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Posts Tagged ‘Happy birthday’

We may have awesome overload here!!

Posted in A freakin' American hero, Baseball, Football, Happy birthday, tagged , , , , on September 7, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Kurtis Smith

Kurtis Smith

Lathom Kelley

Lathom Kelley

Is it even possible for one day to contain so much raw charisma without the calendar exploding?!?!

It’s a question worth asking as two of the biggest and boldest showmen in Coupeville celebrate a joint birthday today.

Wolf grad Kurtis Smith, he of the sweet baseball swing and flyin’ feet, and CHS junior Lathom Kelley, a gridiron beast prone to bouncing off of walls in the gym (literally), are not quiet, shy wallflowers.

Both talented athletes who delight in playing a bit to the crowd, they make my job so much easier.

Quick with the quotes, even quicker with the photo ops, they were born to be stars.

Bright, shining supernovas.

And, since they’re both too busy to spend a lot of time reading some kind of gushy tribute, let’s just wish them much sweet, sweet birthday cake and send them on their way, “Wayne’s World“-style, with maybe a lil’ bit of McConaughey.

“Party on, Kurtis!” “Party on, Lathom!”

Keep on keepin’ on.

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Bring “The Bucket” home for Bryce!!

Posted in Football, Happy birthday, tagged , , , , , on September 5, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Bryce Fleming heads upfield during his days as a Wolf. (Shelli Trumbull photo)

Bryce Fleming heads up-field during his days as a Wolf. (Shelli Trumbull photo)

Bryce Fleming with mom Marie (left) and wife Cheyenne.

Fleming with mom Marie (left) and wife Cheyenne.

Fleming (Drew Chan photo)

   Fleming (second from left, back row) and teammates celebrate winning The Bucket in 2012. (Drew Chan photo)

Two years ago, Coupeville High School brought The Bucket home.

A Wolf gridiron team that included Bryce Fleming went to Langley and shocked the Falcons 18-13, reclaiming the trophy that goes to the winner of the annual all-Island rivalry.

Key to that victory, which clinched a playoff berth for Coupeville, was the then-junior, who hauled in the game-deciding score on an eight-yard pass from Josh Bayne. It was Fleming’s seventh TD that season.

Not bad for a speedy two-way weapon who has always had the good sense to be a die-hard Pittsburgh Steelers fan.

Seahawk lovers jumped on the bandwagon (and will eventually fall off ) but Steelers fans are for life, baby!

One ring is cute. Six rings is a dynasty.

OK, anyway, movin’ on…

Jump forward two years from Fleming and Co. pulling off big-game heroics and it’s time to once again throw down some more Footballageddon.

Tonight is opening night to the 2014 season, and it’s a big one, with the Wolves and Falcons squaring off in Cow Town (7 PM kickoff), with the trophy currently in South Whidbey hands.

Fleming won’t be in town for the game, as he is now in the Army, the fourth generation in his family to suit up for the military.

But, as he celebrates his 19th birthday far away from Whidbey (probably with a forced march), this year’s Wolf squad, which includes some players from the 2012 team like Bayne, Wiley Hesselgrave and Lathom Kelley, can be inspired by what Fleming once accomplished.

They can go out and revive the cries of “What do Wolves eat? Falcon meat!!!”

They can reclaim their trophy. Right what went wrong last year. Make Langley weep salty tears of regret.

And, on his birthday, they can put the cherry on top of the sundae for a former star now serving his country with great honor.

Make Bryce Fleming’s birthday complete. Win one for #80.

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It must be Destiny!!

Posted in Cheer, tagged , , , , on September 4, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Destiny Bitting (John Fisken photo)

Destiny Bitting, during her junior year. (John Fisken photos)

Bitting (second from right), with fellow Wolf cheerleaders (l to r) Sylvia Hurlburt,

   Bitting (second from right), with fellow Wolf cheerleaders (l to r) Sylvia Hurlburt, Emily Licence, Robin Cedillo and Camilla Rische.

Bitting (right) and Brittani

Bitting and Brittani Wilkinson get colorful during a cheer camp.

Destiny Bitting shares at least two things with Beyoncé.

They have the same birthday — Sept. 4 — though the singer is a few years older than the Coupeville High School senior. And also, both are larger-than-life showmen.

Or, more appropriately, show-women.

Destiny has channeled her entertainment energy into the world of cheer-leading and it has paid off nicely.

A Wolf captain this year, she’ll be easy to spot, as she’s usually out front through football and basketball seasons.

Loud ‘n proud, Bitting is a vital part of Wolf Nation, one who has learned to deal with a serious heart condition without letting it slow her down.

She may not get the huge headlines and 24/7 media coverage that her birthday mate does, but Destiny makes an impact on her town every day, through her actions, her words and her sublime grace.

Happy birthday, Miss Bitting.

The rest of the world may spend the day ranting and raving about Beyoncé, but you’re the real superstar here.

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Shine on, Tiny Dancer!!

Posted in A freakin' American hero, Dance, tagged , , , , , on September 3, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Chelsea Randall, the early days. (Photo courtesy Savannah Randall)

Chelsea Randall, the early days. (Photo courtesy Savannah Randall)

Still wonderful.

Still wonderful. (Kelsey Simmons photo)

I knew the half-whispered legends, but had never seen real evidence.

At least not until I got up with a headache at 3 AM in the morning and, boom, there it was in the form of a surprise email from her younger sister.

Suddenly, the stories of the early days of Chelsea Randall actually took solid form.

The most talented person I know, captured during her early days as a dance prodigy. Her smile lighting up the world, her love of dance exploding out of a photo from the past.

Before Chelsea became a choreographer, writer, director, editor and a billion other things. Before she became the petite ball o’ fire who lights up the world every day, none more so than in the moments leading up to her 30th birthday Wednesday.

Many in Coupeville will know her as the manager at Christopher’s on Whidbey, a job she handles with great grace under pressure.

A select few will know all that she has accomplished in her life leading up to this day. Her resume, which she rarely discusses, is the stuff of legend.

Springing from a family deeply immersed in the entertainment industry, headed up by grandfather Pitt Herbert, who acted with everyone from Jimmy Stewart to Elvis, Chelsea is born to show biz.

Her mom, Elizabeth Herbert, her dad, Phil Randall, and her lil’ sis, Savannah Randall, all actively involved in theater.

Her parents have spent the summer in Vegas, working nightly on a highly-successful production of “Menopause: The Musical” that’s playing at the Luxor on the Strip.

I could go on and on, detailing Chelsea’s brilliance and talent, but, since she is not fond of self-promotion, let’s leave it at this — she is amazing.

In every way, every day, her light shines across the world and makes it a wonderful place.

I hope her birthday is as awesome as she is.

And the photo? Better than Excedrin.

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How do you spell awesome? A-I-M-E-E!!

Posted in A freakin' American hero, Happy birthday, tagged , , , , , on August 31, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Aimee Bishop has never frowned in her entire life. True story.

Aimee Bishop has never frowned in her entire life. True story.

She is the smile that powers Coupeville.

Everywhere she goes, in everything she does, Aimee Bishop spreads joy. That’s her job, her mission, her business — and business is good.

A former Wolf athletic star herself back in the day, she has gone on to bless Cow Town with a daughter (Breeanna Messner) who was as smart, talented and caring as any athlete to ever wear the red and black.

If there is an event, Aimee is there, phone bouncing from hand to hand as she keeps the lights on, makes sure the PA system doesn’t flame out and each and every fellow fan gets a smile, a nod, a hug, a brief bit of the “Bishop Glow.”

Today is her birthday but really, we should celebrate her every day. Coupeville would be 44.7% less fun if she had not returned to The Rock.

Now, at this point, she is likely rolling her eyes and saying “Oh, you guys!!”

It’s not gonna work, however.

She may try and be modest and say she’s not doing anything special, that she’s just one of many behind-the-scenes worker bees and proud mamas.

But, deep down she knows the truth, even if she won’t publicly admit it.

Aimee Bishop is a freakin’ American hero. End of story.

Embrace your awesomeness, Aimee. The rest of us have already accepted it as a stone cold fact.

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