Kaley Mitchell was ecstatic.
Two years ago, after enduring a miserable season that yielded just three victories and six goals, Mitchell and the Jackson High School girls soccer team finally found a reason to cheer: Michael Bartley was going to be their new coach.
Bartley, an Everett native and a 1980 Cascade High graduate, had already had success as the Jackson boys coach. He also guided the Meadowdale girls to four Wesco South titles and five state tournament appearances before leaving to take over both Jackson squads.
Mitchell, now a senior forward, said the situation was dire before Bartley arrived. “We didn’t have any sort of teamwork. We didn’t have any connection.”
Just two years later, Mitchell said Jackson has the best teamwork, the best connection, and the best friendships. “This team has molded together.”
Jackson always had the talent, Mitchell continued, but little to show for it. “Now we have the talent and the teamwork. When you bring all those together, you get to the Final Four.”
As in the Class 4A state semifinals, where blooming Jackson (14-4-1 overall) will play highly regarded Bellarmine Prep (18-0-2) 6 p.m. today at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood. The finals and consolation games are Saturday.
The Timberwolves have already made school history with their first trip to the state tournament. Now they are on the verge of playing for a state championship. It’s not hard to trace the trail of success the 42-year-old Bartley had Jackson striving for seemingly unreachable heights from the get-go.
“The first thing he asked us,” Jackson goalkeeper Dee Wood said, “was what we wanted to accomplish and how we were going to accomplish it. It wasn’t really about what he wanted to do but all about what the team wanted to do.”
At first their aspirations were understandably modest. “We just wanted to win some games,” said Wood, a sophomore.
But as they embraced Bartley’s system and learned how to win, the Timberwolves realized there was no limit to how far they go. After winning two consecutive Wesco South titles and springing several so-called upsets in the last few weeks, Jackson believes it can beat anyone. Bartley cultivated that infectious confidence.
“Everything is so much more upbeat and so organized and so well-run compared to a couple years ago,” said junior Dani Oster, Jackson’s leading scorer with 19 goals and 10 assists. “We just have goals in mind. We didn’t have goals two years ago.”
Bartley’s impact stems from constant dedication, Oster added. Sometimes he will call his three team captains, Oster, Mitchell (seven goals, 12 assists) and Katie Waldin, a senior defender, late at night to run a new strategy by them. It’s all part of his ongoing desire to prepare them for any situation on the field.
“He will do anything on the drop of a dime,” Oster said. “He wants us all to do so well. He loves us so much.”
When asked to describe his impact on Jackson’s drastic turnaround, Bartley downplayed his role. He said he got the team on track last year, but the Timberwolves have drawn on their talent and desire to do the rest. Work hard for me, he always tell them, and we’ll be okay.
“I’m really proud of the way they’ve accepted all of this,” Bartley said.
Winning will do that.
Bartley, who started coaching youth soccer at age 16, revived the Eastside Catholic program before going to Meadowdale. He has received offers to coach at a few east coast colleges, but with a job at Boeing and a 10-year-old son nearly ready to start playing select soccer (Bartley plans to coach that team, too), he said things are going pretty well. His history-making players at Jackson couldn’t agree more.
“As a senior,” Mitchell said, “I couldn’t ask for anything better. Here we are. All I’m asking now is for us to win.”
Thanks to Bartley, Jackson believes it can.
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