West Seattle, Washington
29 Wednesday
Here’s what we know about the major Seattle Fire medical response this morning to one of the fields at Riverview Playfield in Highland Park this morning: We went over to investigate after seeing two units rush by while we were blocks away at HP Improvement Club. Medics/firefighters ran onto the field with their equipment, and while we stayed far back, it was clear that CPR was being done. Neighbors told us a man had collapsed during a game. Games on that part of the field were called, and families left. Resuscitation efforts continued for some time; we had to move on, but have since learned from another witness that the Medical Examiner is there now, which indicates the man didn’t make it. We have asked West Seattle Soccer Club for any official information available, including the status of today’s games.
1:39 PM UPDATE: Commenter Doug says games at Riverview North are canceled for the rest of the day; we also received a text from a parent/nearby resident that her child’s 2 pm game was off. The man who died is reported to have been a coach.
3:34 PM UPDATE: We’ve received WSSC’s official statement:
We are deeply saddened by the tragedy that occurred during one of our Boys U8 soccer games this morning at Riverview Playfield. We treasure all of our volunteer coaches for their time and dedication to making sure our kids have a great season. Our thoughts and prayers are with the coach’s family and his team. The family will share more information with the West Seattle soccer community in the next few days.
West Seattle Soccer Club
6:52 PM: The coach’s wife called us. She just wanted to ask for your prayers.
MONDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: The King County Medical Examiner has publicly identified the volunteer soccer coach who died as 38-year-old Ed Kingston. We know his many, many friends and relatives around the area already know – including many of those who have posted comments – but it’s worth a note that in addition to being a husband and father of two, he also had a remarkable professional life. A colleague wrote about him over the weekend on this collaborative website; the link was posted on the Facebook page of the West Seattle Soccer Club, for which he was a volunteer coach, working with his 7-year-old’s team on Saturday when it happened. Dr. Kingston was a sports psychologist, and also wrote from time to time on the same website where the tribute appeared – you can see his work archived here. We have not yet received word of memorial plans.
Tonight’s football games are in the books: At Southeast Athletic Complex, West Seattle High School beat Rainier Beach, 28-8; at Southwest Athletic Complex, in their last regular-season home game this season, Chief Sealth HS lost to Franklin, 40-0.
ADDED 11:30 PM: More on the WSHS win, ahead:Read More
9:13 PM: At Southwest Athletic Complex, Chief Sealth International High School‘s homecoming game just wrapped up – and it was a shutout, Eastside Catholic 46, Sealth 0. Most of the scoring came in the first half, which concluded at 39-0; then Eastside ran the ball in from the second-half kickoff, and that (plus the extra point) ended the night’s scoring.
ADDED 10:34 PM: Another score in: Seattle Lutheran High School lost at Concrete, 42-13, per its Twitter feed, which notes that it’s SLHS’s homecoming next weekend.
ADDED 11:25 PM: Per our partners at the Seattle Times, West Seattle High School shut out Cleveland at Southeast Athletic Complex, 35-0.
News to share of three local student-sports standouts now scoring college success:
BASKETBALL SCHOLARSHIPS: From West Seattle High School girls’ basketball coach Sonya Elliott:
Best friends & WSHS graduates Kirby Davis and Taylor Magera will be playing basketball at Edmonds Community College this year. Kirby was West Seattle High School’s 2010-11 Most Improved Player and Taylor was Captain; they received basketball scholarships and will continue their education while playing under head coach Tarrance Tucker.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Tim McConnell from West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) shared the news that WSR part-time employee Max O’Donoghue-McDonald was named UW Husky Athlete of the Week after his recent win at the Sundodger Invitational in Lincoln Park, as the first Husky to win it two years in a row. Tim noted, “That’s a pretty big deal considering football usually dominates this time of year. Plus he is just a great kid. Customers love him and he always has a smile on his face, singing a song and just loving life. He definitely does West Seattle proud!”
With autumn rain all day long, can mountain snow be far behind? West Seattle outdoor-sports entrepreneur Greg Whittaker is ready for it. For one, he’s been expanding his Mountain to Sound Outfitters (WSB sponsor) shop in The Triangle, to include space next door that formerly belonged to Westside Auto Repair (which closed because of an owner’s health problems). Greg explains that with the addition of retail-showroom space, “We now will have a less cramped feel when coming into our store to check out the world’s best manufacturers of skis, snowboards, SUPs, kayaks, skates, racks, and more clothing. With the 2011-12 winter order arriving, we definitely need the space. We will also have increased parking!”
He’s putting the finishing touches on the space this week, and then the expansion will be celebrated with a “Grand (Re)Opening” event this weekend. On Saturday, October 1st, they’ll be barbecuing 2-6 pm, and you can dine free with a purchase from the store (otherwise it’s $5). On Sunday, October 2nd, there’s a skateboard raffle and sunglasses giveaway. Even more details (and sample deals) can be found here.
For two, M2SO is getting ready for a Ski and Snowboard Swap event in a few weeks. The Ski/Board Swap dates are October 21st-23rd – starting with gear check-in and pricing that first evening, 4-7 pm; swapping on 10/22 from 10 am-6 pm and on 10/23 from 10 am-3 pm (after that, there will be two hours for check pickup and load-out). Mountain to Sound Outfitters is at 3601 SW Alaska.
Thanks to Michelle Shillings for sharing the photo of 9-year-old Seahawks superfans (left to right) Roman Saladino and Gabe Clark, before they headed to the game that’s under way right now at CenturyLink Field. “They are true fans, and West Seattle needs to see these two awesome kids,” she writes. Michelle explains that they’ve been up since 6 this morning, pumped to go to the game, and asked her to paint their faces! She is Roman’s mom; she says the boys are at the game with Gabe’s dad Jeff (whom we saw just yesterday as he showed off his brand-new school).
As we publish this, the Hawks are down 10-6 (vs. Arizona) starting the second half, but if anybody can cheer them to a win, it’s these two.
4:23 PM UPDATE: And the Hawks pulled it out! 13-10.
The week’s final high-school-football game is in the books: Seattle Lutheran High School beat Darrington HS at West Seattle Stadium tonight, 40-13. Summary and video to come.
ADDED: Game details, ahead:Read More
9:50 PM: At Southwest Athletic Complex tonight, Chief Sealth International High School‘s varsity football team beat Rainier Beach, 34-19, the Seahawks’ first win of the season. Details and video to come.
ADDED: Game summary and clip, ahead:Read More
One high-school-football game tonight: Playing at Memorial Stadium downtown, West Seattle High School lost to Franklin, 28-12. (We tweeted the game live at @wsblive.)
ADDED: Game details and video, ahead:Read More
Yet another big event that happened in West Seattle on Saturday – the annual Sundodger Invitational cross-country meet in Lincoln Park. Thanks to Mark Ahlness for sharing the photo from the high-school boys’ 5K. He says, “Those guys were coming FAST, and the sound was incredible as they went by.” (By the way – the results are here.)
One local high-school football team in action tonight: In its home opener at West Seattle Stadium, Seattle Lutheran won big, 47-0 over Northwest Christian.
ADDED: Game summary and video, after the jump:Read More
West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School both played varsity football games on the peninsula tonight – though technically, WSHS was the “visitor” at West Seattle Stadium, facing O’Dea, which plays its home games there. O’Dea defeated WSHS 52-8; at Southwest Athletic Complex, Sealth lost a nailbiter to Cleveland, 20-19. Seattle Lutheran plays Northwest Christian at WS Stadium tomorrow night, 7 pm.
ADDED: Details from the Friday night games:Read More
It’s been years in the making … and is now just a day away from opening. A drive by Delridge Skatepark very early this morning revealed that the fences are down (except for a section on the south side). We got a quick tour the other day, as crews continued to put finishing touches on areas including the viewing zone to the east (above, with art by youth from the Service Board) and rolled out the sod, getting ready for the 11 am-3 pm grand-opening celebration on Saturday (concurrent with the Delridge Day festival). Click ahead for not just a closer look before the skaters permanently move in, but also, if you don’t skate, a bit of a primer as to what you’re looking at:Read More
There’s someone new – and yet also not new – in charge of athletics this year at West Seattle High School. Assistant principal Michael Kelly provides your official introduction:
It is my pleasure to introduce Kim Depew as Interim Athletic Director at West Seattle High School. Kim has been teaching at West Seattle High School for the past fourteen years in the Science and Math Departments. Kim is an active member of the West Seattle faculty serving as Key Club Advisor, Seattle Education Association Representative, and as a class advisor.
Kim’s career includes being a varsity coach for volleyball and softball. As head softball coach for the Wildcats she has taken the team to the district playoffs. In the community Kim founded the Thunder Select Fastpitch Team. Kim is familiar with the duties of athletic directing as she was Interim Athletic Director in 2007.
On a September Saturday that felt more like July, hundreds of West Seattle Soccer Club players took to fields around the peninsula. For the U8 to U11 teams, it was the annual WSSC Jamboree; regular play started for older teams. Above, Amanda Parkhurst photographed Lucy Parkhurst and Eva Flanagan, in blue, during the Blues Sisters vs. Crashing Waves game; below, Deanie Schwarz caught a wider scene at Highland Park:
This season, WSSC has signed up more than 1,600 players – a record – and 275 coaches. The U8-U11 teams start regular play next weekend, while U6 and U7 start on September 25th.
First high-school-football score in for the night – Close game at Southwest Athletic Complex; West Seattle High School beats Nathan Hale, 21-20. That’s our featured game tonight; video and summary to come. According to our partners at the Seattle Times, Seattle Lutheran won at North Beach (in Ocean Shores), 35-0, while Sealth lost at Ingraham, 39-6.
ADDED 11:59 PM: Summary/video from WSHS game:Read More
Opening weekend of high-school-football season continued Saturday night. Seattle Lutheran HS was in Pierce County, playing Life Christian/Seattle Christian, which won the game 49-25. SLHS is on the road again next week, playing at North Beach.
Chief Sealth International High School opened the season with a non-conference, “away” football game tonight – very far away. On the Olympic Peninsula, Sealth lost at Port Angeles, 48-0. Seattle Lutheran High School plays tomorrow night in Lakewood, Pierce County (vs. Life Christian/Seattle Christian); West Seattle High School isn’t scheduled for its first game till next weekend.
We’re on Alki, still socked in with fog, but spirits are bright as runners and walkers finish the 2011 edition of the Alki Beach 5K, raising money for Northwest Hope and Healing. NWHH executive director Shari Sewell estimates almost 1,200 came to the beach for this year’s fundraiser. The first finishers, by gender, were identified as (male) Brett Winegar and (female) Kelsey Lenzie:
(Photo courtesy Cami MacNamara)
Kelsey is 10 years old, according to race emcee Eric Radovich; she finished in 20:48! Pre-5K warmups were courtesy of Lori and Tim McConnell of West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor):
Pep talk was courtesy of “Warrior Marathon Runner” and breast-cancer survivor Carolyn Dellinger :
(Here’s our story about Carol, published last night). Post-5K treats are being distributed now – including the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle scooping Husky Deli ice cream:
ADDED 11:07 AM: A dynamic duo we met before the 5K:
Elizabeth Crouch and Kim Schaaf are with CheckYourBoobies.org – a nonprofit that will send a breast-health educator if you organize a party – it can be a party just for breast-health education, or, says their brochure, an event coupled with some other kind of gathering you’re already having.
P.S. Alki has a few more 5K (and similar events) coming up in the next few months – on September 17th, the Walk and Roll for ataxia awareness, and a new event, Beat the Burn, on October 16th.
Story and photos by Ellen Cedergreen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Tomorrow morning, “Warrior Marathon Runner” Carol Dellinger will cheer on the Alki Beach 5K run-walk participants, and then will join them.
They are walking/running to raise money for Northwest Hope and Healing‘s work, helping breast-cancer patients.
Carol knows what that’s like. She is not your average marathon runner. Completing more than 250 marathons is a feat in and of itself, but the 49-year-old Spokane resident has an even bigger claim to fame: She’s a breast-cancer survivor, and she completed her 235th marathon just 9 weeks after undergoing a mastectomy. Since then, she’s completed 8 more, bringing her grand total to 253, 254 after next weekend. We talked with her at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), shortly after she arrived in Seattle this afternoon for the Alki Beach 5K (9 am Sunday morning – and you can still register in person at the Bathhouse, starting at 8).
Dellinger lost her mom to breast cancer 25 years ago and has other family members who’ve battled the disease. She’s a firm believer in early detection and has been getting annual mammograms since the age of 35. According to her cancer treatment center, many age-eligible women do not get mammograms, often due to fear, but Dellinger wants to remind women that breast cancer can be100% curable if discovered early.
Dellinger chose not to have reconstructive surgery after learning her cancer had not spread to the lymph nodes.
Matt Haggerty is going into his senior year at Seattle Lutheran High School in West Seattle – a time when students not only are completing their coursework, but also working on their senior projects involving community service. Matt’s project is called “Ritual Running,” and he’s inviting you to be part of it. It’s a running group that will start meeting in September, working up to a 5K/10K run/walk event that will raise money to go toward buying and shipping shoes to areas of the world where they’re most needed, in conjunction with One World Running, which donates shoes in the U.S. as well as other parts of the world. Participation in the group is free, but the eventual event will have an entry fee and will encourage participants to gather pledges for the cause. Running is one of Matt’s passions – he says he runs both cross-country and track and has completed 4 marathons, “3 of which I ran in under 3 hours.” He’s planning on running the Boston Marathon next year.
The running group is set to start September 6th – a little over two weeks away – meeting Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 6:30 pm, and Saturday mornings at 10:30 am. The target date for his 5K/10K is October 8th, but Matt warns that could change. In the meantime, you can sign up by e-mailing Matt at ritualrunning@gmail.com. He has a website in progress at ritualrunning.com, and Ritual Running is on Facebook, here.
Next Sunday morning is when you can put your feet to the street and help Northwest Hope and Healing in its work to help newly diagnosed breast-cancer patients deal with the fact that diagnosis and treatment don’t stop the rest of life from rushing forward. It’s the fundraising Alki Beach 5K Run/Walk, and once again this year, it’ll shut down the street from the Bathhouse to Anchor (Luna) Park for a few hours – so you might as well get out and be part of it. You can register online or in person, and today you can do the latter, with a special discount, at Coastal Boutique on Alki (right along the route you’ll be walking/running next week!) during a registration party starting at noon; you can also register at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor; NW corner of California/Charlestown). The 5K starts at 9 am next Sunday (August 28
Actually “West Seattle and vicinity” scene – the annual 40-mile Water and Spirit Bike Ride starts and finishes in West Seattle, but riders ferry over to Kitsap County along the way, and take the Southworth-to-Fauntleroy ferry back. Krista Livingston shared the photo of one group on Saturday’s ride; she says, “It turned out to be a wonderful day for the 4th Annual Water and Spirit Ride! We had a great showing, beautiful views and a lot of fun. Thank you to all of the volunteers and riders that made this a fantastic event.” It raised money for Scholastic Journey and Family Promise of Seattle (whose next major fundraiser is the Justin Roberts concert on Friday!).
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