Less than three years ago, Trish Stackpole accepted a friend’s invitation to join the Lake Stevens Rowing Club.
Stackpole hoped to have fun, but she didn’t expect to become one of the top young rowers in the area.
Turns out she got both.
Stackpole, a recent Monroe High School graduate, excelled for the Lake Stevens Rowing Club the past several years and blossomed into a Division-I competitor. Last month she and two other local rowers accepted offers to join the Oregon State University team. Two Everett Rowing Association teammates – Neta Fischer of Jackson and Rebecca Powell of Snohomish – also committed to OSU.
“I had no idea that it would go (this) far,” said Stackpole, 18, who in May won a silver medal in the JV single event at the 2006 Northwest Junior Regional Championships in Vancouver, Wash. The 5-foot-11 Stackpole earned a spot in the Lake Stevens Rowing Club’s varsity four boat as a junior and continues to exceed her once-modest goals.
Stackpole tried other sports in her youth, including cross country, downhill skiing and basketball, but she said she prefers the teamwork aspect of her current favorite athletic endeavor: “With rowing, there can be no one star player. Every single person in the boat has to work completely together.”
Stackpole, who plans to study medical technology, leaves for OSU in mid-September. She’s gearing up for some incredibly demanding workouts: “It’s going to be the hardest I’ve ever worked in my life, for sure.”
South Whidbey hires girls hoops coach: Henry Pope is the new head coach of the South Whidbey girls basketball team. Pope, who coached boys and girls hoops at Langley Middle School the past two years and has an AAU coaching background, replaces John Pyrtek. Pyrtek led the Falcons to a 27-19 record in two seasons and was named the Cascade Conference Co-Coach of the Year in 2005. His contract was not renewed, a move that led several South Whidbey players and their parents to voice support for Pyrtek at a school board meeting March 27.
Pope, 50, an Alabama native, recently met with South Whidbey players and parents for the first time. He said he hopes to increase turnout and looks forward to working with more highly skilled athletes in his first high school head coaching opportunity: “I’m just looking forward to having … a more focused team (and) to having more athletes and more intensity.” Pope said he stresses four points he believes are critical to success: teamwork, pride, hustle and sacrifice.
Volleyball stars set to gather: Six local players are expected to compete in the 21st All State Volleyball Series July 13 at Fife High School (5616 20th St. East, Fife). Coming from the 4A Red team will be 6-foot-3 middle blocker Jennifer Muzzall of Oak Harbor, 5-3 libero Lauren Poole (Kamiak), and 5-9 middle blocker Stephanie Heard (Snohomish). They will be joined by 5-10 outside hitter Caitie Newman (South Whidbey), 5-6 setter Britney Carlson (Cedarcrest), and 6-0 middle blocker Whitney Oviatt (Cedarcrest) of the 3A/2A Red team. Washington high school coaches picked the teams in February. The A/B teams play at 4 p.m., 2A/3A teams at 6 p.m. and 4A at 8 p.m. Tickets are $6 for adults, $3 for students and children age 5 and younger get in free.
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