Amy King first coached Makana Stone in middle school volleyball. “She was all about team and doing her best, even then.” (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Mckenzie Meyer (front) played many sports, but unfortunately never landed on a high school team coached by King.
I’ve worked with a lot of coaches, but found only one thinking of doing a post-game write-up in poetry form.
Amy King, who has worked with the Wolf volleyball, softball and basketball programs, could be doing a bang-up job writing her own blog.
You know, if she wasn’t already busy with coaching, her real-world job, family life and the million other things she accomplishes while I’m still trying to wake up.
On the road or at home, win or loss, she always delivers crisp info, filled with insight, and this time is no different.
Coupeville’s third-longest tenured coach (trailing just Randy King and Ken Stange), she arrives today to break down the best Wolf players she’s worked with.
So, let me step away and give her the floor.
Aside from being a little busy, I’ve been mulling things over in my head – so many players!
Plus it’s tough coming in from the JV side of things too – many of my people and thoughts matched (husband) David’s.
Best player I’ve coached is, of course, Makana Stone. I echo everything David said about her.
Of course my first experience was the one year she played 8th grade volleyball.
She and Miranda Engle went to camp and when she hit the floor it was all so natural that it was like she had played her whole life.
Great attitude and all about team and doing her best even then.
Which athlete do I wish I could have coached? This is a tough one; I’m thinking McKenzie Meyer.
She ended up being our manager in middle school volleyball, but helped out when we had odd numbers.
She studied what was being shown and just came out and performed during practices. She is very athletic and had better skills than some of the girls who were out there playing.
When it came to high school I had high hopes she would join a team I was coaching.
Most underrated athlete I’ve coached – I have two on this one.
A lot of this comes from who you are playing with — you have those athletes like Lexie or Brittany Black, who stand out, so others are important to the success of a team, but did not always get the glory.
These two didn’t really care about the glory though.
Shawna West and Vanessa Davis are my two.
Both were posts and played hard. They worked hard and were no-nonsense types of players.
Shawna was our original bull in the china shop player. She rarely talked off the court, but her game said it all.
Vanessa was the same; stronger than she might have looked, shy and didn’t talk a whole lot, but without her game, the team would not have gone as far as they did.
Characteristics/intangibles/commitment is by far the easiest question, answered the same as my husband –Breeanna Messner.
She was in the first group of kids I coached in Coupeville, 7th grade volleyball.
Coached her since then in multiple sports, it was all the same. Dedication, hard working, great attitude and the kind of athlete any coach would be happy to have on their team.
Regardless of the sport or who was coaching; she would change positions without question; play where needed.
She was involved in all off-season functions she could participate in and always helped pick up gear; set up gear and never brought or fed into drama.
She had that no-quit attitude, fight and desire in everything she did.
