Stanwood honors former softball coach
Published 4:56 pm Monday, March 24, 2008
Mike Chandler will forever be linked with Stanwood High School softball.
In 1980 Chandler started the Spartans’ program and guided it for 27 years. Last week his impact was officially recognized when the school named its softball facility Mike Chandler Field in his honor. The field dedication was made Wednesday before Stanwood’s game against Monroe.
Last April 10 Chandler died at age 56 of complications from kidney disease. The 1968 Stanwood graduate was a longtime wood shop teacher at the school and in 2005 was inducted into the Washington State Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
“He was very proud of the girls and athletics. He had a real passion for girls sports,” former Stanwood athletic director Jim Piccolo told The Herald last year.
“It wasn’t about winning and losing to him,” added Piccolo. “It was about providing a positive environment for (student-athletes).”
After the dedication ceremony Wednesday, Stanwood lost 4-3 versus undefeated Monroe. The Spartans rallied from a 3-0 deficit and tied it 3-3 in the sixth inning before losing by a run.
Charitable hoops event
Kamiak’s third annual Senior vs. Staff Basketball Game is 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Kamiak gym. About 60 male and female senior students, including players, cheerleaders and event volunteers, and 20 staff members are expected to participate, according to organizer Kevin Song. Tickets are $5 for students and $7 for all others. All proceeds go to Northwest Harvest, a Seattle-based hunger-relief agency. The game will not include Kamiak varsity basketball players.
Bellarmine Prep guard honored by Gatorade
Abdul Gaddy, a junior point guard from Bellarmine Prep, was named the 2007-08 Gatorade Washington Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Gaddy, a 6-foot-3, 170-pounder, averaged 23 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals this season for the Lions, who placed third March 1 at the Class 4A state tournament in Tacoma. Gaddy, who participates in several community-service programs, has verbally committed to accept a basketball scholarship from the University of Arizona.
Stanwood midfielder signs with W. Oregon
Stanwood’s Monique Thees, a senior outside midfielder, signed an NCAA National Letter of Intent to play for Western Oregon University (Monmouth, Ore.).
“Monique is a speedy wing player who has a high work rate and a good touch on the ball,” Western Oregon women’s soccer coach Rod Fretz said. “She has good one-on-one ability to get around defenders and has a strong and consistent cross, which will fit well into our style of play.”
On second thought…
A lot of people ask Everett senior J Hopkins about his first name. Hopkins, the 2007 Class 3A state champion in the 300-meter hurdles, generally goes by J instead of his given first name, Jerroid.
J said he used to tell everyone who asked how to pronounce his first name, “It’s Jerroid, like steroid.” But with all the performance-enhancement scandals looming over sports, particularly track and field, J said he quickly stopped using that comparison.
Besides having a sense of humor, Hopkins has excellent leadership skills, Everett coach Doug Hall said: “He can relate to quiet kids and strong athletes. He most definitely is a caring individual who is outgoing to everybody. He knows where he came from. He wasn’t always at the top of the hill.”
Mike Cane, Herald Writer
