Want to be a coach? Then emulate Gabe Wynn’s playing style and take your shot. (John Fisken photo)
Everyone secretly thinks they can coach.
Listen to enough chatter from the stands, and it quickly becomes apparent there are very few who don’t believe they possess that elusive secret to guiding a team to state championship glory.
And yet, I’ve also noticed, the bigger the talker, the less likely they are to actually step up and take on the job.
Easier to be a “genius” in the stands than prove you were full of hot air in the heat of battle, I guess.
After 27 years of writing about school sports on Whidbey Island, I have worked with many coaches, seeing them in good times and bad.
Some have been brilliant, many were competent, a few less so, and at least one was Hall of Fame worthy, if that award is for being a royal pain in the ass.
But they all accepted the challenge, whether it was for one cringe-inducing season or a stellar career, and did what most of us would not do.
Through endless road trips, on rickety school buses and ferries bouncing through winter storms, through back-and-forth with parents who believe their child is going D-1, despite averaging two points a game, through long hours and low pay, through endless second-guessing, through having to put up with my never-ending stream of inane questions, they persevered.
They did it because they love their sport, because they want to support their town and school, because that one kid you break through to makes it all worthwhile.
Some have helped fill up Coupeville’s Wall of Fame in the gym.
Others never quite got over the top, but they made an impact on the lives of their athletes and those player’s families, friends and neighbors.
I have great respect for those who have stepped up, and those who will do so in the future.
It takes guts. It takes commitment. It takes an ability to believe in yourself and your plan, even when the buzz around you becomes great.
I have never coached, cause I already know I don’t have the answers.
Jim Waller, the Sports Editor at the Whidbey News-Times, coached multiple sports for 30+ years and is in the state Hall of Fame for baseball coaches.
Willie Smith, the Coupeville High School AD, ignited the girls basketball program in the late ’90s, then went on to lead Wolf baseball through years of success, never once backing down from the richniks at King’s or ATM.
When I talk to them, or other coaches, whether they be lifers like Randy King and Ron Bagby, seasoned vets like David and Amy King or fast-rising “youngsters” like Cory Whitmore, it reinforces two things.
One, I have no real freakin’ clue, so it’s a good thing I’ve always positioned myself as a hype man building legends and not an expert when it comes to writing about sports.
Yes, I want the Wolf basketball teams to dress all in black, emerge from the locker room in total darkness, then get hit with a spotlight as AC/DC nails the opening notes of “Thunderstruck” and a FULL student section bounces up and down, making the gym resemble the epicenter of an earthquake.
Again, hype, legends, not reality.
And two, I see why they are coaches.
The jobs are not easy, and there are times where every coach stares into the abyss and questions their choice in life, but there is great reward to be found.
Not just wins and titles, either.
Coaches change lives, often in ways teachers and counselors can’t.
They are parents, mentors, friends and drill sergeants mixed into one, and the best find a perfect balance between all those aspects.
So, why do I bring this all up?
Because, as of this morning, we’re sitting at a rare moment when multiple coaching opportunities are available here in Coupeville.
The search for a CHS football assistant and head girls soccer coach are ongoing, and now three basketball positions have posted — head and assistant gigs with CHS boys basketball and a head coaching job with CMS girls hoops.
This is your moment. Don’t let it pass by.
If you have ever thought about being a coach, or if you have prior experience, step up, make a run at a job.
Do it for yourself. For the town and school. For the kids.
Or just do it for me, so I have some new people to harass with endless questions. Yep, ultimately, think about me.
To see current CHS/CMS athletic job opportunities, pop over to:
https://www.applitrack.com/coupeville/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Athletics%2fActivities
