EHS Basketball Alumni Blog - The Purpose

Welcome to the EHS Basketball Alumni blog!

As a proud former participant in the Everett basketball program, I've come to appreciate and treasure the friendships I've built over the years with fellow players that have donned the "Blue & Gold". These relationships are annually celebrated every December 31st at noon, when we all converge on "The Pit" for the annual EHS Alumni Tournament. Whatever paths our collective lives have taken, we all have this common bond that brings us together to lace 'em up and compete for a few hours in the name of Seagull basketball. I, like many of us, came to expect that the tournament would just happen when I showed up on New Year's Eve. But through the last couple of years, it became apparent that the participation and organization of the tournament was struggling, so much so that last year's edition was nearly cancelled. There was a real chance that the Alumni Tourney would cease to exist.

To this end, a collective effort was put forth by various EHS alums to dissect what was going on, and what could be done to not only solidify the long-term foundation of the Alumni Tourney, but to also forge a bond between former players and the current Seagull program. Over the course of many months, this committee of individuals met with members of the Everett School District, Everett High School Athletic Department, and EHS Blue & Gold to troubleshoot the issues of facility insurance liability, alumni player conduct, and the lack of connection of former players to the current program. Because of the amicable nature and problem solving efforts of all parties involved, I'm happy to relay that the Alumni Tournament will continue in 2010 and beyond.

So what is this purpose of this blog, you may ask? I see it serving many purposes. First, it's a clear means of communicating what is going on in regards to the alumni events and activities. There will be some really cool things happening this year surrounding the Alumni Tournament, including an "Basketball Alumni Night" celebration during the December 30th game between Everett and Ferndale. There will also be opportunities to promote the Michael Shaler Memorial Scholarship Fund, an endowment that annually awards scholarships to student-athletes in the basketball program in the memory of the former Seagull who tragically passed away in December of 1998. Since 2000, the Scholarship has been awarded to nearly two dozen former Seagulls. It's my hope that through our annual tournament, we will be able to commemorate the spirit of Michael's memory by celebrating those that have been impacted by this award, and further help strengthen the Fund by potentially putting together our collective means.

Second, this will serve as vessel to relay how the current batch of Seagulls are performing. Competing in a revamped WesCo 3A division, the 2010-11 squad is 1-2 thus far this season. For those that don't get an Everett Herald dropped off on their porch on a daily basis, I hope to provide some helpful links and sources that will provide feedback on how this year's team is doing.

Third, this will be a spot to celebrate the history of the Everett program. There have been many amazing teams and players that have filtered through the program over the years. While we remember our own experiences vividly, we may not know much about those that came before or after us. I would like to make this an interactive place where we're able to share our stories, and connect on our collective experiences. To do this, I'll be reaching out to you guys to tell your tales and post those crazy pictures. If you have old pictures or articles that I can post, please don't hesitate to contact me.

To get that train rolling, I'll end this post with a flashback picture of the 1994-95 Seagulls celebrating their 5th place finish at the 3A State Tournament. Stay tuned for more updates...Go Seagulls!

Bobby Thompson, Class of 1996