Aidan Wilson was a multi-sport star at Coupeville High School. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Aidan Wilson is a jack of all trades, and a master of most of them.
The rare athlete who seemingly could do it all, the Coupeville High School Class of 2023 grad excelled in track and field, soccer, and cross country, putting together one of the best prep careers ever crafted by a Wolf.
Spring seemed to bring out the best in the lanky speed demon, as he participated in a mind-boggling 16 events as a track star, collecting 41 wins across three seasons.
Wilson brought home five state meet medals, earning three 2nd place finishes, and capped his career by placing 7th out of 32 in a two-day, 10-event decathlon featuring competitors from every classification.
Striding to success at a big-time meet. (Bob Martin photo)
One of only eight Wolf boys to earn as many as five state meet medals, it’s likely he would have gone higher on that list if real-world issues hadn’t intruded.
The pandemic erased all spring sports when Wilson was a freshman.
While competition returned the next spring, the state meet was cancelled as track officials limited how far schools could travel in the Age of Coronavirus.
But once he got a chance to shine on the big state, Wilson made his mark in short order.
That was his normal operating style, as he tore up the course in his one season as a cross country runner, while raining down goals on the soccer pitch.
Wilson rattled the net for 10 goals as a senior, earning All-Conference First-Team honors, and finished his prep career with 13 scores, putting him #6 on Coupeville’s all-time boys’ soccer scoring chart.
Off to score another goal. (Morgan White photo)
A nimble athlete with quick reflexes, he also did some time as a goaltender, holding off rival teams from scoring, while sacrificing a chance to add to his own goal totals.
When it all ended, Wilson brought home one of his school’s big athletic honors, receiving the Cliff Gillies Award as a senior.
Named in honor of a longtime Executive Director of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, it goes to athletes for “outstanding scholarship, citizenship, and participation in school activities.”
Hanging out with fellow senior booters (l to r) Grant Steller, Cameron Epp, and Reiley Araceley. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Student/athletes come and go as the seasons unfold, and a relative few are likely to stand the test of time and be remembered in vivid detail years later.
I believe Wilson will be one of those whose exploits will live on in the memories of fellow players, coaches, and fans.
But he doesn’t need to wait to be acknowledged as one of the greats – we can do that today while his time at CHS is still fresh in all of our minds.
Swing open the door to the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame, because we’re welcoming Wilson to our lil’ digital shrine to athletic excellence.
After this, you’ll find him at the top of the blog, under the Legends tab, enshrined for his accomplishments in the red and black, and the way he approached his sports.
Wilson exuded talent, but he also put in the work, day after day, competition after competition, and he earned his spot atop the mountain.
A job well done.
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