Veteran coach takes over Darrington football team
Published 9:00 pm Monday, May 22, 2006
Fred Emerson spent 31 years of his life around high school sports, including 26 as a coach.
“You don’t stay around that long unless you like coaching,” Emerson said.
Emerson, 70, enjoys it so much, he’s come out of retirement to become head football coach at Darrington High. The Marysville resident draws on a wealth of experience, including coaching stints at Western Washington University, Lake Stevens, Kent-Meridian, Hoquiam, Auburn, Enumclaw and Manson, near Lake Chelan. He spent 14 years at Lake Stevens, including three as head football coach.
“Darrington’s always been a good football school over the years,” said Emerson, who played football and baseball at Western. “It just looked like a pretty good situation and (a chance) to get back into coaching.”
Emerson, who replaces longtime Darrington coach Rob Wales, takes over a team that was 1-9 in the Northwest 1A/B League this past fall. The Loggers join the new Northwest 2B/1A League next school year.
A core of strong assistant coaches and Emerson have the expertise to help Darrington excel, Loggers athletic director Kim Wardell said.
Emerson, whose daughter is Marysville-Pilchuck head volleyball coach Shelly Johnson, advocates a straightforward formula for success on the field: “I’ve always felt that hard work and the dedication to what you’re doing will win.”
Bittersweet: Lake Stevens track coach Jeff Page enjoyed his boys and girls teams’ title sweep Friday at the 4A district meet in Stanwood. But it also was a sad night for Page, who watched his daughter, Vikings senior Elise Page, compete in her final prep event. Page also coached his son, current Pacific Lutheran sprinter Nick Page. Between Nick and Elise, Jeff Page coached at least one of his children every season since 2000. Jeff Page said he felt a sense of mourning all last week, but the title sweep was “a great way to go out.”
Saved: It’s not all dog-eat-dog on the track. Before the start of the boys 1,600-meter race Wednesday at the 4A district meet in Stanwood, Everett’s Jeff Helmer saved Mariner’s Dak Riek from disqualification. Riek, a junior, forgot to remove his necklace (jewelry is not allowed during competition). But just before the event began Helmer, a senior, noticed Riek’s mistake and reminded him to remove the necklace. Helmer went on to win the race; Riek took fourth.
Arlington teammates land football opportunities: Arlington senior Tim Acker will play football for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. Acker, a two-way Associated Press all-state player (wide receiver and defensive back), was a team captain for an Arlington team that reached the 4A state quarterfinals. In addition, Arlington senior Eric Cort, an All-Wesco North second team offensive lineman who also played linebacker, signed with Jamestown College in Jamestown, N.D.
Four Lake Stevens players commit: Monica Beard (Pacific Lutheran University), Alyssa Isaman (Northwest Nazarene in Nampa, Idaho), Amy Korzelius (Cascade College in Portland, Ore.) and Amanda Zueger (Shoreline Community College), all of the Lake Stevens girls soccer team, committed to play soccer for their respective future schools, according to Lake Stevens coach Dianne Mattingly.
Home on the range: The Arlington boys golf team lost its home course when Gleneagle Golf Course closed late last year (it temporarily reopened earlier this month), but the Eagles made the best of a potentially frustrating situation. By the time Jack Greaves, Arlington’s head coach, started looking for a new practice site, most of the nearby courses were already booked with prep teams. The Eagles ended up at Choice Turf driving range in Snohomish – a nearly 20-mile drive on Highway 9 that made for an hour-plus round trip. The extra travel time actually boosted team unity, Greaves said. Arlington junior Alex Hedlund, who qualified for this week’s 4A state tourney in Spokane, thanked Choice Turf employees and said it all turned out for the best: “That’s really cool that we’ve taken this (opportunity) and not thrown it away.”
Snohomish physicals: Sports physicals are offered for $25 for the 2006-07 school year 4-7 p.m. June 1 at Snohomish High. Make an appointment by May 31 at the Snohomish athletics office or leave a message at 360-563-4085.
