Thanks to Alex Fernandez for the report on local champions:

On the heels of a long line of other Highline team success; the Highline Select Boys U19 ’04/05 came out victorious in the Washington Youth Soccer Founders Cup this weekend. After a long regular season, it is the pinnacle month-long tournament for Select teams in this area. They won their semi-final Friday night 3-1 and won the final on Sunday; after ending tied 2-2 in regulation, they secured the win, 4-2 in penalty kicks.

Photo:

Standing: Assistant Coach Scott Roberts, Nolan Whorton, Levi Kuhn, Yuto Shingai, Tyler Christman, Sam Holman, Dylan Roberts, Caleb Purgatorio, Zach Arthur, Emil Bernau, Matthew Rhinehart, Zach Hanczyc, Head Coach Andres Lara

Kneeling: Rex Reifel, Jackie Wittman, Ashton Sawade, Byron Barrera, Tavi Fernandez, Samson Abraham, Alex Frakes, Cameron Moore

Alex says almost everyone on the team, including both coaches, lives in West Seattle, adding that many are high-school seniors. Players interested in joining this team or any others in HSA can find out about tryouts here.

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

It’s not just the official Washington state sport. It’s not just a hobby. Pickleball is an addiction.

That’s what we heard multiple times this afternoon while visiting the weekly Westside Pickleball League takeover at the Chief Sealth International High School gyms.

This league is only two months old, yet it’s a smashing success. 120 players get together at two locations every week to play indoors and socialize. They range in age from college students to late 70s.

88 of them play Sunday afternoons at Sealth, in two gyms, and another 32 at SeaTac Community Center on Mondays. Not only is it a win for the players, but also for the school – so far their $10/week fees have raised more than $9,000 to both support Sealth athletics and to grow a fund to support pickleball elsewhere in West Seattle.

Their sport is so hot, it’ll be the subject of a State Senate hearing in Olympia tomorrow (Monday, February 6), as legislators consider whether to authorize a custom license plate for pickleball via SB 5333. (We told you about the campaign last September.) One of the Westside Pickleball League’s three administrators, Amy, will be testifying in support of it. In the first year, sales of the plate could raise an estimated $50,000 to support pickleball around the state.

(Westside Pickleball League admins Nancy, Amy, Rosina)

Here in West Seattle, the league is self-sustaining. They use portable nets, stored at Sealth, and more than 30 people arrive early on Sunday afternoons to set up the net and tape off their courts on the gym floors, modifying badminton lines. Sandwiched between the setup and breakdown are two hours of playing time. Each player gets to play three games a week; it’s a “ladder” league, so people rotate who they play with.

Another of the admins, Rosina, says she just started playing a year and a half ago. “It doesn’t take long to get addicted.” (There’s that word again!) Amy too has been playing about that long. Since then: “It took over our lives!” She’s a board member and officer with the (corrected) Seattle Metro Pickleball Association as well as helping run the Westside league.

Besides a wide age range, the players span a wide motivation range too – some are there just to have fun and socialize, others, we’re told, are “super-competitive.” But whatever level they’re at, they’re just happy to have a place to play – and looking for more options. Along with lobbying for the pickleball license plates, the Westside Pickleball League is advocating for more places to play in West Seattle. They’re trying to get Seattle Public Schools approval for pickleball lines on the district-owned tennis courts west of Southwest Pool; the league would cover the cost, they just need permission.

Meantime, they’ll be registering players soon for the next sessions, which start in March and May. The current players don’t have automatic dibs, but if they fill up before you get in, they do have a waitlist and “sub list” – if someone can’t play on a certain date, they give their spot to a sub. Registration information will be here.

With spring just weeks away, youth-sports leagues are getting ready for this year’s fun. Among them, West Seattle Little League, which is welcoming softball players this year too. Next weekend, WSLL offers two clinics for players who’ve signed up for the upcoming season:

WSLL is excited to host two softball clinics for registered players. ⁣⁣

⁣⁣Pitching Clinic @ Chief Sealth Upper Field ⁣⁣
Saturday, 2/11 ⁣
9 am – 10 am Rookies/Minors⁣
10:30 – 11:30 am Majors/Juniors⁣

WSLL will host a pitching clinic at Chief Sealth Upper Field on Saturday, February 11. Led by Kalimar Pettit and with other high school volunteers, learn the basics of pitching for Little League. You will learn the fundamentals and warm-ups to become a softball pitcher in one hour. You will get to work with Select Gold Level pitchers who started in Little League too. Our pitching coach focuses on positive mindsets for players and building strong core mechanics. Players must be registered for WSLL to attend.

The League will provide the softballs. Players must bring an adult to catch for them w/ proper gear. The girls will need a glove, and parents need a glove and any protective equipment they feel comfortable with.

REGISTER HERE

The next day:

Softball Clinic @ Chief Sealth Upper Field⁣⁣
Sunday, 2/12⁣
10:00 am – 12:00 pm ⁣
Rookies to Juniors are welcome! ⁣

Come to practice the basics of softball, including hitting and fielding. You will get to work with WSHS softball players. All levels, from Rookies to Juniors, are welcome. Players must be registered w/ WSLL to attend. Players should bring all gear (glove, bat, etc.). The League will provide softballs and have extra equipment if needed.

REGISTER HERE

WSLL is also looking for more softball coaches:

We’d love to see more female coaches this season! If you’re interested in coaching, ensure you’ve registered your Little Leaguer and signed up to coach under the volunteer roles during the registration process. Also, please forward this to anyone you know who might be interested. It doesn’t have to be a parent!

The Chief Sealth fields, formally Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex, are at 2801 SW Thistle.

Baseball season gets ever closer! Another local youth league is still welcoming players to sign up for spring – here’s the announcement sent by West Seattle Baseball:

Calling all baseball players! West Seattle Baseball registration is open until February 15th, and some divisions are nearly at capacity. Sign up at westseattlebaseball.com.

West Seattle Baseball offers six different divisions for players ages 4 through 18. Our tee-ball and coach-pitch divisions target younger participants, while Bronco (12U) baseball has been developed to help players begin adjusting to the larger diamonds and different rules of high-school baseball.

Prices start as low as $130 for the season. Registration costs include a ballcap and team jersey for each player, in addition to a full season of baseball with events three times per week from mid-March through early June.

West Seattle Baseball is a 100% volunteer-run, nonprofit youth baseball league. Our goal is to provide comprehensive baseball programming that appeals to kids of all levels of enthusiasm and ability. The league prides itself on being a fun and enjoyable program that our players, their families, and their coaches want to participate in again each succeeding season. If you have questions about the divisions or anything else West Seattle Baseball, please email the league at info@westseattlebaseball.com.

We hope to see you at the West Seattle PeeWee Fields soon. For the love of the game.

If you’re new to the area, here’s where the fields are.

(Kids’ Dash before 2022 Float Dodger 5K – WSB photo)

West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) says it’s time to think summer – they’re announcing that they’ll again present the West Seattle Float Dodger 5K right before this year’s West Seattle Grand Parade. The date: Saturday, July 22nd. The reason they want you to know this so early: Registration will open February 1st, at a discount rate through February 22nd. If you haven’t run or walked the Float Dodger before, it starts in The Admiral District and heads south along the parade route down California Avenue SW before heading back – with root-beer floats post-race! (Here’s our coverage, with video, from last July.) There’ll be a kids’ dash again this year too (no registration fee for that). It’s all a benefit for the West Seattle Food Bank. We’ll remind you when registration opens in a week and a half – or, keep an eye on floatdodger5k.com!

(Photo courtesy Southwest Lacrosse Club)

New year, new sport! Here’s an invitation for younger West Seattleites, from the Southwest Lacrosse Club:

Are you looking for a fun and fast-paced team sport for your K-8th grader? Registration is currently open for the 2023 Seattle Metro Youth Lacrosse Season.

Founded in 2008, the Southwest Lacrosse Club is dedicated to the promotion, organization, and development of K-8 youth lacrosse from West Seattle to Federal Way. Our mission is to teach lacrosse fundamentals and good sportsmanship while emphasizing the importance of discipline, teamwork, and physical fitness. Players of all skill levels can develop their game, and we will prepare each athlete for the next level of play. No prior lacrosse experience is required, the club can provide all equipment if needed. We offer full and partial scholarships for those who qualify and have equipment available to loan.

Practices begin mid-February, and games run from March through the end of May. Check out our website or contact us at swlctitans@gmail.com with any questions.

Hottest ticket in town this morning: The Seattle Kraken pro hockey team’s mascot visit in Morgan Junction. That photo shows part of the line, which wrapped around much of the multi-business building on the southwest corner of Fauntleroy and California. Once you make it to the Kraken’s table outside Starbucks – you get to meet mascot Buoy:

Non-costumed Kraken reps are there too with the promised giveaways – spin a wheel for items like T-shirts and tickets – and assorted swag including posters and schedules:

They’re there, we were told, until they run out of stuff to give out. As for the team – they next play at 5 pm today, at home, vs. the Winnipeg Jets.

Hey, hockey fans! The newest Seattle pro-sports mascot will appear in West Seattle on Sunday morning. This was already in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar after the folks at Morgan Junction Starbucks let us know they’ll be hosting Buoy, the Seattle Kraken mascot, but now we have a few more details from the team:

On Sunday, we’re bringing the Sea Sleigh full of hockey holiday cheer to West Seattle! Buoy’s van will be decked out with free holiday gifts to give away to fans who join us at 10:00 am at California & Fauntleroy Starbucks in West Seattle.

Fans will walk away with a variety of gifts such as a signed jersey, Kraken beanie, tickets to a Kraken game and meet and greets — with one lucky fan winning free Starbucks for a year!

Buoy debuted two months ago, at the start of the season. The Kraken are currently 16-10-3, third in their division.

Six days before the start of winter, a hint of spring to follow … it’s the first day of registration for West Seattle Little League. Here’s the announcement we were asked to share with you:

West Seattle Little League will offer Baseball, Softball, and Challenger programs; registration is now open!

West Seattle Little League Spring 2023 registration is now open for all youth ages 4-14.

Each year, we want to make sure all kids have the opportunity to write the next chapter in the Little League story, regardless of their situation. Thanks to the generous support of T-Mobile, financially challenged families in our community can apply for the T-Mobile Little League Call Up Grant, which helps cover registration fees associated with West Seattle Little League for the upcoming season! Little League and T-Mobile share the belief that every kid should have the chance to play ball.

The WSLL baseball and softball spring season will run from March – June and features fun activities like the jamboree, sandlot days, and end-of-the-year picnic. Interested to know more details? Check out westseattlelittleleague.com to find information about boundaries and divisions of play.

We look forward to seeing you on the field!

Meet the newest champs from West Seattle! The report and photo were sent by Scott Rosenstock:

This past Saturday at Starfire in Tukwila, the 2022 South Sound United League (SSUL) Boys U11 team from West Seattle won the State Recreational Cup Championship! They defeated the Chinqually Booters Thunder from Olympia (who happened to be the State Champs last year). A hard-fought battle between both teams in the cold rain ended regulation and overtime with the score 0-0, so they went to penalty kicks to decide the champion. West Seattle came away victorious, outscoring the Thunder 3-1 in penalties.

The team was also the SSUL Boys U11 Regular Season Champions with a record of 8-1-1.

Congratulations to the whole team! Amazing season, amazing coaches, amazing kids!

Coaches:
Turner Angell
Dan Carew

Players:
Miles Angell
Sam Angell
Henry Appleton
Devlin Broom
Griffin Brown-Kinsch
Charlie Carew
Chase Cummings
Beckett Hudson
Porter Ingraham
Noah Jeannot
Henry Rice
Isaac Rosenstock

With the USA team set for a must-win World Cup match against the Netherlands team early Saturday (7 am), we’ve received some questions about who’s opening early for watch parties. So we’re again building a list in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar. So far we have five establishments on the list – Christo’s on Alki, Prost, The Bridge, The Westy, West Seattle Brewing. Anyplace else? Please let us know so we can add!