West Seattle, Washington
10 Sunday
5:36 PM: A former JV girls-basketball coach at West Seattle High School is charged with “communicating with a minor for immoral purposes” via online messaging. Seattle Public Schools tells WSB the former coach, 28-year-old Michael D. Gutierrez, was fired in February, 10 days after the school learned about the allegations. Here’s what the charging document alleges:
The defendant engaged a student-athlete he coached in (in)appropriate sexual communication in electronic communication and in person. The defendant kissed the girl and also grabbed, or spanked her bottom on a number of occasions.
The probable-cause document on file says an assistant principal discovered two students, now both 17, having been “inappropriately contacted” via social media. One victim said Gutierrez had been contacting her via Snapchat since 2017, with remarks including saying he wanted to stay in a hotel with her and wanted to have kids with her. Then, she told police, he invited her to come practice at the gym several times last summer, saying other students would be there, but she turned out to be the only one. This past January, she said, he asked her to come into an office for a “grade review” but instead touched her and tried to get her to kiss him.
Here’s the statement we obtained late today from Seattle Public Schools spokesperson Tim Robinson:
When SPS learned of the allegations of inappropriate comments and behavior by an adult hourly coach, we immediately contacted Seattle Police on Feb. 15, 2019.
That same day, SPS released the adult from all coaching responsibilities until the outcome of an internal investigation was completed.
On February 25, 2019 (the Monday after mid-winter break), SPS terminated the individual’s employment. The individual was a part-time coach. The individual was not a teacher, counselor, etc.
Court records show the charge was filed against Gutierrez this past Monday. It was first reported by KIRO TV this afternoon (thanks to the reader who pointed that out via the WSB Community Forum so we could research and confirm). The court documents also say Gutierrez has no criminal record. He is not in custody but the charging documents say that if he does not appear for arraignment, scheduled for July 1st, an arrest warrant will be issued.
ADDED 7:43 PM: WSHS principal Brian Vance has just sent email to families about this, and a parent forwarded it to us. Here’s what he wrote:
From Zach Jones, West Seattle Baseball president:
Wanted to shout out all our West Seattle PONY league champions from this year’s season:
Pinto (7-8)- Wildwood Market:
Mustang (9-10)- Mountain To Sound Outfitters:
Bronco (11-12)- Alki Lumber:
P.S. WS Baseball is still signing up 6- through 10-year-olds for Summer Crush baseball – more on that here!
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
When the Seattle Public Schools citywide volleyball playoffs ended in the Chief Sealth International High School gym about an hour ago, the trophy was in the hands of the team from next door – the Denny International Middle School Dolphins. They triumphed over Whitman MS (from Ballard) in three sets, coming back to win the second and third after losing the first.
Denny finished second in the regular season, behind McClure MS, which lost to Whitman in the tournament’s opening game first thing this morning. Denny beat Eagle Staff MS in the second game, setting up the championship. Spirited fan turnout!
It was a tough match – Whitman only won the first set by two, 25-23, after fighting back from a sizable deficit to Denny. Denny took the second set by eight, 25-17. Whitman took the early lead in the third set; Denny came back quickly, but Whitman wasn’t giving up, and tied things up at 8-8. Denny took the lead after that, and never looked back, with the final tally 15-11.
Denny wins! Third set 15-11. Hard-fought match by all. pic.twitter.com/caR3fVsKoK
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) June 8, 2019
The Denny volleyball team is coached by longtime math teacher Gary Lai. Principal Jeff Clark was at courtside and told us he’s proud of the players and Coach Lai.
The West Seattle Soccer Club – an all-volunteer-led organization serving more than 2,000 kids and families – wants to be sure you know that they’re now signing up players for the fall season. Here are details on the programs they offer. A few reasons to not procrastinate:
*Returning 2018 Fall players registering by June 30, 2019 will be given priority placement on their former teams.
*Players registering after June 30, 2019 will be placed in the general pool and assigned to a team on a space-available basis only
*Our program may reach capacity before the scheduled close of registration. If you plan to participate with us this fall, we urge you to register early!
Full registration info is on the WSSC website.
Got kid(s) in the family who would be interested in “low-key” summer baseball? Lisa sends word that West Seattle Crush signups are happening:
Summer Crush League registration is open!
-Pinto (6/7/8) and Mustang (9/10) age groups
-Low-key, weeknight only games in July/August
-No scheduled practices
-Great for extra reps and learning new positions
-Big rosters to accommodate vacations, etc.
The report and photo are from proud mom Cori Roed:
Nicole Roed (Chief Sealth ’15) just graduated with a degree in exercise science from Cal Lutheran University and was named 1st Team All-American for Water Polo 2019.
So far this summer, Cori adds, Nicole is “currently coaching swim and water polo at Arbor Heights Swim and Tennis Club and looking for a job in the sports sciences.”
She is now a three-time All-American! She helped lead her team to its first national-championship tournament appearance in a decade.
Bryson‘s mom Mel sent that photo, reporting that he “had a fun time fishing for the first time at the West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club event this morning.” This was the annual free fishing pond at Seacrest, presented each year by the WSSC for kids up to 14:
(WSB photos from here)
The morning started off foggy, but spirits under the tent were bright:
The club provides the gear and gets the temporary pond stocked with more than 200 trout for the occasion.
By Tracy Record and Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers
West Seattle High School‘s boys-basketball team, coming off a season that put them in the state tournament, met their new head coach today.
Dan Kriley has been hired as successor to Keffrey Fazio, who announced last month that he’s leaving WSHS after 10 years, headed for a college-coaching gig.
Kriley brings college experience – and pro – to his new job. His three-decades-plus resume includes coaching positions at Seattle University, Pierce College, and Tacoma Community College, as well as Ballard High School, and professional coaching overseas. He’s lived in West Seattle for more than a decade and a half and has been coaching a community program here too. “I’m a big fan of the (WSHS) program and how it’s progressed with Coach Keff,” Kriley told us. Then came news of the opening, and community members asked Kriley if he’d be interested.
He was. And he’s excited to take over a program where “the foundation’s been built … a lot of great players are coming up in the community; my goal and aspiration is to build a fence around West Seattle, keep all the talent here on the island” with no reason to attend other schools. (That might eventually include his own 12-year-old son, a Holy Rosary student who plays basketball.)
Though next season is half a year away, Kriley is ready to get started. He said today’s meeting with players addressed “summer workouts” – the players are “going to be very fit” – as well as a tournament with a few other Metro League teams next week that should give him “an idea of where they’re at.”
And the players will start learning about his style. “Super-detailed and hard-nosed” are the first phrases Kriley uses when asked about that. “My teams have always been known for uptempo defense” and “very structured” offense.
With his longtime West Seattle roots, Kriley also hopes to increase community support for the program, “whether it’s coming out to games, or supporting our fundraisers.” He says he’s planning to be at WSHS “a number of years” and to “build this (team) into a state-championship contender.”
(Photo: 1iOpen Productions)
A West Seattleite who’s been an outstanding archer since childhood is taking aim at a spot on the national team. The update is from Tracy Nachtrieb:
West Seattle High School freshman Addy Nachtrieb competes in the United States Archery Team Trials (USAT) this weekend in Florida. Over three days of competition, May 31st to June 2nd, she will attempt to make the 2020 US Team.
She finished the 2018 season ranked 16th in the nation. She is the highest ranked 15-year-old female in USA Archery. The top three scoring females for the season will earn a position on Team USA. Learn more about her here and follow her social media to cheer her on!
We’ve published several updates on Addy’s achievements, going back to age 9.
(WSB photos)
A statewide award was a highlight of Wednesday night’s Chief Sealth International High School spring-sports banquet. Above, football standout Dontae McMillan received the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association‘s True Spirit Award, created three years ago in honor of an Eastern Washington student-athlete named Jace Malek. At Dontae’s left is Sealth athletic director Ernest Policarpio; at his right is Pat McCarthy, WIAA executive board president, and on the other side of the photo, WIAA executive director Mike Colbrese. Dontae is headed to Weber State in the fall. Also college-bound, a Sealth student-athlete whose signing was celebrated at the banquet:
Basketball player Nohea Morrison is headed to Missouri Valley College. Other awards included Seahawk honors for:
Benie Bahati, girls’ track
Dontae McMillan, boys’ track
Sabrina Burgess-Garrett, fastpitch softball
Jake Webster, boys’ soccer
Shelzy Juta, tennis
Thang Huynh, baseball
Plus recognition of:
2019 Metro Baseball 1st Team All-League Catcher Jesse Brown
2019 Metro Baseball 2nd Team All-League Pitcher Nestor German
And a very special coach was also among the night’s honorees:
At right with AD Policarpio is Sealth soccer coach Ron Johnson, retiring after 25 years at the school. Congratulations to all!
That downtown baseball team breaking your heart? The Highline Bears (WSB sponsor) are ready to win you over.
(Photo courtesy Highline Bears)
The summer collegiate-baseball team has 24 home games at Mel Olson Stadium in nearby Steve Cox Memorial Park this season, starting Saturday night, and they’re hoping to open the season with their first-ever sellout. From the team’s announcement:
The Bears aren’t just your normal baseball game; they make sure that every person who enters the ballpark has a night they will never forget. From the music over the PA system, between-inning contests, give-aways, games, and races, the Bears take a baseball game and turn it into a circus. The first batter of the Bears season will actually be a fan (18 or older) who is chosen at random through a raffle before the game. The Bears will have a fan batter of the night two times a month during non- league games.
Don’t forget to save your appetite for the ballpark as the Bears concession stand provides some of the best value you’ll find at a baseball game. With affordable prices, the concession stand offers all beef 1⁄4 lb hot dogs, Seattle Dogs, Ivar’s Clam Chowder, loaded baked potatoes, pulled-pork sandwiches, loaded nachos, and even a pulled-pork sundae.
The Highline Bears are giving-a-way magnet schedules to the first 250 fans through the gates just like the Mariners do. The unofficial Mayor of White Center will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch and Shorewood Elementary choir will be singing the national anthem.
Adult tickets are $8 or $5, youth/seniors $5, kids 8 and under free with a paying adult. You can get yours in advance of your trip to the ballpark (1321 SW 102nd) for Saturday’s 7:10 pm game vs. the Laces – the highest ticket price at $8 for adults, youth and seniors are $5 and kids 8 and under are always free with a paying adult. Just go here!
(WSB photos)
One year ago, we reported on the Southwest Titans lacrosse program for girls, just getting its start. Now they’ve wrapped up another season – with a winning record! – and want to get a jump on inviting new participants next year. They shared this update on their program and the sport in general:
Lacrosse for the last decade or so has been regarded as the fastest-growing sport in North America. A sport that’s mostly known for being played on the East Coast has exploded across the US. From 2001 to 2017, participation in the sport more than tripled, from roughly 250,000 players nationwide to well over 825,000. Specifically for girls from ages 5-14, participation more than doubled from 81,000 to nearly 164,000, and the Southwest Titans Girls Program helped contribute to those growth figures in 2018!
We started with a 10U program with 14 girls on the team from ages 7 – 10. After a successful inaugural season, we grew to a program of 26, fielding a 10U and 12U team for 2019, still with every girl coming from West Seattle (primarily Genesee Hill Elementary). For next year in 2020, we have hopes of expanding to having a team for girls as young as 5 and as old as 15. And our reach goal for a few years from now would be looking at potentially starting a high-school club program for the girls in 2022, so we are setting our sights on recruiting as much as we can, in preparation.
We start registration in late fall (November) and our optional preseason practices start up in February. Our preseason work is an hour long, up to 2x a week. Our official season begins in March for all our teams and wraps up the first weekend in June. We play games all across the county and really aim to build community, with carpools and snacks together after games. We offer scholarships for registration, have equipment rentals, and can/will provide equipment for any girl that needs it (no matter the reason). We practiced during the season this year at Pathfinder K-8 in Pigeon Point and played most home games at Steve Cox Memorial Park in White Center and will likely do the same in 2020.
8U (Grade K-2 or ages 5 to no older than 9 on 8/31/2020)
10U (Grades 3/4 or ages 8 to no older than 11 on 8/31/2020)
12U (Grades 5/6 or ages 10 to no older than 13 on 8/31/2020)
14U (Grades 7/8 or ages 11 to no older than 15 on 8/31/2020)
Girls’ lacrosse differs from the boys in that the girls’ game is more about finesse and speed. Girls have to use their stick skills and speed to get through traffic and stick checks from defenders but don’t have to worry about anyone lowering their shoulder to lay a hit. Girls are also taught to play defense a little more thoughtfully and with precision to avoid being yellow-carded for unsafe play; unlike the padded boys, girls can’t run in front of a shot or pass or use their body to impede a player or the ball. Both are amazing sports to watch/play but are night and day in how things unfold on the field.
Many women that played lacrosse also grew up playing soccer in the fall and basketball in the winter before lacrosse in the spring. We appreciate and strongly encourage multi-sport athletes in our program, as we know we could not be as successful as we have been without the athletic background our girls have. The transferability of skills and concepts helps develop a well-rounded athlete and really strengthens their “Sports IQ.”
That growth at the youth level over the years has led to a wave of competitive collegiate club programs being seen across the west coast. And as those club teams become more successful, more colleges are rewarded with NCAA-sanctioned Women’s Lacrosse teams.
We are a recreational program that is focused on just getting girls in the area to try something new (and hopefully fall in love with it). However, the expansion collegiately matters as it helps feed the growth cycle with players graduating and then transitioning to coaching and/or founding new teams so opportunities continue to arise for kids that are looking to play, no matter their age or desired level of competitiveness.
The photos in this story include the 3rd/4th-grade and 5th/6th-grade girls teams with the Titans; we caught up with them last week at the Pathfinder field on Pigeon Point. Find out more about the team, registration, season schedules, and more by going here.
(WSB photos)
Chellie LaFayette‘s 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade PE students at Highland Park Elementary had an extra-special lesson this morning, with guests visiting from the reigning WNBA champs, the Seattle Storm, including center Mercedes Russell!
Russell and members of the coaching staff took the students through drills and were then scheduled for some Q&A.
The visit was part of a Storm partnership with Kaiser Permanente.
P.S. The team opens its season at 12:30 pm Saturday, hosting the Phoenix Mercury at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett.
3 golfers from West Seattle High School will compete in the state tournament, which starts tomorrow. The report and photos are from head coach Joel Snow:
West Seattle High School Golfers are off to the State Tournament!
On Tuesday, May 14th, the West Seattle Girls Golf Team competed at the District Tournament at the Riverbend Golf Course in Kent. Lauryn Nguyen, Dalaney Pham, Jora Tillman, Maria Grossi, Helen Schlachter, and Emily Buchanan represented West Seattle High School. Although we missed out on sending a team to the State Tournament the girls played well and competed against the best girls’ teams from Seattle and Bellevue.
We did have two girls qualify as individuals for the State Tournament. Sophomore Lauryn Nguyen continues to play great golf and added the District Championships Individual Title to her Metro League Championship Individual Title. Lauryn shot a 3 under par 69 to win by one stroke in a match that wasn’t decided until the 18th hole where Lauryn scored a two-putt birdie to earn the one stroke victory. Sophomore Dalaney Pham has also earned a spot at the State Tournament with a score of 88 and a top 10 finish in the Individual category.
Representing the West Seattle High School Boys team at the State Tournament is Senior Cameron Smith. At the District Championships for boys, which was previously held back in October, Cameron shot a 77 and a top 10 finish in the Individual category.
The State Tournament will be held on May 21st and 22nd in Olympia.
Congratulations to all the girls who competed in the District Championship Tournament, to Lauryn for her Individual Title and to Lauryn, Dalaney, and Cameron for making it to the High School Golf State Tournament!
For information on the West Seattle High School Golf Team please contact Coach Joel at wshsgolfteam@outlook.com
The photo and report are from Sarah Blum with the Duwamish Rowing Club:
Jyvon Camarillo and Alek Gastmans from Duwamish Rowing Club won bronze Friday 5/17 in Men’s Youth Novice Doubles at Youth Regional Rowing Championships, Vancouver Lake, WA.
There were over 750 crews competing from over 30 teams including singles, doubles, fours, quads, and eights in both Novice, Jr Varsity and Varsity levels. Duwamish Rowing Club had one single, four doubles and two fours.
All the youth worked hard through the winter and spring to prepare and gave each race their best.
You can cheer the DRC on their home river during the Dieter Hotz Regatta on July 27th.
(WSB file photo from Float Dodger 5K)
Wondering about upcoming run/walk events now that the 2019 West Seattle 5K (WSB coverage here) is over? We are exactly two months away from the return of the Float Dodger 5K, on the West Seattle Grand Parade route right before the parade July 20th! West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) presents the Float Dodger 5K and put it on hiatus last year, but this year it’s back, with proceeds benefiting the West Seattle Helpline. Discount registration is available now online, or fee-free at WSR (2743 California SW). The Float Dodger 5K is accompanied by prizes, a post-race beer garden, and even a costume contest!
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
Even with ~800 people all participating in one event, today’s 11th annual West Seattle 5K on Alki was highlighted by personal stories. Like the runners who were all Schmitz Park Elementary classmates and now high-school seniors:
The 5K is about high school, in fact – West Seattle High School‘s PTSA presents it. As the WS5K starts its second decade, it has a brand-new race director, Katie Hudson:
The top finishers, meantime, included spouses from Vashon Island. First to cross the finish line, Brian Folts, in 16:36:
Monica Folts was the second female finisher, 19:00:57.
Other top finishers in a bit – but first, here’s everybody leaving the starting line at Alki at 9:20 this morning:
At the start of our video, you hear the voice of Eric Radovich, who has emceed the WS5K most years. The sendoff for the runners and walkers also included WSHS principal Brian Vance, declaring “Westside is the Best Side!”
Now, the other top finishers – first and third female, Adrienne Glasheen (18:56, bib #5) and Jennifer Santoyo (19:19, bib #742):
Second and third male finishers, Victor Ordaz (17:00, bib #653) and Tao Norsen (17:03, bib #655):
Tao is just 14 years old! Lots of other young participants, some running, some not:
Finishers of all ages got a cowbell greeting from this spectator:
Cowbell for the West Seattle 5K finishers! pic.twitter.com/KqIyvVJuUV
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) May 19, 2019
One more note: The West Seattle 5K is dog-friendly, too:
Full results are here.
ADDED 11:20 PM: John Saalwaechter again made a time-lapse video along the route:
The Mariners are playing another home game against the Twins this afternoon and if you’re at the game, there’s somebody special to root for – the 2019 Honorary Bat Girl, who’s from West Seattle. The photo and news release are from the team:
A West Seattle woman who credits her interest in the latest technology for discovering her breast cancer at an early stage has been selected as the Seattle Mariners Honorary Bat Girl for 2019. Dianne Munroe will be recognized on Sunday, May 19, and throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Mariners take on the Minnesota Twins.
The Honorary Bat Girl program was created by Major League Baseball in 2009 to raise awareness and support for the annual “Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer” initiative. Starting this year, MLB is partnering with CrowdRise to host a fundraising contest for each Honorary Bat Girl to raise money to benefit Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) and Susan G. Komen. The winning Bat Girl will receive a trip to the 2019 World Series. All funds raised through the initiative will be donated to SU2C and Komen. More information is available at HonoraryBatGirl.com, and the Mariners Honorary Bat Girl’s fundraising page is at this link.
Mariners Honorary Bat Girl
Dianne Munroe spent much of her 34-year career in health care designing treatment and care facilities. In the 1990s, as her work focused on spaces for women’s breast health, she became an advocate for regular mammograms. With a Masters in Engineering Management, it made sense to her to take advantage of the latest technology, too.
So when she had the chance to undergo new 3D imaging at the Franciscan Breast Center in Burien in 2016, she opted to wait a few months past her normal mammogram schedule to use the new equipment.
“And they found something. I guess that’s the blessing in the whole thing. Had I not done that, I probably would have had the (2D imaging) and I probably would have gone 14 or 15 months with nothing. I would never have detected mine. It was small and very deep and the machine is what picked up my cancer,” said Munroe.
Because her cancer was detected early, the tumor was small. Munroe underwent a lumpectomy and radiation therapy at Highline Cancer Care Center. She is now cancer-free, and her physician, Dr. Ani Fleisig, a CHI Franciscan surgical oncologist, says early detection often leads to a good outcome.
The photo and report were sent to us on behalf of Chief Sealth International High School athletic director Ernest Policarpio:
Congratulations to the Chief Sealth 2019 Washington Athletic Club /101 Club award winners:
Dianne Cardona, Nohea Morrison, Marc Martinez, Kamryn Thomas, Chase Gaither, and Donnie McMillan.
The WAC & 101 Club Awards honor 3 boys and 3 girls from each school who have athletic & academic achievements.
Roll Hawks!
(2018 West Seattle 5K photo by David Hutchinson)
Already registered for Sunday morning’s West Seattle 5K on Alki? Awesome. The run/walk starts at 61st/Alki just after 9 am Sunday (May 19th) and raises money for the West Seattle High School PTSA. Not registered yet? Not too late. Your options:
*West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) on Saturday, noon-6 pm
*Alki Bathhouse before the race, starting at 8 am Sunday
If you’ve already registered, you’re also welcome to pick up your bib, T-shirt, and timing chip at Saturday’s WSR event. The West Seattle 5K is co-sponsored by community businesses and organizations including WSB. See you there!
(Photo courtesy WSHS Athletics)
Congratulations to Anissa Babitu for signing with Walla Walla University! On Tuesday, West Seattle High School hosted a signing ceremony on Tuesday for the senior who played basketball with the #3-in-state 2018 team and #6-in-state 2019 team.
(WSB photo from Wildcats’ final game at state, March 2nd)
Anissa plans to major in computer science. WSHS athletic director Corey Sorenson says she is the 12th student athlete from the WSHS Class of 2019 to commit to a college or university.
Today we’re welcoming a new WSB sponsor, the Highline Bears!
The Highline Bears summer collegiate baseball team brings more than just college baseball to the area. They turn an ordinary baseball game into non-stop fun, excitement, and entertainment.
The Highline Bears are home to college players from all over the state and country for the months of June, July and the first week in August, playing 24 home games at Mel Olson Stadium inside Steve Cox Memorial Park in White Center. The Highline Bears open their season on Saturday, June 1st at 7:10 pm.
The moment you step inside the stadium, the Bears plan non-stop fun. There’s non-stop music, between-inning games, competitions, trivia, giveaways, and their dancing mascot Buntly the Bear. Tickets are affordable, with the highest ticket price at $8 for adults, $5 for youth and seniors, and kids eight and under are always free. The concession stand is packed with 1/4-lb. all beef hot dogs, Seattle Dogs, German Sausages, loaded pulled-pork nachos, and even a pulled-pork sundae, to name a few items.
To find out more about the Highline Bears and get tickets to a game this summer, you can go to their website at HighlineBears.com.
We thank the Highline Bears for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
Exciting afternoon/evening at Southwest Athletic Complex for fans of local high-school fast-pitch softball. Chief Sealth International High School and West Seattle High School both won their 3 pm Metro League tournament games (Sealth 10-8 over Ballard, WSHS 10-0 over Ingraham) and that sent them immediately into an early-evening faceoff for the final spot in districts.
The Wildcats were up early – 9-4 in the second inning when we arrived – and the Seahawks never quite caught up. Final score was a victory for WSHS, 19-6. According to the district brackets, placing 9th in the Metro tournament means the Wildcats play next at 4 pm Monday – here’s the bracket that will show who and where.
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