 21:29.6
Nicholas Wasik (5th) 21:54.1
Larry DeBoard (6th) 24:08.3
David Harris (7th) 24:26.1
Joseph Lawrence (8th) 25:02.0
Matthew Kern (9th) 25:15.3
Bridget Perkins (10th) 25:24.2
Jill Tsuchitori (11th) 26:31.6
Cameron Marley (12th) 26:33.5
Edmund Wilson (13th) 26:37.4
Madeleine Howat (14th) 27:15.2
Natalie Jamison (15th) 27:34.4
Brandon Bailey (16th) 27:39.6
A. Powers (17th) 28:47.0
River Simpson (18th) 29:16.3
Isabelle Tsuchitori (19th) 29:16.5
Chase Simpson (20th) 29:16.7
John Teutsch (21st) 29:48.7
Kate Reef (22nd) 30:04.8
M. Howat (23rd) 30:10.0
Ross Labrenz (24th) 30:48.3
Nathan Howat (25th) 30:54.7
Jon McGinnis (26th) 30:56.5
Tyler Domitrovich (27th) 31:25.6
John Hughes (28th) 31:39.5
Pam Sanstrom (29th) 32:22.5
Amber Austin (30th) 32:32.2
Rhianna Olson (31st) 33:10.6
N. Farnum (32nd) 33:15.6
N. Farnum II (33rd) 33:17.5
Alexandra Farnum (34th) 33:20.7
Andrew Farnum (35th) 33:31.1
Natalie Perera (36th) 33:49.0
Lynn Hyde (37th) 33:55.4
Brenden Hansen (38th) 35:20.2
Katheryne Crowe (39th) 35:54.3
Laurrin Bates (40th) 36:24.1
Cameron Davies (41st) 36:31.6
Taygin Jump (42nd) 37:00.1
Tate Wyman (43rd) 37:00.1
Rachel Gonzalez (44th) 37:18.8
A. Bosler (45th) 37:24.1
Rebecca Albright (46th) 37:31.7
Liliya Kuksyuk (47th) 37:56.6
Lynn Baldwin Rhoades (48th) 38:02.7
Jay Gainer (49th) 38:05.1
Cynthia Sebastian (50th) 38:38.6
Alison Perera (51st) 38:40.3
Michael P. Abercrombie (52nd) 39:33.5
Anonymous Participant (53rd) 39:46.3
Jim Smith (54th) 39:52.0
Jen Wuest (55th) 40:24.3
Shannon Tumblin (56th) 40:29.5
Providence Phelps (57th) 40:32.1
Desi Greene (58th) 41:00.1
Kaniu Eckart (59th) 41:01.0
O. Glaze (60th) 41:05.4
Albert Estrada (61st) 41:06.5
Kathy Glaze (62nd) 41:06.5
Ace Jones (63rd) 41:28.9
Candy O’Neal (64th) 42:39.1
Rainy Simpson (65th) 43:40.8
Ron Pedersen (66th) 43:46.7
Kristina Morris (67th) 44:22.6
Matt Bepler (68th) 44:28.3
Kristine Davies (69th) 44:40.7
Megan Dean (70th) 45:12.4
Brittany Britz (71st) 45:55.1
K. Britz (72nd) 45:55.3
Marie Salerno (73rd) 46:40.3
Alexis Macias (74th) 46:41.4
Lori Heimbuch (75th) 47:28.6
Colleen Nelson (76th) 47:38.5
Lisa Olds (77th) 48:09.4
Tim Bright (78th) 49:12.8
Nicole Marley (79th) 51:09.5
Kayla Moreno (80th) 51:18.1
Raynee Hayes (81st) 51:36.0
Kirsten Smith (82nd) 51:40.2
Elya Howat (83rd) 53:01.0
Stefanie Schultz (84th) 53:01.4
Anthony Hernandez (85th) 54:30.4
Pat Hernandez (86th) 54:32.9
Stone Simpson (87th) 55:51.4
Esteban Hernandez (88th) 57:44.0
Kellie Sites (89th) 59:21.9
Bill Sites (90th) 59:22.0
Haley Sites (91st) 1:00:01.4
Nathan Harris (92nd) 1:02:01.3
Mark Mulligan (93rd) 1:02:02.1
Christie Martel (94th) 1:02:13.7
Anthony Martel (95th) 1:02:14.1
Chris McFaul (96th) 1:02:14.1
Siri Barden (97th) 1:03:54.8
Patricia Nielsen (98th) 1:05:30.5
Alice Jones (99th) 1:05:34.4
Amy Emery (100th) 1:05.34.7
Susanna Jones (101st) 1:05:35.0
Alan Frisby (102nd) 1:07:23.2
Tom Nielsen (103rd) 1:07:34.4
Julie Beck (104th) 1:09:37.3
Deann Whipple (105th) 1:09:37.5
LeAnn Bright (106th) 1:09:37.7
Ted Gage (107th) 1:21:51.6

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Prairie run attracts a crowd

Posted in Fundraisers, Running, tagged , , , , on August 13, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Ready to run as a family. (Photo courtesy Rainy Simpson)

The prairie was alive with the sound of footsteps.

The annual Race the Reserve extravaganza returned to Coupeville Saturday, with runners conquering 5K, 10K, and half-marathon routes while raising money for the Class of 2024.

The year’s biggest fundraiser for the next batch of Wolf seniors, the event played out under sunny skies this time around, as you can see in the pics above and below.

College rowing sensation Sophie Sandahl returns to Coupeville for a chance to run with mom. (Photo courtesy Jeannie Sandahl)

The support crew, hard at work. (Photo courtesy Corinn Parker)

Lincoln Kelley (and his magnificent beard) enjoys the day. (Photo courtesy Shawna Kelley)

Casting a giant shadow. (Photo courtesy Matt Bepler)

Skylar Parker is a tough, but fair, course monitor. (Photo courtesy Corinn Parker)

This year’s snazzy ribbons. (Photo courtesy Jeannie Sandahl)

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Wash a car, support a movement!

Posted in budget cuts, Fundraisers, tagged , , , , , on August 10, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville High School Athletic Trainer Jessica Caselden will be on the sidelines during the 2023-24 school year, if Wolf Nation stands in support of her. (Mandi Black photo)

Have a spare hour?

Wolf Moms are planning to host a car wash at Ebey Academy, with proceeds going to the fundraiser to save Coupeville High School’s Athletic Trainer position.

They have the equipment and the staging area — on SE Terry Road, right across from CHS — now they just need volunteers, adults and kids, willing to give a bit of time to the cause.

Christi Messner has set up a sign-up list, with three possible dates for the car wash.

Possibilities include this Saturday or Sunday, Aug. 12 and 13, or the following Sunday, Aug. 20, depending on which date draws the most interest from volunteers.

The athletic trainer position was a victim of budget cuts, but the school district has agreed to accept donations from the community to fund the invaluable position for the 2023-2024 school year.

Coupeville Athletic Director Willie Smith, the trainer’s direct supervisor, has confirmed the district would retain Wolf alumnus Jessica Caselden if funding is available.

The cost to fund the position for 23-24 is $8,600, with the ongoing fundraiser nearing $6,000 as of Thursday afternoon.

 

The primary driving force has been a GoFundMe, which can be found here:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/protect-inspire-wolf-athletes

 

Those wishing to donate through other means can contact me at davidsvien@hotmail.com.

 

To sign up for a car wash shift, pop over to:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0a49a4ac2ba1f85-carwash1?fbclid=IwAR2mZX_jE3JHz4hNv1Rg3a_EF2SUOrNeknlQ6mKuWJbMZmYhfnxYbjw4Hqc#/

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“Jessy has been a game changer!”

Posted in budget cuts, Fundraisers, tagged , , , , on August 9, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Jessica Caselden (far right) and other daughters of the prairie. (Photo courtesy Kassie O’Neil)

“This donation was an absolute no-brainer.”

Longtime Coupeville High School tennis guru Ken Stange, who recently retired after two decades at the helm of the Wolf net programs, is not here to bullshit you.

Through landmark wins and gut-wrenching losses, he always — ALWAYS — told it straight, whether that’s what you wanted to hear or not.

It has always been bracingly refreshing to listen to Stange let loose with his unvarnished opinions, so when he comes out 100% in support of something, I tend to listen.

And, since the subject at hand is us, the community, Wolf Nation itself, coming together to put a positive spin on a touchy subject, even better.

Jessica Caselden, who grew up frequently hanging out in the aisles of Videoville while waiting for dad Willie to finish his gardening magic outside, is a special one.

Always has been. Always will be.

She is a daughter of the prairie — a Wolf athlete, a Coupeville grad, a whip smart, kind and caring woman.

Sure, she went off to the big city for a bit, but then returned home to The Rock to rejoin her childhood companions as the group moves into marriages and children.

Like Mandi (Murdy) Black, Kassie (Lawson) O’Neil, and many others, Jessica could make more money on the mainland.

Instead, she chose to come back, buy her childhood home, and sink her roots into her community, as a teacher and role model for your children.

Hard at work at her alma mater on a Friday night. (Mandi Black photo)

When Coupeville High School was able to add her to its roster as a paid athletic trainer a year ago, it was a huge victory.

That budget cuts now threaten to take that away is a huge step back, one which runs in direct conflict with everything the district stands for with its commitment to the next generation.

And yet, we have a chance to save the position, something which can’t be always said for other financial casualties.

We raise $8,600 and district administrators have committed to allow the community to fund the position for the 2023-2024 school year.

While sending a clear message the district needs to find a way to work this invaluable position back into its own budget after that.

As I type this, 39 people have said yes, and we’ve raised $3,600.

We can get there. We must get there.

Why?

Listen to what some of our coaches have to say:

 

Erin Jenks:

Coupeville is near and dear to my heart, and I want what’s best for their student-athletes.

I had the privilege of teaching and coaching at CMS for two years, and while I have never met Ms. Caselden, I know the importance of an athletic trainer to prevent injuries and help maintain an athletic program.

I enjoy keeping up with the latest stories involving my former students by reading “Coupeville Sports.”

While it’s hard to watch budget cuts continue to impact Coupeville staff, I’m happy to be able to contribute to someone keeping an important position.

 

Brad Sherman:

As a coach, I can tell you that having Jessy on staff as a trainer has been a game changer.

Injury concerns can be addressed immediately, and as coaches, we have constant communication from a qualified trainer who truly cares about our athletes regarding how to best manage return to play.

It also allows for greater focus on injury prevention that Jessy has the time and expertise to adequately address.

For basketball, the minute school ends, Jessy has a line of players getting ankles taped, or being looked at and evaluated for other ongoing concerns.

Not to mention, with Jessy on staff, we have someone qualified to evaluate potential concussions in real time at all of our home events.

With the increased scrutiny on head injuries in recent years as research evolves, I really can’t tell you what a comfort this is as a coach to know our athletes have a greater level of care present in our gym.

I would strongly urge people to give to this effort.

 

Ken Stange:

This donation was an absolute no-brainer.

If you ever played tennis for me, or if you’re a parent who had a kid that played for me, I ask you to donate what you can.

Having an athletic trainer is not a luxury. It is a necessity.

What’s more, Ms. Caselden is a true professional who is there for all the athletes.

 

To join the cause, you can use our GoFundMe:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/protect-inspire-wolf-athletes

 

Or contact me at davidsvien@hotmail.com if you prefer to donate in another way.

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Protect, inspire Wolf athletes

Posted in Fundraisers, tagged , , , , on August 1, 2023| Leave a Comment »

The women who make Wolf athletics hum are (l to r) Barbi Ford, Aimee Bishop, and Jessica Caselden. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

This is for every person involved in Coupeville school athletics.

Every athlete. Every coach. Every support staff member. Every parent.

This is us, as a community, stepping up and making a statement.

A loud, clear call to arms — that we value the athletic trainer role, that we will not let budget cuts carve away at the safety of Coupeville’s teens, or their ability to be inspired by the success of one of their own.

Jessica Caselden is a Wolf through and through.

She grew up in the aisles of Videoville and on the ballfields and courts at Coupeville’s schools, part of a tight-knit group of young women.

As that group wanders into their (very early) 30’s, they have sunk their roots even deeper into the prairie from which they hailed.

Some have come home, like Jessica. Others were always here.

Together, they celebrate each other’s birthdays, their marriages, their achievements, with their children forming the next generation of Wolves.

One pack, forever united.

A lifelong bond. (Photo courtesy Kassie O’Neil)

Jessica graduated from CHS, went off into the world to gain knowledge and experience, then returned to Cow Town to become a teacher and athletic trainer at her alma mater.

She bought her childhood home, got married this summer, is in it for the long run.

Her impact has been immeasurable, even in a short time.

Having an athletic trainer on the sideline at games, one trained to respond quickly and calmly, should be a requirement at all schools.

The state requires an ambulance sitting by at prep football games, and yet, some of the scariest situations I have witnessed have come at seemingly “safe” sports such as basketball and softball.

When Coupeville administrators hired Jessica to fill the athletic trainer role before the start of the 2022-2023 school year, it was a smart decision in every way.

It was money well used, something she proved time and again as the seasons played out.

I have been covering sports on Whidbey, off and on, since 1990, and this past school year was the first I can remember in which CHS football didn’t lose a player to a season-ending injury.

Part of that is luck, certainly, and a share of the credit goes to a staff led by Bennett Richter, a group of new-age coaches who realize putting a premium on safety doesn’t have to derail your chance to win.

But do not discount Jessica’s contributions, from dealing immediately with on-field injuries, to working with players at practices, to always being available to answer questions and offer reassurances to parents.

Having an athletic trainer cuts down on injuries, prevents small setbacks from becoming major ones, and gives young athletes the same protections routinely provided to those playing at the college and professional levels.

Beyond that, Jessica is incredibly accessible, providing instruction and inspiration to the same athletes whose owie’s and boo-boo’s she tends to on a daily basis.

She is a caregiver and a role model, at a time of life when Wolf athletes need both.

And while she interacts with both teen boys and girls with a quiet grace, a friendly demeanor, and a welcoming aura, we need to acknowledge her special impact on the young women wearing CHS uniforms.

Coupeville, like most Washington state schools, didn’t offer many athletic outlets for its female students until Title IX forced changes in the ’70s.

Since then, Wolf girls have combined to win more league titles than their male counterparts, but they have done so with only a handful of women in positions of power.

Phyllis Textor and Lori Stolee worked as CHS athletic directors, and there have been a sprinkling of female coaches, from Toni Crebbin to Breanne Smedley, from Amy King to Ashley Menges and others.

Having a strong female presence on the sideline, in practice, in the classroom, is invaluable.

It reinforces the truth — any girl in Coupeville can be a success, a leader, an inspiration — whether they travel the world chasing professional basketball dreams or return to embrace their destiny on the prairie.

Prairie powerhouses. (Photo courtesy Mandi Black)

When budget cuts claimed the athletic trainer position, among the most outspoken were the Wolf softball players, who wrote letters to the school board and Coupeville administrators.

I understand we are in a financial bind, a place almost every school district finds itself in coming out of the pandemic, and that cuts have to be made.

This is not the position to slash, however.

It’s too important.

It goes right to the core of everything Coupeville wants to accomplish with its strategic plan.

“Connect with family and community.”

“Promote student and staff well-being.”

“Empower students.”

While the 2023-2024 budget, passed last Thursday, does not fund the athletic trainer position, we, as a community have a chance to change that.

The cost would be $8,600.

Coupeville Schools Superintendent Steve King confirmed in an email the district will accept a scholarship donation from an outside source, with the district retaining control over staffing the position.

CHS Athletic Director Willie Smith, who is the athletic trainer’s direct supervisor, confirmed the school wishes to retain Jessica in the position.

We, as a community, as Wolf Nation, can save this position, while making a clear statement to administrators they need to reevaluate the importance of an athletic trainer before embarking on the next budget battle.

The district needs to be all in, just like Jessica.

Our donations give administrators the time to find a way to make this work in the future, while protecting student/athletes in the present.

I call that a win-win.

 

To join the movement to save the Athletic Trainer position, pop over to:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/protect-inspire-wolf-athletes

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