Long-time Edmonds-Woodway volleyball coach steps down

Published 11:35 pm Thursday, March 25, 2010

After 39 years of coaching in the Edmonds School District, Mike Pittis has resigned as head coach of the Edmonds-Woodway volleyball program.

Pittis said he began coaching in 1968 at Edmonds Junior High, coaching JV baseball for two years. He moved to College Place Junior High when it opened in 1970 and coached volleyball for 10 years and track for nine.

Pittis began coaching at Edmonds High School in 1979 as assistant girls basketball coach, while still teaching and coaching at College Place. He began teaching at Edmonds High School in 1982 and took over as head girls basketball coach in 1984 and head volleyball coach in 1985.

He has been the the only head volleyball coach in Edmonds-Woodway’s 20 year history.

Pittis also served as assistant softball coach at E-W in 1991 and head football coach from 1994 through 2002.

His Edmonds volleyball team made a state appearance in 1988 and his Edmonds girls basketball team finished eighth at state in 1989. His E-W softball team made a state appearance in 1998 and his E-W volleyball teams reached state six times — 1990 (fifth place), ‘94, ‘97 (fourth place), ‘07, ‘08 and ‘09.

“It is tough to put into words what Mike Pittis has meant to the Edmonds Community throughout his career,” E-W athletic director Julie Stroncek said in an e-mail. “I know in the years I taught with Mike at EWHS, he was one of the most respected staff members by both his peers and students. He has had a huge impact on the lives of many students and student athletes. Mike has remained the coach at EWHS for all these years, because he truly loves the sport of volleyball and working with his athletes. This was an incredibly difficult decision for him to step away from a job he was so passionate about. You do not have to look far to see the impact Mike has had on his former athletes. This past season, four of the 12 volleyball coaches in the Edmonds School District were former athletes of Mike’s (Machen Shrum and Lindsay Becker at Meadowdale, Tiana Roma at Mountlake Terrace and Nicole Bordeaux at E-W). Mike Pittis has been a positive influence on countless athletes over the years and his dedication to high school athletics is to be commended. Pitt (as he is affectionately known) has been a pleasure to work with.”

Bordeaux, a 2001 graduate of E-W and the JV coach the past 5 seasons, has been named as the school’s new head coach.