In a poll of CHS coaches, former lineman Brenden Gilbert received props. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)
Ashlie Shank was hailed for her work ethic on the track oval.
I have opinions, but they’re just that – opinions.
It’s easy for those of us in the stands to spout our thoughts on high school athletics, but, if you want a deeper appraisal, it’s time to turn to the coaches.
The men and women who run Coupeville programs, or have in the past, tend to understand their sports on a deeper basis than your friendly neighborhood idiot blogger.
While I am easily swayed by emotion, coaches deal with cold, hard facts and often have a different view of their athletes than we might.
The coaches see who actually commit in practice, who puts in work on the side, how they deal with fellow athletes, how they handle the highs and lows away from the spotlight.
With that in mind, I reached out to a bunch of active and former CHS coaches, asking them to reveal their picks on several subjects.
Who are the best athletes they’ve worked with? Who did they wish they could have coached? Who wins their approval for most underrated or top role model?
A few brave souls answered, and we’ll look at their responses in a five-part series starting today.
Dan d’Almeida
(Former CHS head girls soccer coach):
In my opinion the top five from girls soccer in my generation were Anna Bailey, Cassidi Rosenkrance, Amanda d’Almeida, Ashley Manker, and Caitlin Phillips.
The first four were all four-year varsity starters when I was coaching, the fifth was a four-year player I only coached her senior year.
So their overall commitment to the program first and foremost. All were captains for at least one season and they also were competing when we were in the very tough Cascade Conference.
Ashley Manker I wanted to especially point out, because it was her goalkeeper training that was the genesis of Coach (Gary) Manker’s “system” that was used for many years with both boys and girls.
She was his guinea pig and did so well considering he was still developing it and there is always the father/daughter dynamic that could be an issue!
Anonymous Coach #1
(Former HS assistant/MS head coach, worked with girls and boys):
Best female athlete, tough one, but I would say Lindsey Roberts.
A young talent whose bloodline runs deep in Coupeville and she lives up to her family’s legacy. An athlete who always wanted to be the best and she has grown so much and is out there dominating every sport
Best male athlete is another very tough choice, but I will have to say Josh Bayne.
A kid with natural talent and he was never a selfish kid. Never wanted to be the one who wanted stats and glory.
He loved the game and loved being out there with his brothers and had so much pride for Coupeville.
Most underrated athlete, there have been a lot of great athletes, but I have two in mind, Joel Walstad and Brenden Gilbert.
Joel did something you don’t really see. He decided to play QB towards the end of his junior year and never saw varsity time until he became a senior, and man, he did not disappoint.
To have never really played QB at all and to take on that role as a senior, he went in knowing he was the leader and knew he had to work harder than anyone else.
He set a season record (for TD passes), you don’t ever see that; he definitely was someone I was proud to see excel.
Brenden had great mentors in Carson (Risner) and Nick (Streubel) and Brenden really took on the mantel as being our guy on the line his senior year and really excelled.
Role model? Hands down Nick Streubel.
He proved that with hard work, excel in the classroom and play with everything you got on the field, you can do anything and you can make your dreams happen.
We have never really had anyone succeed in football at the next level as much as Nick has at Central.
He helped carry Coupeville and he is the anchor in that line in Central.
But he is also very humble, prideful in where he came from, respectful to members of the community, his peers and his coaches.
He also knows how to live his life still but manages all his time to never give up on his goals.
Another athlete I would say is Valen Trujillo.
She was always about her team and always pushed them to be better.
She was a leader in the weight room and took time away from her workouts to help everyone else. Took time to teach young athletes and always cheered them on and encouraged her fellow athletes.
She dominated every sport she did and she was very respectful to all who she faced and was very thankful for everyone coming to the games. Never would you ever see her not smile.
She always pushed herself to be better and the records show for it.
Ken Stange
(Entering 14th year, and 27th season, as CHS tennis coach):
I’ll start with which CHS athletes I wished I could’ve coached – James Smith and Sarah Wright.
Like everyone in his family, James was a gifted athlete. He was smart, aggressive, and confident.
Sadly for the tennis team, he was a talented football player.
He was good friends with Connor Tasoff, my resident tennis junkie at the time, and they played quite a bit.
Connor was my top guy at the time, and James consistently made Connor work hard.
I would joke with James that he should quit football and join the tennis team. He said he wished there were a fourth sport season so he could play tennis.
As a student in my 8th grade English class, Sarah was smart, assertive, and thoughtful.
As an athlete, she’s smart, aggressive, and team-oriented, not to mention universally-beloved.
Her cousins Megan and Brooke (Monroe) played for me and her sister, Genna (Wright), just finished a strong 9th grade season for me.
I just know that if Sarah wasn’t busy kicking butt on the softball diamond, she’d be a lights-out tennis player.
As for the most underrated, I have to go with a doubles team and John McClarin and Joseph Wedekind are an easy pick there.
With all due respect, those two guys did not look like eventual Olympic League doubles champs when they showed up as freshmen.
But once they got a taste of the game, they worked their tails off 12 months a year for the rest of their CHS tennis days.
To go from near the bottom of the JV ladder as freshmen to league champs as seniors is quite an accomplishment.
What’s more, they were basically assistant coaches to the girls’ team, because that was the only way they could get court time during the girls’ season.
When I think of which athlete I would want kids to emulate, I struggle to come up with one name. 26 seasons have given me a long list of choices.
What I do think of are team leaders I’ve had. I think of the ones who inspired and instilled the kind of tennis culture that is both fun and competitive.
I think of leaders like Connor Tasoff, Ben Etzell and Aaron Curtin, John McClarin and Joseph Wedekind, and William Nelson and Joey Lippo.
I think of Hannah Merrell and Megan Monroe, Jordan Akins and Jessica Blanchette, Amanda d’Almeida, Valen Trujillo and Payton Aparicio and Sage Renninger.
Those people? I’d be happy to have my kids emulate any and all of them!
Anonymous Coach #2
(Current assistant with a spring program):
The athlete I wish I could coach? This one is easy, Scout Smith.
Even though she doesn’t participate in my sport, she is an amazing athlete who is overall an amazing person.
She plays with a competitive spirit, yet she also strives to always better herself and her teammates. She plays with an intensity that is electric and one that would have been so great to have in track.
She is an essential player in any sport that I’ve seen her in and it would have been a joy and an honor to coach her.
I feel that Ashlie Shank is the most underrated athlete that I coached.
This girl was a sleeper and for some reason it seemed that no one expected much from her, but she expected so much from herself and worked so hard to get to where she was before she left.
She was very consistent in her times and she continued to bring them down by working hard, harder than some of the best athletes on the team.
She was essential to her relays and amazing on her own. She knew how to push herself and find new limits every day.
I wish she could have stayed so I could’ve seen her senior season but I wish her the best for her senior year.
Although I coached many amazing young athletes, the athlete that I would want young kids to emulate would be Jean Lund-Olsen.
This kid is amazing all around.
He is humble, a hard worker, he listens to and respects his coaches, he is respected, he listens to his body and knows when he needs to heal (admittedly sometimes he needs to be reminded of that), he respects the sports that he participates in, the list goes on.
This athlete is one that is hard to find, and I believe that many young athletes should strive to follow his lead.
Return Wednesday for Part 2 of our five-part series, as Ken Stange looks back at 13 seasons and picks his ultimate boys tennis lineup.
