Posted in Baseball, Girls Basketball, Softball, Throwback Thursday, tagged CHS Wolves, David King, little league, Softball, Throwback Thursday on May 8, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Wolf basketball/softball coach David King, back in his early playing days. (Photo courtesy Amy King)
Still swingin’ away. (John Fisken photos)
And there’s a glove to go with that bat.
You can’t teach the fundamentals if you haven’t learned them yourself.
So it’s a good thing Coupeville High School softball coach David King grew up with a bat in his hands, learning the secrets of all the diamond games from an early age.
Once a diamond King, always a diamond King.
Posted in Softball, tagged ATM, CHS Wolves, David King, Emily Licence, Softball on April 29, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Wolf catcher Breeanna Messner comes up firing and guns down a potential stealer. (John Fisken photo)
“Two different Coupeville teams showed up this week.”
That was Coupeville High School softball coach David King’s feelings after his squad dropped three games in two days, but with wildly different results.
The Wolves, now 4-11 on the season, got bounced, hard, in a doubleheader loss at Sultan Monday. The 14-4 and 9-0 losses were over quickly and painfully.
By contrast, CHS rebounded sharply Tuesday, and while the Wolves were edged out 5-3 by visiting Archbishop Thomas Murphy, it was a game that came down to the final at-bat and had its share of positives.
“This game was a 180-degree reversal of how we played the day before in Sultan,” King said. “We came ready to play, we played better defense and we came ready to hit.
“We had two errors that cost us, but the effort was there.”
The Wolves crunched 11 hits, with Madeline Roberts, Breeanna Messner and Emily Coulter each rapping out a pair.
Madeline Strasburg whacked a triple, while McKayla Bailey, Hailey Hammer, Tiffany Briscoe and Emily Licence all chipped in with singles. Coupeville almost got more, but ATM pulled off a couple of stellar running catches to deny the Wolves.
A day earlier, it was Coupeville’s gloves that hurt them the worst against the Turks.
“Defensively this was probably our low point on the season,” King said.
The Wolves dropped two infield pop ups, almost lost a third one before making the juggling catch, dropped two more balls in the outfield and consistently took bad angles on fly balls all game.
“It’s just tough when you have to get extra outs in an inning throughout the game,” King said.
In the midst of the meltdown, however, freshman third baseman Licence made a dazzling play that brought a moment of peace to her frazzled coach.
“Emily made a great play on a slow grounder to her left, a slap type hit from a left handed batter,” King said. “Emily charged and took the correct angle towards the pitching circle. She fielded it, made the transfer on the run and threw the runner out by a step.
“It reminded me of many of the plays Omar Vizquel used to make for the Mariners when he played.”
Posted in Girls Basketball, Softball, tagged CHS Wolves, David King, Happy birthday, Softball on March 14, 2014| Leave a Comment »
David King, well-dressed man about town. (John Fisken photo)
King imparting wisdom to Taya Boonstra. (Shelli Trumbull photo)
Old school King. (Photo courtesy Amy King)
So, here’s the plan.
Tomorrow, Saturday, Mar. 15, is David King’s birthday.
So, the much-revered Coupeville High School girls’ basketball and softball coach will probably be busy most of the day with cake-related business.
Which means he won’t be expecting anything to go down today.
Which is why everyone should go by the CHS softball field today after school, and, as you drive by, honk your horns and scream “Happy birthday, coach King!!”
You know you want to do it. You know you must do it.
Posted in Softball, tagged CHS Wolves, David King, Hailey Hammer, Madeline Strasburg, Softball on March 6, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Hailey Hammer was First Team All-Conference last year as a sophomore. (Linda Hammer photo)
Breeanna Messner will cap her run as a four-sport athlete (volleyball, cheer, basketball, softball) this spring. (John Fisken photo)
The talent is there. Depth may be a question.
As they head into their third season of coaching fast-pitch softball at Coupeville High School, David and Amy King welcome back a strong core group of six players. It’s a group that boasts talent, experience and dedication.
Seniors Breeanna Messner (C/IF), Madeline Roberts (SS/OF) and Haley Sherman (LF) are joined by juniors McKayla Bailey (P, CF), Hailey Hammer (1B) and Madeline Strasburg (CF, C) to form the Super Six.
Hammer was a First Team All-Cascade Conference pick a year ago, while Strasburg was a Second-Teamer and Roberts and Bailey notched Honorable Mention selections.
“The returning six bring experience, speed and smart base running,” David King said. “They are very good defensively and offensively can put pressure on the other teams.
“There is a unity with this team that has already formed and will only get stronger.”
The key will be filling in the other starting spots and getting help from a bench that will be thin, both in bodies and experience.
Starters Maria Rockwell (the team’s winningest pitcher) and Bessie Walstad graduated and Chevy Reyes and Sydney Aparicio opted not to play.
With out those four, sophomore Emily Coulter (IF), junior Monica Vidoni (OF) and freshman Emily Licence (P, IF, C) are among the early leaders for playing time.
Other than Licence, who is expected to team with the fireball-chuckin’ Bailey on the mound, few of the freshmen who turned out have much playing experience.
But then again, everyone starts somewhere, and you never know where you’ll find a diamond in the rough.
“We need to get the younger players up to speed and comfortable on the field,” King said. “We have some work to do in a short amount of time.
“However, the players are eager to learn and want to get better,” he added. “They are putting in the work needed and everyone is focused on what is being taught. This attitude and commitment is something each of the players have demonstrated.”
While Coupeville will be facing fierce foes in its final season in the 1A/2A Cascade Conference (“this league from top to bottom is tough”), King sees no reason his squad can’t fight every single day.
“We are going to aim high. We want to finish in the top half of the league, get to districts and see how far we can go,” he said. “Some lofty goals, but the returners have the drive to improve their game and have already shown that they are more than willing to get the younger players up to speed.
“The day to day goals are to strengthen and improve the things we do well and to work on the areas that need to improve,” King added. “We want to be competitive every game and win or lose, know each and every one of us gave 100%.”
Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged Amy King, Basketball, Brittany Black, CHS Wolves, David King on February 20, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Wolf coaches (l to r) Amy King, David King and Brittany Black. (Shelli Trumbull photos)
The softball gurus.
The Kings are unique.
Of all the Coupeville High School coaches, the husband/wife team of David and Amy King stands out. Whether it’s girls’ basketball or softball (Amy also coaches volleyball), they work as a seamless team.
While other sports have good varsity/JV coaching combos who work well together, the duo bring something special to the field and court, working as a unit but both retaining their own style.
Plus Amy King is the absolute best ever at sending in detailed write-ups on her team’s performances when they’re playing on the road.
BEST EVER. End of conversation.
As they briefly wind down from having coached their squads to the best records of any Whidbey Island high school hoops teams this past season, softball is just around the corner.
A perfect time for David King to gush (a little) about his on-court and off-court partner in crime (and a couple of other people just for good measure.)
Mr. King, you have the floor:
Besides the players that made this season so successful, there are many others that contributed to our success.
Jae (LeVine) as our manager and keeping score at away games.
Then there was Brittany (Black). She stepped in with the JV team for the first three or so weeks and really helped Amy out while she was recovering from surgery.
Between the two, Amy provided direction and Brittany provided a huge lift with direction on the court and then bench during games.
Once Amy felt well enough, Brittany then was able to help more on the varsity side. Her help was appreciated by Amy and me.
There are others to thank, from those helping set up and cleaning up the gym, driving the buses and those in the office keeping us on the right path with paperwork and schedules.
But for me, my biggest thanks goes to Amy.
She is one that does not like the spotlight directed towards her. With that said, she deserves the spotlight, at least this one time!
She coached the JV volleyball team this year, then between volleyball and basketball she had a surgery.
While planning the surgery she always had the players and team in mind as to when the best time was for her surgery so she would miss the least amount of time.
We had a week of practice, she had her surgery and missed three practices and was there the day after Thanksgiving for practice.
Not many people would do this. I had no doubt she would be there. She has always put others ahead of herself.
I am the luckiest varsity coach out there.
What Amy brings to this program is an organizational skill set that is second to none.
She is the one that types up our practice plans, gets all of the important paperwork to the players. And since I’m not on Facebook, she is part secretary for me as well and relays information to the players for me through Facebook.
She also makes sure we have what is needed for every game.
These are just a few of the things she does behind the scenes that allows me to be me and to allow our program to thrive. And I haven’t even talked about her coaching success.
As a coach, she treats each and every player the same. With respect. And the players respect right back.
A player may be very skilled or maybe a player is new to the sport, either way she gives each player the same opportunity and time.
It is very hard to juggle a JV team when you have at times 13-15 players and be able to keep them all happy and still find a way to improve their skills.
She knows the game, once an outstanding player and now an outstanding coach.
She gets the players to play hard, play as a team and gets them ready to compete on game day. She gets after them when they need and knows when to approach with a softer side.
The help she provides me on the varsity bench is priceless and during the game she also has the uncanny skill to help me coach and keep stats for me. She makes my job fluid and so very easy.
Over the years she has touched so many players lives.
She cares about them as basketball players and more importantly as young women.
Every day we are in the gym the kids come up to her and greet her with huge smiles and hugs. They are so excited that they have the opportunity to be coached by her.
She is a tireless worker, has her normal job, has already coached two full high school seasons and in less than two weeks will be out there on the softball field making the upcoming season a success.
She deserves the biggest thank you of them all. Thank you!
Keepin' News Independent
Whidbey Pest Control
Aleesha Cleveland
Harmony Veterinary Service
All Work Guaranteed
Keeping You Organized!
ABC Doula Service
Sherman's Pioneer Farm
Drawing Room Plans
Bayleaf
Cascade Custom Homes & Design
Coupeville Chiropractic
CK Electric Services, Inc.
Allure Salon and Spa
Island Jenn - Photographer
Harada Physical Therapy
Bailey Dirtworks
Karen Huff
Kapaws Iskreme, The Local Treat!
Cascade Motorcycle Safety
Coupeville Sports 