Jada Heaton, one of the most-joyful athletes to ever wear a Wolf uniform. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Joy, absolute unbridled joy.
There have been Coupeville athletes who seemed happy to be playing, whether on a field or a court, but few have exuded the consistent level of bliss that Jada Heaton brought to everything she did.
That positivity, through every game, every at-bat, every sideline interaction, made her a valuable linchpin to very-successful Wolf volleyball, basketball, and softball squads.
Ready to tear up the softball diamond with running mate Mia Farris. (Jennifer Heaton photo)
Jada, who graduated from CHS in 2025, was part of what always seemed to be an especially tight-knit group of young women, a band of sisters from other misters who played together from when they were pee-wees to their final Senior Night moments.
That group went to state in multiple sports, earning league titles and both team and individual honors along the way.
Maybe more importantly, however, they genuinely seemed to like each other, taking delight in both their own praise-worthy accomplishments, but also in the achievements of their teammates.
A lot of that, in my opinion, seemed to spring from the bright, beating heart of joy at the center, one Jada Rose Heaton, whose positiveness never seemed to wane, win or loss.
Up to shenanigans. (Bailey Thule photo)
During her athletic career there were moments where she was a key contributor, stepping up and seizing the spotlight, and others where she was the perfect supporting crew.
A rebounder and a scrapper and a hustler on the hardwood, she lit up Orting one Saturday afternoon in front of her hometown fans.
Coupeville had lost a key league game to Friday Harbor just hours before, ending any playoff dreams for the Wolves, who needed a spark.
Enter Joltin’ Jada, who suddenly became a rampaging offensive dynamo in the game’s final moments.
Kickin’ butt and takin’ names. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Demanding the ball (well, OK, politely asking for it…), she scored on three consecutive trips down the floor in the fourth quarter to ice the victory, the bounce in her step getting bigger after every play.
First Jada took a lob from Katie Marti, slapping the ball off the glass for a quick bucket.
Then, wham, bam, thank you ma’am, she scored on a power move down low, muscling her way through a mass of players trying to viciously elbow and knee her tender regions.
Capping things, Jada elevated to snatch an offensive board — as she so often did — before using a quick dip to get past a defender for the put-back.
There were other spotlight reel moments as well, especially on the softball diamond, where she lashed extra-base hits and mentally scarred Darrington pitchers for the next three generations.
Or when Jada made this game-saving catch during her little league days, captured in one of my all-time favorite images from 14 years of doing this blog.
“And just where do you think you’re going, Mr. Softball? Get in my glove!!” (Jackie Saia photo)
When she got magical, she celebrated with all her heart.
But, and this is huge, when her teammates, her lifelong friends, her compadres, got magical as well, Jada celebrated even harder.
Her kindness shone through in the toughest of moments.
Her inner strength and resilience amazed when she ripped a nasty foul ball off her own chin at the state softball tourney, then tried to stay in the game even with a chipped tooth and badly swollen jaw.
And that joy?
It washed over every teammate she ever had, and it was the secret super glue which bound together one of the most-successful band of sisters to ever grace the Coupeville sports scene.
The smiling assassin. (Corinn Parker photo)
Jada is a good athlete and a great human being, and she was an absolute joy to write about.
Diploma in hand, she went off to find new challenges and impress new people, and I hope all of her dreams come true.
In this moment, though, we want to take Jada back for a second to her school days and make sure she knows how highly she is regarded.
Today we swing open the doors to the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame and induct a smart, graceful, kind, and joy-filled young woman who made even the stormiest of prairie days seem sunnier.
After this, Miss Heaton will reside in the Legends section at the top of the blog, never forgotten and always remembered, her joyful presence absolutely guaranteed to light the joint up.
She does like to celebrate. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
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