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Posts Tagged ‘Basketball’

   Chelsea Prescott covers the bag during a softball game last spring. (John Fisken photos)

Prescott, seen here during a volleyball camp, is an athlete for all seasons.

If there’s a sport to be played in Central Whidbey, it’s a fair bet Chelsea Prescott has played it.

The Coupeville Middle School 8th grader frequently operates in a whirlwind, often charging from basketball court to diamond (be it softball or baseball), all while juggling multiple pieces of equipment and different uniforms.

Through it all, her energy never seems to flag and she remains at the forefront of local athletes who will take the step up to high school this fall.

At the moment, Prescott is playing left field and pitching for Central Whidbey’s Babe Ruth baseball team, but she plans to jump back to softball next spring.

“Although I love playing baseball, I’ll switch back to softball for my high school years,” Prescott said. “Go Wolves!”

On the basketball court she can fill the hoop up with the best of them, leading CMS in scoring the past two seasons.

But it’s volleyball, where the high-flying ace once ripped a serve off of an opponent’s face (it went for a winner), which has begun to captivate Prescott.

“I really enjoyed playing volleyball for Whidbey Fury, going to the tournaments,” she said. “We traveled all over, got to see a lot of places with great friends, and we also took third-place at the PSR tourney!

“Although I have been playing baseball and softball since I was four years old, I think volleyball has become my favorite sport, because the action doesn’t really stop,” Prescott said. “I love that it keeps me active, lets me be part of something bigger than myself — hashtag teamwork — and I’m pretty competitive.”

Prescott has height, speed and a strong work ethic.

Which doesn’t mean there aren’t areas she’d like to improve, as you discover if you ask her about her strengths and weaknesses.

“Funny question, because “strength” is the area I want to work on,” Prescott said. “Practice hard, play hard, but have fun!”

In the (brief) moments she’s not playing a sport, she enjoys “listening to country music, reading manga and playing with my boy Bentley,” her faithful canine companion.

As Prescott has pursued her many athletic endeavors, parents Josie and Cory have been with her every step of the way, something the young star deeply appreciates.

She also hails those who help guide her development.

“First and foremost, my parents for always supporting me,” Prescott said. “All my coaches — Kevin McGrenahan, Ron Wright, Scott and Mimi Johnson, Steve Hillborn, Heidi Wyman, Dustin Van Velkinburgh, Ryan King and Bob Martin.

“And a special thanks to the best umpire in the league, Jim Wheat, for all of his words of wisdom.”

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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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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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   Kylie Van Velkinburgh (right) gets all up in the ball-handlers grill. (John Fisken photos)

Using her long reach to pull in a throw at first.

The future is now. Stop by Coupeville Middle School and meet the next generation of Wolf stars before they make the jump to high school.

Kylie Van Velkinburgh is the next link in a family with a strong athletic tradition.

Dad Dustin was a multi-sport star during his time as a Wolf and now dispenses wisdom as a coach, while mom Jessica was a national-level gymnast back in the day.

And hot on Kylie’s heels are three younger siblings who all are already well ahead of the athletic curve for their ages.

But, in this moment, as she wraps up the final days of 7th grade and plays for the Central Whidbey Little League juniors softball squad, she is the Van Velkinburgh getting the most buzz.

Tall and graceful, Kylie is an athlete for all seasons, playing volleyball, basketball and softball. Though she might switch it up a bit once she hits high school.

“I plan to stay with all of these, but I might want to try cheer at one point of course,” Van Velkinburgh said. “For football (season), because I would rather give up volleyball than basketball.

“Basketball is and always has been my favorite sport, because I’ve been playing since before I can remember and it’s how I’ve made most of my friends and one of the biggest reasons I’m so close to my dad.”

Having fun with her teammates has always been a big draw, regardless of the sport.

“What I enjoy most about being an athlete is spending time with my team and becoming a family while creating amazingly strong bonds,” Van Velkinburgh said.

“I don’t have many physical strengths as an athlete, but I feel that I work great with a team and I love to help and work with other people.”

When she’s not on the field or court, Van Velkinburgh enjoys hanging out with friends, and, like a good coach’s daughter, knows hard work is what will carry her to future success.

“My goals for high school sports are to be a strong player that gets well-earned playing time!”

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   Brad Sherman, here playing in the Roehl Roundball Classic, will be the new CHS boys basketball head coach. (John Fisken photo)

The Three-Ball King is coming back to the gym.

Barring a last second snafu, legendary former Coupeville High School athlete Brad Sherman will be the new boys basketball head coach at his alma mater.

The recommendation to hire him for the position was slipped on to the agenda for tonight’s school board meeting at the last second, buried under a bunch of other hires (soccer, cheer, football) which were already public knowledge.

Sherman, who graduated in 2003, is currently an assistant coach with the Wolf football and track programs.

During his days as a high school athlete, he set football QB records which still stand, and was a standout on the hardwood as well.

He jointly held the single-game record for three-pointers made in one game, with six, until this past season, when senior Gabe Wynn hit seven against Port Townsend.

Sherman inherits a team which will return many of its key players, including leading scorer Hunter Smith.

For more background on the quiet legend, take a look at a “Where Are They Now?” feature I wrote awhile back:

Ten years later, the legend of Brad Sherman still looms large!!

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