David Svien decided it was time to fill in the blanks of Coupeville High School sports history.
Now, after eight months of persuasion, research and fundraising spearheaded by Svien, every Coupeville High School league and district championship team, each individual state champion and each team that finished in the top 10 in the state playoffs from the past 116 years will be honored with a commemorative tile mounted on the CHS gymnasium wall.
The tiles were installed Wednesday, Aug. 24.
Svien, a former reporter for the Whidbey News-Times and Examiner and current writer of the Coupeville Sports blog, has covered CHS sports for 26 years and heard stories of great teams and players from decades past. Some, but not all, of those achievements are recognized with trophies or mementos in the CHS gymnasium trophy case.
“When I would cover games at other schools like La Conner, where its history is front and center, that reinforced my frustration that Coupeville wasn’t doing enough to honor its past,” he said.
“While I’ve written a lot of stories, either at the News-Times, Examiner or with Coupeville Sports, a lot of that is fleeting. This project was a chance to do something which would leave a real lasting impact.”
Svien realized to get the project off the ground, he would first need the approval of Superintendent Dr. Jim Shank and high school principal Duane Baumann.
Both, Svien found out, were “deeply interested in preserving the school’s history and were strong cheerleaders for the project.”
Next Svien approached the Coupeville Booster Club for funding. The club provided $2,500 to kick-start the project with the idea it would raise funds for the remainder, which was later determined to be $3,500.
“After that, Robyn Myers, Jon Roberts, Pam Pease and Bob Martin have been working with me every step of the way, helping shape the project, finding the best choice for a sign maker and greasing the wheels with the school.”
Then came the hard part.
“A huge stumbling block was being able to do the research to properly document 116 years of CHS sports history, and I could not have done it if Keven (Graves) hadn’t allowed me access to the Whidbey News-Times archives.”
Weeks of research revealed that 116 titles were won in 11 sports. Only boys and girls soccer, which started in 1994, have yet to claim a championship.
Combing through the old newspapers, Svien received confirmation from what he heard: Coupeville at one time had a strong cross country program.
“With it no longer being an active sport at CHS, it’s easy to forget the program’s distinguished past,” Svien said.
The Wolves placed in the top 10 at state five times from 1975-82.
“My hope is seeing that history again will stir interest in trying to get the school to restart the program.”
When the research was completed to determine how many tiles were needed, Svien and the booster club went looking for a company to produce the plagues. They received a “great price” from the Whidbey Sign Company, Svien said.
Jeff Humphrey, owner of Whidbey Signs, said he was willing to give the booster club a break because “I love the school and community.”
Humphrey, who also installed the tiles Wednesday, called it “a fun project” and an “honor.”
Once the dollar amount was finalized, Svien set up a GoFundMe page and raised $3,000 in 48 hours. The total eventually reached almost $4,000.
“The first donation came from David Ford, a former star Wolf athlete from the ’80s,” Svien said. “Then Larrie Ford, a former longtime CHS track coach, made us legitimate with a $1,000 donation, the largest single gift. Many of the donations came from former Wolf athletes and coaches who were involved with teams in the ’60s and ’70s whose titles were not previously honored in the gym.”
For the most part, the project went smoothly.
“Along the way, there were a few minor bumps in the road,” Svien said, “but everyone came together nicely and we avoided any huge issues.”
A large placard representing each sport will be bolted to the gymnasium wall, and a tile listing the year of each championship will hang below.
The tiles will be color-coded. White will represent league championships, black will note district titles and red will honor state accomplishments.
The booster club committed to covering the cost of new tiles for future championships.
“David has really gone the extra mile in gathering information, advocating for the wall of fame, working with the booster club, and taking the initiative to raise funds,” Dr. Shank said. “It really is something special that illustrates to our current and future student athletes the legacies of those who have come before and now support their sportsmanship and success.”
Baumann added, “I am very excited for this project. It is wonderful way to remember and honor the athletic achievements of our athletes and sports programs at Coupeville High School.”
“Based on what I’ve seen, I think this project will wow people when they see it,” Svien said.
===============================
Below are some of the tiles that will be posted in the CHS gym. Photo by Jim Waller.
