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Step up for SarahRose

July 9, 2020 by David Svien

SarahRose Bernhardt, Coupeville legend. (All photos property SarahRose Bernhardt)

One of Coupeville’s best and brightest is in need of help.

SarahRose Bernhardt, a top scholar, actress, and cheerleader during her days as a Wolf, graduated from CHS in 2004, then from the University of Washington in 2008.

The daughter of Jug and Lisa Bernhardt, she returned to her home Tuesday to find it on fire.

While the Bellevue Fire Department arrived on scene quickly, SarahRose and boyfriend David Tschetter lost almost everything in the blaze.

One bright spot was that the couple’s beloved dog, Baker, was with SarahRose at the time, and came away unhurt.

Bernhardt’s house after Tuesday’s fire.

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough,” Bernhardt said in a note on Facebook.

“I am beyond grateful that no one was home. David, Baker, and I are all safe and figuring out next steps.

“Our possessions may be gone, but our memories of this beautiful house will always remain.”

During her CHS days, Bernhardt did just about everything.

She was a member of the Hi Q Academic Quiz Bowl team, served as a school board representative, participated in the Learning Partner program, and was a group leader for Honor Society.

Bernhardt was also a tutor, an active volunteer in the community, and a team leader for the Wolf cheer squad.

In recent years, Bernhardt has embraced her love of dance, bringing joy and inspiration to countless people through her work with Barre3 Bellevue and Daybreaker Seattle.

As she and her family try to regroup, friends have set up a GoFundMe to help SarahRose, David, and Baker, which you can find here:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/pwe3c9-house-fire-support

Can you say no to helping Baker? I think not.

Posted in Fundraisers | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Yikes, no bikes

July 8, 2020 by David Svien

Another day, another cancellation.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out virtually every sporting activity in the region this spring and summer, and Wednesday afternoon one of the last events standing removed itself from the calendar.

The annual Tour de Whidbey bicycle race, a major fundraiser for the WhidbeyHealth Foundation, will not hit the roads after all.

The event, which would have featured six rides, ranging from a family-friendly 10-mile route up to a 162-mile Whidbey Power stage, was set to go down August 15.

Instead, event organizers are moving forward on the 2021 version of Tour de Whidbey, set for Aug. 14 of next summer.

“We hope that you and your families are continuing to do well and stay healthy!,” event organizers said in a statement.

“Sadly, following the Governor’s two-week freeze on all reopening phases, we have determined that it will not be possible to hold 2020 Tour de Whidbey.

“We love hosting, and we will miss being together and celebrating with you in August.

We appreciate your understanding, patience and support with the circumstances and our desire to hold the safety and well-being of our riders, volunteers, partners and communities at the highest priority.”

All cyclists will receive a full refund of their registration fee.

For questions, riders can contact Heather Tenore at tenorh@whidbeyhealth.org.

Posted in cycling | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Fall sports pushed back, not cancelled yet

July 7, 2020 by David Svien

If Ben Smith and other Wolves get to play this fall, their season will start later than normal. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Fall prep sports, if they happen in 2020, will begin later than in most previous years.

As the world deals with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Executive Board met Tuesday and made that decision.

The board opted to push the start of the high school football season until Saturday, September 5, and the start of practices for all other fall sports until Monday, Sept. 7.

The original start dates were August 19 and 24, respectively.

Coupeville’s first football game, from a schedule put together before the pandemic seized the stage, was originally to be a home game Sept. 4 against Port Townsend.

Now, in a best-case scenario, practices would begin the next day instead, with games not starting until mid to late September.

Football players need to put in 12 practices to be eligible for games, while all other athletes need 10 prior to their first contest.

But this is where a big “BUT…” comes in.

Under current WIAA guidelines, the only sports which can compete in Phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan are “low risk” activities such as tennis and cross country.

To play “moderate risk” sports such as basketball, soccer, and volleyball, a school will have to be in a county in Phase 4 of the four-phase plan, while the WIAA has yet to set a time frame for “high risk” sports (football and wrestling) to start competition.

Island County is currently in Phase 3, but positive cases of COVID-19 have increased in recent weeks.

Also, Washington state officials have frozen the ability for any county to move up a phase, and no county can currently apply for Phase 4.

So, while Tuesday’s announcement is a glimmer of hope, it is only that – a glimmer.

In a press release Tuesday night, the WIAA said the following:

The Board will continue to work with staff, member schools and state agencies to monitor the impact of COVID-19.

The Board plans to make its next statement concerning the start of fall sports on July 22nd following its next scheduled meeting.

In the interim, a committee of Board members, staff, and select WIAA stakeholders will work to create a fall schedule with the adjusted start dates.

Posted in Football | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Whidbey papers back in the sports biz

July 7, 2020 by David Svien

Whidbey News-Times Sports Editor Jim Waller (right) shares a chat with CHS girls basketball coach David King. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

The adults are back.

After three months-plus with no sports coverage, the Whidbey News-Times and South Whidbey Record have returned the dean of local sportswriting to his desk.

Longtime Sports Editor Jim Waller was one of several employees who accepted a furlough back in March as the COVID-19 pandemic threw the newspaper industry into turmoil.

His last stories, a profile of Coupeville three-sport star Scout Smith and a piece on South Whidbey soccer announcer Crispin Roberts, posted to the internet March 24.

After that, my former high school journalism teacher lived the home life of “honey to-do lists”, leaving Whidbey sports fans with only my hyperventilating to get by on.

That changed as of Monday.

Waller has been at the core of Whidbey Island sports since his birth, as a player, teacher, coach, and writer.

He was born into the life, one of the sons of revered local coach Mert Waller, who led all four Coupeville High School programs (football, basketball, baseball, and track), before moving into similar positions in Oak Harbor.

Jim Waller was a standout athlete who went on to teach and coach multiple sports at OHHS.

Of the two people writing about sports on Whidbey, he is the only one to be a member of a real Hall of Fame, honored in 2001 by the Washington State Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Waller led the OHHS baseball program for 30 years, taking the Wildcats to the Class 3A state title game.

A graduate of the University of Washington, he is in his second go-round with Whidbey’s newspapers.

Waller first wrote for the News-Times as a youngster, then returned to the post after retiring from the Oak Harbor School District.

Posted in A freakin' American hero | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Possible ferry/whale collision near Mukilteo

July 7, 2020 by David Svien

July has gotten off to a rough start for the Washington state ferry system.

COVID-19 has made it difficult to fully staff boats, and the system’s busiest route by car traffic — Clinton to Mukilteo — has been reduced from two boats to one boat every weekend this month.

Now comes word a ferry may have collided with a whale Monday not far off the Mukilteo dock.

Puget Sound Express, a whale-watching company, sighted a pair of humpback whales in the area and communicated with nearby ferries.

There are differing reports on whether the incoming ferry actually made contact with the whale, and, if so, how injured the humpback was.

Responding to a story by Q13 Fox, the Washington State Ferries official Facebook page issued a statement Tuesday morning.

“We know two whales surfaced off the starboard bow of Tokitae near Mukilteo terminal, and were moving right to left.

“They came up so close to the ferry there was no time to stop or slow.

“We are working with NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to review the video and photos to determine what happened and if our vessel hit the whale.

“Anyone who sees an injured whale should contact our West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network at 1-866-767-6114.”

Posted in Not sports? Tough! | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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