He’s like a rampaging force of nature, he is. (John Fisken photos)
The Coupeville School District hit the jackpot when they hired Dr. Jim Shank as their Superintendent several years ago.
I am an unabashed fan of the nattily-dressed, silver-tongued man, who has done much to benefit our community in his time here.
Making it even better, however, is he also brought a chunk of his family with him when he emigrated from Utah.
His wife, Sallie, and their three youngest children — Matt, Brian and Ashlie — have been just as much of a boon to Coupeville as Dr. Shank.
I could go on and on about each of them, but today, since it’s his birthday, we’ll just semi-embarrass Brian.
The CHS junior has done a bit of everything since he first hit Cow Town, playing football, basketball, tennis and track for the Wolves.
And, like his siblings, he is a fierce competitor who carries himself with a sense of class and grace on and off the court.
Brian has made huge strides on the hardwood this winter and is one of the most potent weapons the Coupeville boys’ JV squad has at its disposal.
Capable of being a dead-eye from long range or putting his shoulder down and rampaging to the bucket, Shank is primed to be a star for the Wolf varsity next year.
If he continues to work in the next off-season the way he did in the one leading into this year, I would go so far as to hail him as being the key piece for next year’s squad.
With 10 seniors departing, and only two varsity players set to return a year from now, starting spots will be wide open and Brian, like older brother Matt before him, should be a fixture in the paint for Coupeville.
If it happens (and it better, or the fans will riot), it will be a nice reward for a guy who works his rear off, listens to his coaches intently during timeouts and treats his teammates with respect.
But, as much as we’re talking about what he can do on the court, if we take sports completely out of the picture, Brian, like Matt and Ashlie, would still be worthy of major praise.
Everything that makes him a star on the court — smarts, inner strength, commitment — is also reflected in how he carries himself away from sports.
Utah’s loss has been our gain.
Happy birthday, Brian, from all of your fans. Have a great cake day!
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