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Posts Tagged ‘track and field’

Coupeville’s Danny Conlisk (right) and Klahowya’s Dylan Jackson, competitors in high school, now teammates on a summer running team. (Dawnelle Conlisk photos)

Conlisk and Co. seek out some shade after running all day in the Tacoma heat.

At this rate, he might need a bigger trophy case.

Coupeville’s Danny Conlisk is in that break period between winning state titles as a high school track runner, and competing as a college athlete.

So he’s filling some of his days by running with the Kitsap Fliers program for a second spring/summer, and Saturday he brought home three more medals.

Conlisk was competing at the South Puget Sound Track Festival at Mt. Tahoma High School in Tacoma, which meant leaving Whidbey at the crack of dawn, and coming home in a race with the fading daylight.

While on the oval Saturday, Conlisk zipped to a 1st place finish in the 4 x 100 relay, while adding a pair of 2nds in the 100 and 200.

He finished 1st in his prelims in the 100.

The relay was the cherry on top of the sundae, as Conlisk and three Fliers teammates — a group which had never even practiced together — crossed the line in a smoking hot 44.12 seconds.

The former Wolf ran the anchor leg, and told his mom it went like magic.

Danny said it was the best hand-off he has ever had,” Dawnelle Conlisk said. “It was so smooth, like butter.”

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Taygin Jump, who will be a CHS freshman in the fall, fires up a serve during a middle school match. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Jump, always right in the middle of the action.

And willing to sell out for the good of her team.

Every team needs a Taygin Jump.

The ultimate scrapper and hustler, she always has something positive to say to her teammates, and was seemingly born to collect Most Inspirational awards.

As she heads to Coupeville High School for her freshman year this fall, Jump will be a busy bee, flying right into volleyball before having to decide between track and tennis in the spring.

The exuberant young woman isn’t a one-dimensional athlete, however.

She looks forward to her language arts classes, enjoys writing and reading non-fiction, and is a huge fan of animals.

“I love animals, especially cats,” Jump said. “Though I do not have a cat of my own, because my two malamutes would eat a cat…”

She bops through a wide variety of music, depending on her mood, and is an equal opportunity film fan, watching the best of both Marvel and DC superhero films.

Most of all, Jump remains outgoing, the type of person who brings others together.

“I love hanging out with all of my friends and having a good laugh.”

That extends to her time on the court, where Jump can always be found at the heart of the action, usually providing a steady stream of chatter and vocal support to her fellow players.

“I enjoy being part of a team,” she said. “I enjoy learning and building on the skills and knowledge coaches teach me.

“I enjoy the challenges of the games and becoming a stronger person on and off the court,” Jump added. “My strengths as an athlete are team work and building the team’s spirit.”

While she enjoys every sport she’s involved in, the lure of racking up digs and spikes is irresistible.

“100% volleyball! I enjoy volleyball because there are a variety of skills and plays in each and every moment in the game,” Jump said.

“I feel each position is absolutely necessary to execute each play,” she added. “The challenge of watching the opposing team to determine what their play is and how I will help and guide my team to defend against it, is truly inspiring.”

Jump credits those who have worked to shape her game with providing a positive influence.

“Mainly my club volleyball coaches and (CHS) Coach Cory (Whitmore),” she said. “My club coaches had a huge impact on my skills. They helped me develop the skills I needed to work better as a team and individual player.

“Coach Cory lets me stay after practices and skills camps to work on my technique and encourages me to keep working hard.”

As she progresses in the game she loves, Jump continues to refine her skills, always looking to reach new levels of success.

“I would like to work on balancing academics with practices and games,” she said.

“Also, I struggle with being a stronger player; for example if someone on the court is louder than me, I won’t be as loud as I normally would.”

Jump is in it for the long haul however, and, as her career soars, so should her confidence.

Ask me what former CHS volleyball star she reminds me of, and I will say Valen Trujillo, who holds the CHS volleyball career record for digs and was a multiple All-Conference selection.

Jump, like Trujillo before her, provides a beautiful combination of hustle, passion for the sport, positive mind-set, and an unflagging ability to elevate the play of those around her.

“I believe I am a great team player, and I plan to be a CHS volleyball player my entire high school career,” Jump said.

Will the sport lead her to new heights? She hopes so, and plans to put in the necessary work to make a run at big-time success.

“It would be ideal to receive a volleyball scholarship and continue to play through college,” Jump said. “I’m also considering becoming a coach for volleyball or work my way up to playing professional volleyball.”

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Trinity McGee, who will be a freshman at Coupeville High School in the fall, is a three-sport athlete. (Photos courtesy Angela McGee)

McGee (4), here playing club volleyball, is “very passionate” about her favorite sport.

With one eye on the future, and one eye on improving daily, she’s a young woman who wants to make history.

Trinity McGee doesn’t back down.

The three-sport athlete, who will be a freshman at Coupeville High School in the fall, approaches each game, each practice, ready to rock the joint.

Whether she’s playing volleyball or basketball, or competing in track and field, McGee is fully committed.

“A strength I have in my sports is my aggressiveness,” she said. “When I go to hit the ball in volleyball I gather all my anger and just slam the ball down.

“When in a basketball game I use my aggressiveness to get me to the other side of the court and push myself to the extreme.”

As she transitions to high school, McGee plans to continue with all three of her sports, enjoying the chance to stay active and involved all year long.

“Doing three sports keeps me busy,” she said. “And I get more exercise and stay healthy while moving and practicing.”

But, while McGee enjoys all three, volleyball is nearest and dearest to her heart.

“I feel very passionate about it,” she said. “I would definitely say that volleyball is my favorite sport because of the strategic system.

“You have to communicate with your team on a good strategy that will get the ball over the net and have the rivals speechless,” McGee added. “I also love diving and digging the rivals serves.

“When I get a good dig in, I feel accomplished and proud.”

Whether it’s playing club volleyball or working on her shot in basketball, McGee is always looking to improve.

“I would like to work on my form for shooting and my footwork for hitting,” she said. “But I know that if I work hard enough I can accomplish things I thought I’d never be able to in the past.”

McGee has a vision of future success, and is striving to get herself there.

“My goal is to get better and better and work harder at my sports so that I can have a good chance at getting a scholarship or breaking a record,” she said.

“I have always looked up at the record boards and imagined what it would be like to have my name up there,” McGee added. “Then I decided to try my hardest to make it happen.”

As she has progressed through middle school sports, her coaches and teammates have proved to be invaluable for a young woman on the rise in the classroom and athletic arena.

“In any sport, (teammate) Maddie Georges has always lifted me up when I am down,” McGee said. “Telling me everyone makes mistakes and it’s okay.

“She is the reason that I don’t get down on myself like I used to; she has brought me a long way into the game.”

While playing multiple sports, both in the school system and outside, McGee has had numerous coaches already, and she credits them for helping with her growth.

“Most of all, I would like to thank my coaches for teaching me everything I know from this day on,” she said. “If they were not as caring and determined as they were, I wouldn’t be here today, playing and enjoying sports.”

During her brief down time, McGee enjoys “reading a good book or spending class in Language Arts with Mrs. (Casie) Greve,” woodworking with her dad and baking with her mom.

“Spending time with the people I care about makes life better when I’m not practicing,” she said. “I’d also like to thank my parents for supporting me through everything that happens with my sports and being by my side.”

While the fast-rising young star dreams of big accomplishments, and works to make them a reality, her love of sports ultimately comes down to one thing – happiness.

“Being an athlete is enjoyable because I get to be recognized for something I’m good at and passionate about,” McGee said.

“Also, you get to play with a team and know you’re not alone,” she added. “All the pep talks and the cheers get your adrenaline running and that’s what makes the game fun!”

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Dominic Coffman brings huge heart, and a dash of danger, to every sport he plays. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Coffman, here kick-starting a fast break in middle school, will be a freshman at Coupeville High School this fall.

The most exciting player in middle school sports is headed to high school.

We’re going to let Dominic Coffman speak for himself here in a second, but I just have to say something first.

Over the past two years, no one in a CMS uniform has been quite as entertaining to watch play as he has been.

Coffman is a savage, and I mean that in the best possible way.

He comes with everything he has, and watching “The Dominator” in action is a treat.

Coffman goes flying into every play, whether on the football field, basketball court, or when he’s bouncing between events in track and field.

For example, other players may occasionally get a blocked shot on the hardwood.

At one point during his Coupeville Middle School days, Coffman chased down a play from behind, launched himself airborne, and managed to both reject the shot and bounce his shoe-clad foot off the back of the rival player’s head.

The second part was probably accidental. Doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it.

It was a thing of furious beauty, a testament to the fire Coffman brings to everything he does, and proof that he’ll be worth the price of admission when he invades Coupeville High School this fall.

The whirlwind wild man plans to continue playing all three of his sports, which is good news for Wolf fans (and writers who like a good foot-to-the-head moment).

“They keep me busy all year and with track and field it helps me get ready for football,” Coffman said. “With basketball, it helps me to get stronger and focus.”

While he enjoys all of his sports, gridiron action narrowly nips hoops as his favorite.

“I was six years old when my mom first put me in football,” Coffman said. “Then, when I learned to tackle kids that were two times bigger than me, it helped me to work hard and not to play with fear.”

While track and field can be a largely solitary sport, football and basketball involve groups of players working together to achieve success, something Coffman appreciates.

“They are team sports, so it helped me to learn to get along with others, build friendships and work hard for myself and the rest of the team,” he said. “Football and basketball show love for the game and for family.”

Coffman draws inspiration from fellow freshman-to-be Alex Murdy and current and former Wolf stars like Sean and Cameron Toomey-Stout.

All three are known for their dedication and hard work, something Coffman wants to emulate.

“My friend, Alex, he continues to be himself, not caring what other people think and always reminding me to be a team player doing my best and wanting others to do their best,” he said.

Cameron and Sean, I have watched them and how they push themselves,” Coffman added. “They have encouraged me and they are not afraid to be who they are.”

He also credits his parents for “always supporting and loving me and wanting me to be the best me I can become in everything I do,” and thanks “Ms. Z, Ms. Raven and Mr. Black” for their support in school.

Whether working in class, where he enjoys “math with Mr. DeArmond and history with Mr. Volkman,” or progressing as an athlete, Coffman is all about putting in work.

“All the stuff you can do to get better at my position and to see the face of my future coming true,” he said.

Coffman is working on increasing his speed and vertical jump, and has set goals of becoming a starter in football and “keeping my grades up, so I can still play sports.”

When he’s not at practice or involved in a game, he enjoys swimming, listening to hip hop, taking his Bernese Mountain Dog, Zion, for walks, and spending time with family and friends.

Ultimately, though, it all comes back around to sports, which drive him to be a well-rounded person, and one who plans to shine for the next four years.

“My strengths are my love for sports, my footwork, strength, and speed,” Coffman said.

“I want to work on my mental game and to get faster to get to the ball when I’m playing wide receiver,” he added “I also need to work out in the weight room, and get stronger.

Underestimate him at your own risk. Heart matters most in sports, and Coffman has a huge one.

“I might not be very tall, but I will continue to show it is not the height that matters,” he said. “It is my determination, getting stronger, and love of sports, that will prove who I will become.”

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CHS grad Danny Conlisk won the 200 and 400 Saturday at the Nike Xtreme Speed Christal Johnson Memorial track meet in Auburn. (Dawnelle Conlisk photo)

Danny Conlisk may never lose another race. Ever.

A day after graduating from Coupeville High School, the two-time state champion went out and kicked off the summer season by rolling to a pair of wins in Auburn.

Running at the Nike Xtreme Speed Christal Johnson Memorial, Conlisk scored victories in both the 200 and 400.

In the shorter of the two races, he rambled across the line in a crisp 22.38 seconds, edging out Karandeep Dhillon of Xtreme Speed (22.60).

Conlisk, who is in his second year of running for the Kitsap Fliers Track and Field Club, then crushed the field in the 400.

Leaning across in 51.14, he was a full second faster than runner-up Christopher Rogers of Auburn Elite, who clocked in at 52.14.

Conlisk is scheduled to return to action June 15 at the South Puget Sound Track Festival at Mt. Tahoma High School in Tacoma.

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