2001: Everett (16-10 overall) qualified for the state tournament for the first time since the school took up fastpitch nine years ago. The Seagulls tied Lake Stevens for second place in the Western Conference 3A and were fourth in the district tournament. They were 1-2 at state, all three games decided in extra innings.
Background: The second-year head coach grew up in Kirkland and played football and ran track at Juanita High School. After college at the University of Washington and Seattle Pacific, Peacock became a volunteer assistant at Inglemoor under coach Jeff Skelly.
“When he asked me to help out with softball, I thought he was joking,” Peacock said. “I’d always wanted to coach, but I’d never thought of coaching girls.”
But that year (1996) Inglemoor finished third in the state and Peacock was hooked. He did his student teaching at Everett in 1997-98 and assisted with softball. He coached the junior varsity in 1999 and became the varsity coach last season.
Peacock said he has modeled a lot of his methods after Skelly’s.
“He taught me everything there is to know about the differences between baseball and fastpitch,” Peacock said. “If you watch one of his practices and one of mine, you’ll see the same things.”
Comment: Peacock credited his team’s success this season to its seniors, all of whom sport 3.0 or higher grade point averages.
“If any group deserved the success we had this year, it was this group,” Peacock said. “They suffered through losing seasons as freshmen and sophomores, but we always talked about building respect and they worked hard. I’m really happy for the way things turned out this year.”
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