His job title is new but his presence isn’t.
David King, after helping with the Coupeville High School girls basketball team since 2003, is now the new head coach of the program.
He takes over this fall after Jackie Bykonen resigned after two years at the helm to continue her education and pursue other career options.
King first got involved with the Wolves nine years ago as a volunteer. The past two seasons he has served as the junior varsity coach.
“Over the years I’ve helped coach with four different head coaches,” King said, “and have had the desire to one day take on the roll of being the head coach since helping my first year as a volunteer. I have a deep passion for this game and want to share my knowledge with those willing to learn and compete.”
When discussing what he will emphasize with his players, he said, “It starts with defense.”
King plans to use a pressure man-to-man defense, then mix in some zone. He said the Wolves will also utilize a full-court press.
Offensively, Coupeville will look to push the ball for early offense through the fast break.
“We will have some set plays, but want them to get to the point of being able to recognize what the defensive is giving them and make the appropriate adjustments and attack based off of what is open,” King said.
Coupeville is coming off a year it won only two of 19 games. To head in the right direction, King said, the team will have to get back to “the basics and fundamentals.”
He said, “We lost our starting backcourt and key guard reserves to graduation, so emphasizing the basics and fundamentals is a must. The past few years our program relied on those recently graduated. That means girls need to step up, play fundamental basketball and take on a larger roll with the team.”
King said he hopes those who go through his system will “establish a good work ethic” and “understand that you can have fun and enjoy what you are doing along with hard work.”
He added he wants his players to be confident and, win or lose, respect teammates and opponents.
Other familiar faces will join King along the Coupeville sideline. His wife, Amy, who was junior varsity coach from 2002 to 2009 and a volunteer coach the past two seasons, will return as the JV coach.
Coupeville graduates Ashley Ellsworth and Brittany Black, plus Woodland graduate Ashley Kellison, will be volunteer coaches.
King has seen different systems at Coupeville over the years and said the lack of wins wasn’t because of lack of effort.
He said, “We need to get them to believe in what we are teaching and coaching, and they need to get to the point where they are playing with confidence.
“The culture of Coupeville basketball needs to change. This will be done through hard work, gained confidence, trusting one another as a teammate and having fun doing it.”
