West Seattle, Washington
31 Wednesday
We’ve reported before on Girls on the Run of Puget Sound, an after-school empowerment program that’s expanding in West Seattle this fall. Tonight, Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) in the Admiral District welcomed a crowd of shoppers for a special evening event during which 10 percent of sales went to GOTR; a sparkling-wine tasting offered extra effervescence – a quality we’re sure you’ll find in its volunteer coaches (more info here on how to become one of them).
First, a reminder that West Seattle’s only city-run indoor pool, Southwest Pool, is now closed for three weeks of drain-safety work, scheduled to reopen September 14th. Second, this is the final week of 7-day operations at Colman Pool (photo at right) this summer; after this Sunday, it’s closed except for one last late-season weekend, Saturday-Monday 9/5-9-7. Here’s the schedule.
Beach volleyball is an Alki fixture – now, beach soccer has hit the sand. West Seattle photojournalist Matt Durham from mattdurhamphotography.com covered today’s first-ever Sounders FC Beach Blast Tournament for WSB. The event was for amateur, adult players; 30+ teams signed up. Top photo: “Baranoff FC” (in red) threads the needle through two “West Side” (in white) players as sand flies. Next: Rory Sheehan from Buckley, sporting a “soccer mullet” and soccer-ball tattoo. Rory told Matt he’s been an avid soccer fan since childhood and has had the tattoo for 12 years:
The action was fast-paced and high-scoring, with short fields and small goals – here, in green, Seattle team “Synergy,” and in peach, the “What The’s,” also from Seattle:
Members of the same two teams are in this photo, showing the high level of sportsmanship that accompanied the high level of competitive action:
One more photo – captioned by Matt: “West Side launches a tremendous distance, off the sand, to head the ball toward Baranoff’s goal.”
Haven’t found a list of results online yet – send ’em if you have ’em, or else we’ll check with the tournament sponsors tomorrow.
WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli covered today’s Great Cross-Sound Race from Alki to Blakely Rock and back — an annual tradition for Sound Rowers — with video and photos. Here’s his shot of the nautical chart of the course:
And a still shot of the winners, in #4, Rainer Storb and Todd Silver, who finished in 52:24:
In second, 16 seconds behind (according to the published results), the rower who’s finished first as a solo the past two years, Evan Jacobs; third place, 29 seconds behind 1st place, Tyler Peterson; fourth, at 54:36, race directors Jeff and Theresa Knakal. The competitors spanned a wide age range; here’s Jack Fleming emerging from Elliott Bay:
Also, a diverse range of watercraft:
In addition to Christopher’s video, photos and reporting above — Greg Wright e-mailed photos to share – here’s the always-impressive crowd shot, looking out from shore:
For Sound Rowers’ full-season race schedule, go here. (Added early Sunday – link to full results from Saturday’s race.)
“BIG BONANZA” DAY IN THE JUNCTION: Saddle up and gallop to The Junction for Western-themed fun spotlighting a multi-merchant end-of-summer sale – more than two dozen participants, many with deals you’ll find listed here; WSB sponsors on the participant list include Brunette Mix, Dream Dinners (discount on orders placed today at the store OR online – if the latter, note “Junction Bonanza”), Hotwire Coffee (drink specials), Mural Apartments (fees/deposits waived if you sign an agreement today), Square 1 Books (15% off), Wallflower Custom Framing (kids’ art special), Pharmaca – just get on down to The Junction and support your neighborhood businesses (and check out the Junction Association’s booth at Walk-All-Ways for extra fun, including the high noon water fight).
FINAL “MOVIES ON THE WALL” TONIGHT: That’s the trailer for “Cars,” the summer’s last West Seattle Outdoor Movies on the Wall presentation, tonight in the courtyard by Hotwire/Dr. Wolff. West Seattle Christian is tonight’s presenting sponsor and they’re grilling up FREE burgers and hot dogs before the movie, starting at 7 pm; the show’s free but bring a few bucks for charity-benefiting concessions and raffles.
ARTS-IN-NATURE FESTIVAL: Found that YouTube video of Nyamuziwa Marimba Ensemble – just one of dozens of groups, artists, dancers, performers and others coming together at the Nature Consortium‘s Arts-in-Nature Festival (WSB sponsor) today at Camp Long – 11 am-9 pm (and tomorrow 11-6) – schedule and much more info here.
(WSB photo from 2007)
GREAT CROSS-SOUND RACE: This morning at 9, you’ll see dozens of rowers off Alki, heading toward Bainbridge in the annual Great Cross-Sound Race; the winner is likely to be back in less than an hour. It’s fun to watch from shore and cheer when announcers call out the finishers as they cross the line.
MORE! And the Me-Kwa-Mooks history talk, Washington IPA Challenge, dozens of other events, all in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup.
(1st four photos by Matt Durham from mattdurhamphotography.com)
A fundraising dinner/auction tonight at West Seattle Golf Course wrapped up the Seniors for Juniors Tournament festivities – hosted by Alberta “Birdie” Griffey, mom to Seattle’s best-known baseball star, pictured above with Robert Woodard, who coordinated the tournament for Fir State Junior Golf. Here are the junior golfers, posing before teeing off:
Then, it was off to play. One of those golfers, 11-year-old Justin Leary-Bigayan, is seen here teeing off at Hole 12:
As for the “senior” golfers – here’s one you’ll likely recognize — former Seattle Mariners player Dave Henderson (1981-1986) teeing off at the 1st hole:
This was the third annual Seniors for Juniors tourney – raising money for the Northwest Senior Games and for young golfers. Dozens participated, as you can see in this photo from Sharonn Meeks:
Each team was co-captained by a junior and “senior” (50+) golfer.
(WSB photo from November 2008)
Remember West Seattle High School‘s amazing division-title, 9-2 varsity-football season last year? This year’s football season is coming up fast. We’ve got the schedule, courtesy of new running-backs coach Mike Kreiger, and it starts two weeks from tomorrow with a game against a school from Vancouver, B.C. Before we list the full schedule – we asked Mike about any current fundraisers, and here’s what he told us:
The team is now selling “gold cards” or “adrenaline cards” for $25 to help the team go to camp and pay for new gear. With the school district cutbacks we lost a lot of our funding and we’re trying to get next generation helmets, blocking sleds and more. Players just got the cards and will be going door-to-door from now until Sunday to get support for the team. The card has some great re-usable 2-for-1 deals from local W. Seattle businesses like Subway, Taco Del Mar, Domino’s, Zatz Bagels, Papa John’s, Puerto Vallarta, Great Harvest Bread and more (22 total). … Anybody interested in helping the team or sponsoring us or anything at all is encouraged to call (206-432-2626) …
Lots more about WSHS athletics at westsideathletics.com – now, read on for the football schedule Mike provided:Read More
Just got word there are still a few spots left to golf tomorrow in the Seniors for Juniors benefit tournament at West Seattle Golf Course. In addition to the info you see above, there are also tickets available for dinner/auction afterward, also at WSGC (banquet room) – those tickets (no golf) are $25, same contact info. Here’s our original preview; here’s a list of the items being auctioned; even more info here.
(Longtime WSKA student Christopher Nuñez shows off the new sign, right below his mother’s salon, Daysi’s Salon de Belleza)
Another West Seattle business on the move – just got this announcement from Laura Vanderpool, who wrote it on behalf of the dojo to which she belongs:
After nine years in its location across from the Southwest Library, West Seattle Karate Academy is moving to a new location just down the street.
The new dojo will be four blocks south at 9455 35th Avenue SW, on the Northwest corner of the intersection of 35th SW and SW Roxbury [map], next to 35th Avenue Chiropractic.
“The building we were leasing went up for sale so I decided to look for a new space in the neighborhood,” noted owner and lead instructor Kris Wilder. “The new location was a great find – it’s bigger with higher ceilings, just a really comfortable space.”
Classes will begin at the new space Monday, August 24th. West Seattle Karate offers traditional goju-ryu karate classes for adults and children, including a “Tiny Tigers” class for kids ages 4-6. www.westseattlekarate.com
Business moving? Opening? Closing? Changing? Let us know – so we can share the news with tens of thousands of West Seattleites – editor@westseattleblog.com (or via Facebook at facebook.com/westseattleblog – and/or Twitter at @westseattleblog)
Thanks to proud coach Howard Chilcott for sharing that photo and this news:
West Seattle Jets ’97, Boys U12 soccer team won the 2009 Shoreline Classic Soccer Tournmant this past weekend. Playing one year up, didn’t prove enough to hold down this group of young soccer stars. Coach Howard noted, “We had 3 beautiful games, and a hard-fought championship game that was a battle of will, fatigue and desire.” As preparation for their upcoming fall season, the Jets recently spent 5 days in Wenatchee practicing twice a day in over 100 degree weather. It looks like this hard work has already begun paying off. “Effort, Solid, Go Jets!” (Missing but not forgotten from picture: Chrismon Nofsinger, Ed Horn, Nikolaus Horn)
The Jets are associated with the West Seattle Soccer Club, which is wrapping up fall registration – get the latest info here.
We’ve had the honor of featuring some work this summer from instructor Leslie Howle’s Digital Darkroom interns, who have been learning photojournalism in a Delridge Community Center-based program. They covered a recent Longfellow Creek cleanup with volunteers including Rat City Rollergirls athletes – the kind of cleanup that dozens of volunteers do around West Seattle’s greenbelts just about every Saturday (listed here) — and brought us this report – by the way, the Rollergirls battle the Windy City Rollers TONIGHT in Kent, more info here:
(Rat City Rollergirl Dixie Dragstrip at the Longfellow Creek cleanup)
On Saturday, July 25th, Digital Darkroom intern Keahnu Dorsey and photojournalism instructor Leslie Howle stopped by to talk to the Rat City Rollergirls and watch the 80 or so community volunteers who were putting in hours of hard labor pulling up ivy at the stream restoration event at West Seattle’s Longfellow Creek near Greg Davis Park.
(Read on for more of the story – and more on RCRG members from West Seattle and White Center – including local business owners!)Read More
First – West Seattle Family YMCA sports director Matt Schlede sent that championship photo with news of who won a big game on Thursday night:
My Oh My beat the Bad News Y’rs 15-6 to win the West Seattle & Fauntleroy YMCA Adult Co-ed Softball Championship. My Oh My, who finished the season 7-1, was led by the strong bat and aggressive base-running of Jamie Schaefer, and solid outfield play of Drew Andrews.
Next – the Y’s Josh Sutton shares word that aquatics director Mac Snow just finished his cross-country bicycling odyssey – Seattle-to-Portland, but not the two-state STP, rather a coast-to-coast version. He chronicled it on this website, from which we pull the stats from his just-completed trip
21 days of biking:
2 days off in Chicago
3,395 total miles
Most miles 225, Austin MN to Madison WI
Least miles 105, multiple days
Speaking of Y aquatics, we are belatedly publishing these words of congratulation shared by Cindy McComish for another group of athletes who recently completed out-of-state travels:
7 swimmers and 1 assistant coach under the leadership of head coach Rod Rombauer have returned home after swimming in the National YMCA Long Course Swim Meet held in College Park, Maryland. The Dolphin National Team traveled to the meet on the campus of the University of Maryland by plane via Baltimore and stayed for 8 days and 8 nights. This year’s summer travel team represented 5 Seattle/Burien schools and the entire roster for the team (the starters, juniors, seniors, high school and national groups) is over 100 swimmers. Congratulations to this hard working national team and their coaches for their competitive spirit and for doing a great job of representing West Seattle.
That’s a photo we shared this year when first word came in that Girls on the Run was expanding into West Seattle. Now, in its second year, it’s adding a new site – Pathfinder K-8 – as well as Hiawatha Community Center. As Amber Swim explains it, “Girls on the Run operates an afterschool prevention program that uses the power of running to educate and prepare preteen girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. … Our program is facilitated by female volunteer coaches. Girls on the Run coaches do NOT need to be elite runners. Any woman who lives a healthy lifestyle and is committed to improving the lives of girls can be a GOTR coach.” Find out how to volunteer as a coach by going here. They’re accepting coaching applications until September 4th. The program sites will start twice-weekly sessions for girls (and coaches!) the week of September 28th, running through the New Balance Girls on the Run 5K on December 12th. For more info about participating, girlsrun.org is the place to go.
The West Seattle Little League‘s 11-12 All-Stars have come to the end of the road at the state tournament, after losing a nailbiter to Richmond last night in Port Orchard, 12-11. “Great season, All-Stars!” cheered the Twitter update at game’s end.
From the West Seattle Little League Twitter feed: The 11-12 All-Stars lost for the first time in the state tournament tonight, 12-0 to Pasco in Port Orchard. However, they’re still going, because it’s not a single-elimination tournament; the online bracket says they’ll play Richmond at 5 pm tomorrow, also at Port Orchard’s Art Mikelson Fields.
NEWEST FORECAST: As usual, the National Weather Service issued a forecast update overnight – no reprieve, though, it still calls for a potential 100-plus-degree high today.
PROSECUTOR’S DECISION IN SOUTH PARK MURDER: At 10 this morning, King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg is scheduled to announce his decision on charges against Isaiah Kalebu, jailed in connection with the attack that killed 39-year-old Teresa Butz at her South Park home a week and a half ago. After Kalebu’s arrest last Friday night, a deputy prosecutor had said they would consider seeking the death penalty.
BALLOTS IN THE MAIL: Also from your county government – today’s the day ballots will be mailed for the August 18 primary, the first major election King County is conducting entirely by mail. Who’s running – along with links to their websites and other info – is listed here; the city Voters’ Guide, including video links and information on Proposition 1 (the bag fee) as well as the mayor/council races, is here.
WEST SEATTLE LITTLE LEAGUE 11-12 ALL-STARS GO FOR WIN #3: The state tournament continues for the WSLL 11-12 All-Stars; tonight at 7:30, they face Pasco in their third game of the tourney, which is happening at Art Mikelson Field in Port Orchard (just a Fauntleroy-to-Southworth ferry ride away, and think of those cool breezes on the water!).
YOUTH OUTDOOR SOCCER REGISTRATION: Today is Day 2 of signups for the West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor)’s Youth Outdoor Soccer teams, for ages 3-10. Register – and find out more – online.
(Maddie Meyers in a recent competition; photo courtesy of her family)
One more Seafair Torchlight note from Saturday night – we have congratulated local parade participants but just learned about a Torchlight Run participant’s success: 14-year-old West Seattle-residing running star Madeleine “Maddie” Meyers — going into her sophomore year at The Northwest School — was the 8th female to finish the run in Saturday night’s hot, humid and fleetingly rainy conditions. Her time: 32:08. (Another West Seattle link: The first woman to finish, again this year, was Vanessa Hunter, 27:54, who also was the first woman to cross the line in the first-ever West Seattle 5K (WSB coverage here) two months ago.)
Per the West Seattle Little League via Twitter – the WSLL 11-12 All-Star players won their second straight at the state tournament in Port Orchard, beating Salmon Creek 5-3 tonight. Next game 7:30 pm Wednesday vs. Pasco, again at Stan Mikelsen Fields in Port Orchard.
In the height of summer heat, the thought of breezing along on skates might hold new appeal – unless you don’t know how. If you want to try, here’s one way to learn!
By Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
According to Trish Alexander, instructor and owner of Skate Journeys: “Skating is about more than going in a straight line.”
However, if you’re having trouble doing even that, but want to learn to skate for fun and for fitness, Trish is offering classes on Alki every Saturday through the summer. Beginner classes start at 12:30 and meet at Alki Kayak Tours, which rents and sells inline skates. Intermediate to Advanced classes meet at 2:00 at Jack Block Park. (Classes will be cancelled if it rains.)
Trish started teaching people to skate in 1996 at the Seattle Inline Arena under the West Seattle Bridge.
Quick update: The West Seattle Little League 11-12 All-Stars play their second game in the state tournament tonight, 7:30 pm, Art Mikelson Field in Port Orchard – after beating Centralia 13-5 Saturday afternoon.
This Saturday, West Seattle Little League‘s 11-12 All-Stars begin play in the state tournament, 2:30 pm at Port Orchard’s Art Mikelson Field (map). Their manager, John MacKenzie, shared the photo above along with the intense tale of how they got there!
West Seattle won back-to-back games against South Highline National on Saturday July 12th at PacWest fields in Burien to win the District 7 Little League title. After West Seattle lost the first game against South Highline National they needed to win 6 games in a row to advance to the Little League 11-12 year old State Tournament. “It wasn’t how we planned it but we persevered and it actually benefited our team in the long run to have to fight through the losers’ bracket,” said Manager John MacKenzie. “We had no margin for error and had to play every day to advance, allowing the team to gel.”
The bright spot of the 7-3 game 1 loss was the play of lead-off batter McNeil Fulmore, who homered in the first and scored twice. It turned out to be the 1st of 23 homeruns by 10 different players in 7 games by the powerful West Seattle squad. “After Nutt (McNeil) hit a lead-off homer to tie the score in the first I thought we were off to the races” said a West Side fan, “but that didn’t happen.”
(Read on for the rest of the dramatic play by play!)Read More
First, the West Seattle Little League 9-10 All-Stars took the district championships and are headed to the state championships – now, the West Seattle Little League 11-12 All-Stars have won District 7 as well! From Cami MacNamara:
The West Seattle Little League 11-12 (Majors) All Star team defeated South Highline Nationals twice on Saturday to become District 7 Champs! The team will now advance to the Washington State 11-12 All Star tournament in Port Orchard, WA on July 25th. Go West Side!
On the 4th of July, we brought you a quick update about the West Seattle Little League 9-10 All-Stars‘ huge district-championship win, propelling them into the state tournament (starting next weekend). Now we have not only that victory photo but also the full details, courtesy of Cami MacNamara:
West Seattle 9/10 Little League All-stars are the District 7 Champions!
On Saturday July 4th they started their battle against South Highline National Little League. Having lost to SHNLL on Wednesday, WSLL was coming up through the losers bracket and needed to beat SHNLL twice to earn the championship.
The first game was fantastic; WSLL beat SHNLL 18-5 in four innings with some red-hot bats and great pitching. Highlights included a bases loaded triple by Jack Page, an out of the park home run by 9 year-old Anthony Coats and a dominant pitching performance by Alex Parker.
This win forced a second game and WSLL played equally as well in this contest. Great bats and excellent pitching were again the story. ALL the players were feeling confident and playing beautifully. David Johnson pitched masterfully and the big highlight was a game winning triple by Jacob Terao to secure the 13-3 victory, again in four innings.
The WSLL team is managed by Derek Page and coached by John Coats.
The players are Jack Page, Anthony Coats, Matt Dietz, Thomas Sobotta, Anthony Goss, Alex Parker, David Johnson, Grayson O’Neil, Jacob Terao, Cameron Paskett, Ethan Chen, and Adam Wickler.
From here, the boys will go on to represent District 7 at the Little League State Tournament Starting beginning July 19th at the Valley Ridge Fields in SeaTac. For details, check out www.westseattlelittleleague.com.
You can also follow WSLL on Twitter, @wslittleleague (we’re at @westseattleblog for frequent human-powered updates, @westseattlenews for an automated feed of links to WSB stories as they’re published).
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