Tourney Day!

Time to lace 'em up, fellas! After many months of meetings and planning, the EHS Alumni Tourney will kick off at noon today. For those interested, doors will open at 11am for those that want to come and wipe the rust off of their games (I include myself in that group). Even if you're not there at 11, come early and get signed up, as we'd like to start promptly at noon. We will also have t-shirts to distribute, so if you have a size preference, be sure to arrive early to ensure you lock down the shirt of choice. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via phone at 425.314.7983.

I haven't mentioned it much on the blog, but today we will make a concerted effort to help promote the Michael Shaler Scholarship Fund. For those that don't know, Michael was an EHS freshman team member that tragically passed away during a Freshman basketball game in Decemeber 1998; he was 15 years old. As a coach of that team and someone that worked with Mike during his middle school playing days, I feel comfortable saying he embodied everything you'd want in not only a Seagull basketball player, but in a young man who was a true leader amongst his peers. He was hard nosed, tenacious, and an absolute physical presence on the court, complemented by an loving and caring nature for friends and family that was endearing to anyone that knew him. While Mike was unfairly taken from us at such an early age, I am tremendously blessed and thankful for the time I shared with him, and will carry his spirit and fight throughout my days.

In the time following his passing, a scholarship endowment was formed in his name. Since 1999, over 20 participants in the Everett basketball program have been awarded the Michael Shaler Scholarship, helping them pursue their post-high school educational goals. It can be said that these players embodied the core characteristics that Michael stood for, and in turn were rewarded for these virtuous traits (you can read more about the scholarship fund here).

I talk about this because as a part of the EHS basketball community, I feel it's our collective responsibilty to help keep this scholarship fund viable, so that Michael's memory is celebrated for years to come. Today we will all have an opportunity to give to this fund, and it's my hope that each of us could, as a minimum, contribute a $5-$10 donation. While this is obviously not a requirement, please keep this in mind as you make your way to "The Pit" this morning; we'll speak more on this before we begin play today.

I also want to thank Michelle Wiley of Everett High School for hosting the Alumni Appreciation Event last night during the Everett-Ferndale game. While it was in direct competition with the Washington-Nebraska game, there were still many alums that made it out, and it was fun to collectively sit back and watch the current crop of Seagulls get down (The Gulls fell 70-58). There was an awesome spread of food, and much fun was had by those that attended. Thanks Michelle!

Alright, 4 hours from tip-off, I look forward to seeing you all today...GO GULLS!