The program for the first-ever game played at Coupeville’s Mickey Clark Field. (Program courtesy Randy Keefe)
You can know the name without knowing all the facts.
My family moved to The Rock in 1989 and I made my writing debut in the Whidbey News-Times in early 1990.
From the first time I stepped foot on Coupeville’s football field (it wasn’t used for soccer back then), I knew it was called Mickey Clark Field.
It was only later, though, as I learned more about the history of Cow Town sports, that I got a better image of who the man was, and how he impacted the town and its young athletes.
And yet, until this morning, when I stumbled upon a pristine program from 1975 while leafing through memorabilia which Wolf legend Randy Keefe needs to get back at some point, I could not have told you with any certainty when the field debuted.
But then boom, nestled inside basketball clippings and programs, there was the football program you see in the photo above.
Coupeville football opened the 1975 season with road games at Langley and Concrete, before making its home debut Sept. 19 against Chimacum.
It was that night, 43 years back, when the dream became a reality.
According to the program, a pre-game flag-raising ceremony was conducted by the honor guard of the Sea Explorer Ship Whidbey, while the band performed under the direction of Leonard Denham.
Once the game reached the halftime break, CHS Athletic Director Bob Barker acted as Master of Ceremonies, while John Weber, Chairman of the School Board, and Joanette Wells, President of the Coupeville High Associated Students, gave presentations.
Topping things off, the Wolfette Drill/Dance Team, under the direction of Michelle Peel, performed as well.
The program paid tribute to a number of groups and individuals who made the field a reality, from the Lion’s Club, Puget Power, Central Electric, Vaughn and Wilson Construction and Chuck Jamison to the school’s vocational shop class.
But the man of the hour was an unassuming, hard-working coach and volunteer, and there’s a page in the program devoted to answering the question “Why, Mickey Clark Field?”
It reads:
For a period of twenty-five years Mickey coached boy’s softball teams, transporting them up and down the island to their summer league games.
He, along with John Syreen, started the little league baseball programs in Coupeville.
Mickey coached the high school basketball team for a season when they found themselves without a coach.
For a period of ten years he was the official Island County referee.
As county referee he officiated all the league football and basketball games for the Island County League teams, consisting of the Coupeville, Langley and Oak Harbor High Schools.
Mickey was instrumental in initiating and has directed a program that has probably saved the life of many a community youth – the Lion’s Club Swim Program.
For eighteen years, two nights a week, he was busy directing a popular and successful Peewee Junior Basketball league, sponsored by the Lion’s Club.
Most recently, Mickey headed the football bleachers building program for the Lion’s Club.
For the thousands of hours and sincere interest in our children — this is why Mickey Clark Field.
So, now I know, and knowing is half the battle.
And, for the completists out there, we wrap up this trip down nostalgia lane with a look at the first Wolf athletes and coaches to ever play on the field:
Wolf football roster:
Larry Ankney
Mike Ankney
Randy Blindauer
Chris Ceci
Charlie Cook
Ray Cook
Mike Dunn
Foster Faris
Gary Faulconer
Mike Gordon
Kevin Haga
Chuck Hardee
Randy Keefe
Pat Leach
Frank Mueller
Tim Pool
Jeff Rhubottom
Marc Sem
Don Sherman
Bill Stone
David Suder
Lee Suder
Jeff Thomas
Charlie Toth
Wayne Trumbull
Ed Weber
Steve Whitney
Fred Wyatt
Coaches:
Pat Lippincott
Greg Simon
Cheerleaders:
Teresa Coupe
Lisa Keeney
Sherri Knoll
Kathy McClane
Jan Sem
Jill Whitney
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