Let the countdown -- and discussion -- begin

Snohomish County has long been a hotbed for talented coaches. But who's the best?

That question, of course, is a subjective one that's best left for those who have been around long enough to know.

It doesn't mean, however, that we can't start some friendly discussions.

Earlier this summer, The Herald decided to start compiling a list of some of the county's most successful coaches. We were quickly reminded of just how many candidates have been through this part of the state.

Each candidate has an obvious local tie, whether that means growing up in Snohomish County or coaching here as an adult. The list is made up of high school coaches, college coaches and even a few coaches at the professional level.

Our final list of Snohomish County's Top 25 Most Successful Coaches of All Time is by no means an end-all-be-all poll. We don't claim to know who is the best coach, only some of the most successful in terms of wins, losses and championships.

Making a list like this was no easy task.

Who's to say whether Everett native Dennis Erickson, who has been successful coaching several college football programs, has had a better career than his father, Pinky, a longtime high school coach?

Who are we to say that Mike Price was a better coach than his father, Walt, just because Mike coaches at the NCAA Division 1-A level, while his father coached at Everett Community College?

And how could one possibly differentiate between Dick Erickson's accolades as the University of Washington crew coach and Kevin Constantine's resume as coach of the Western Hockey League's Everett Silvertips?

The truth is, no one knows who is the best coach in Snohomish County history. The best coach may well be a man or woman who didn't necessarily win a lot of games but changed plenty of lives along the way.

What The Herald tried to do was compile a list of the 25 most successful coaches with ties to the region.

Our original list of candidates included more than 75 names, compiled mostly through our sports department staff, area coaches and athletic directors, and local historians such as Larry O'Donnell and Keith Gilbertson Sr. The Herald then took that impressive list of names and whittled it down to a top 25. We will count down that list today through Sunday, five names at a time. On Sunday, The Herald will print the entire list, including not only the top 25 but also the names of those coaches who were considered.

Our list goes as far back as the early 20th century and also includes several current coaches.

Every coach on our list, especially those selected in the final 25, could make a case for the county's most successful of all time.

We hope that The Herald's final list -- Snohomish County's Top 25 Most Successful Coaches of All Time -- will honor some of the most influential men and women from the area of the past century.

We also help that it will entertain our readers and pave the way for some spirited discussions.