EVERETT – June Daugherty was lost.
Adorned in striped knee-high socks, red Chuck Taylor sneakers and a Sergeant Pepper’s T-shirt, Daugherty had no idea what to do. She was a timid 6-foot-2 junior trying to figure out the lay-up drill during her first basketball practice at Westerville South High School in Columbus, Ohio.
But thanks to positive coaches and teammates, Daugherty, now the head coach of the University of Washington women’s team, has ridden a basketball dream around the world and to the summit of success.
Daugherty was the guest speaker during the 10th annual Dwayne Lane Mukilteo School District Scholar/Athlete luncheon Wednesday afternoon at the Everett Golf and County Club. She challenged all the award nominees to continue to give back to their communities and to work hard every day to reach their goals. Daugherty also encouraged those who offer invaluable support along the way.
“Never underestimate how important it is that you believe in people when they don’t.”
Winners Alex Litzinger and Laura Brade of Kamiak High School and Tom Hanrahan and Marina Son of Mariner each received a $1,000 scholarship. Other nominees included Cory Buike, Tim Reed, Kylie Lindner and Sayeh Ghassemieh of Kamiak, and Alex Elmore, Catherine Taylor, Matt Ondriezek and Cora Reeves of Mariner.
Seniors attending Kamiak and Mariner High Schools had to meet the following criteria to be considered: earn a letter in two or more sports, graduate in good standing with a 2.50 minimum cumulative grade point average, plan to enroll in a two- or four-year college, volunteer in the community and receive a letter of recommendation from a coach. The judges were Brian Frauenholtz, Vice President of Dwayne Lane Family and Auto Centers, Sheila Countryman-Bean, Public Relations representative for Dwayne Lane, Jim Peters, Director of Student Services and Athletics for the Mukilteo School District, Nancy Passovoy, a Kamiak H.S. parent, and Evie De Simone, a Mariner H.S. parent.
John Ondriezek of Mariner and Rachel Kane of Kamiak were honored as coaches of the year. Patty Harmon (Mariner) and Passovoy were chosen boosters of the year.
Hanrahan, who played football, basketball and track, is headed to Eastern Washington University. He plans to major in business and will walk on to the football team with high school teammate Jerod Grant.
“I was trying to hold it in,” Hanrahan said of his emotions during the winner announcement. “I was pretty pumped.”
Son thanked her mother, Sokhim, who immigrated to the United States from Cambodia as a 19-year-old. Son has a 3.4 GPA and will attend Seattle University with plans to run track and study arts and sciences.
“It’s an honor and I feel very blessed to be nominated.”
Kamiak’s Brade said she gained a lot of confidence and social skills from swimming and golfing. The team swim captain and owner of a 4.0 GPA, Brade will attend Pacific Lutheran University to study physical therapy.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
