Contact Steve DaLuz                                                                                                    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Islander Sports Foundation’s GOT GAME Bring IT! Honored Islander Icons and Raised Funds for Coronado High School (CHS) Athletics.

The Islander Sports Foundation successfully completed its 3rd Thursday GOT GAME Bring IT! March 29th at the Coronado Community Center. The evening was a fundraiser and celebration of Coronado Island Naval and Sport icons. Guests of the event braved cool temperatures for food and beverage tasting on the patio followed by a silent auction. The foundation also launched its new branded merchandise in partnership with local business supporters, Coronado First Bank and Coronado Fitness Club. The new brand exemplifies the Islander Sports Foundation’s mission of sharing resources and supporting all sports.

Guests of the GOT GAME Bring IT! Event included, Ray Perez, former CHS running back attending on behalf of Ken Huff who was the recipient of the 2012 CHS Athlete Hall of Fame Award. Mr. Huff retired from a distinguished NFL career including a Super Bowl appearance. Mr. Perez who spoke on behalf of Ken Huff relayed Ken’s message about his unbroken loyalty and gratitude towards Coronado High School and the greater Coronado community. Mr. Perez played varsity football with Mr. Huff at Coronado High School in the mid 60s.

 Members of the 2012 CHS All-Star Family Awardees, left to right (Jeff Couture, Brad Couture, Jack Couture,

 Justin & Patrick Bingham.)

The Couture-Bingham families received a granite All-Star inscribed with their names as MVP families for their outstanding support of Coronado High School Athletics. The 2011 CHS All-Star Family Hansen Probasco introduced them. Jack Couture and wife Paula devote many hours of service and philanthropy to the Coronado Optimist Club and Soroptimist International of Coronado respectively. Jack and Paula were accompanied by their children. Jeff and Brad Couture, both CHS alumni, shared appreciation of their experiences at Coronado High School and updated their guests on their children who are playing at the college level or professionally. Jeff Couture was accompanied by his wife Lori and Brad by his wife Kathy, both who were athletes in high school as well. Patriarch Jack Couture rang the legendary bell for the crowd with his much celebrated cowbell that could often be heard in the stands at CHS sports events until noisemakers were banned by CIF. The cowbell brought back memories for many of the guests, drawing loud applause. The bell dates from Jack’s service in the Navy as a SEAL in Germany. Paula’s two sons, Patrick and wife Jenny; Justin and wife Marcella were present. The Bingham boys are representative of many of our students participating in Coronado Islander sports. They played multiple sports at CHS, won high school and college championships, played college athletics, returned to CHS to do some coaching and continue their love of sports today. The Couture-Bingham families are the personification of Islander Sports, their stories, their memorabilia, their friendships and devotion to the island were the gifts to the guests of GOT GAME, especially hearing the Couture Cowbell once again.

 2012 CHS Coaching Legend Bill Parry with Award after ceremony

Mr. Bill Parry received the CHS Coaching Legend Award and “Jacket” as the founder of lacrosse in Coronado and beyond. The fact that lacrosse is a CIF sport today is largely due to Mr. Parry. Coach Parry was introduced by the 2011 Coaching Legend Coach Ron Nixon. Coach Parry’s work to establish lacrosse in Coronado goes back to 1985. That year a total of seventeen students at Coronado High School played lacrosse. Coach Parry went on to form the San Diego County Lacrosse Association, and today there are boys and girls lacrosse scholarships bearing his name. Simply put, lacrosse might not exist today in Coronado without the pioneering work of Coach Parry, certainly not at the championship level that it is today. Lacrosse is a sport that thrives here on the island now. It has produced Boys and Girls San Diego CIF players of the year last year, in Kyle Runyon now playing lacrosse at Notre Dame and Kaitlyn Couture now playing at the University of Southern California. Coach Parry shared many twists, turns and trips of coaching both football and lacrosse spanning thirty eight years along with his distinguished Navy career to a delighted crowd. Bill’s family was present including his son and former player, Mike, along with Mike’s wife and daughter. This was a night of coaches, including several current CHS coaches, water polo coach Randy Burgess, boys basketball coach JD Laaperi and Coach Isabella from football and softball.

“MOKI” Martin, Lieutenant (03E), United States Navy SEAL, Retired, recipient of CHS Honorary Hall of Fame Award, donates a check for $2,500 to the Islander Sports Foundation. Receiving the check is GOT GAME Bring It! master of ceremonies Mr. Bill Menish.

The Islander Sports Foundation was honored to salute Philip “MOKI” Martin, Lieutenant (03E), United States Navy SEAL, Retired with the 2012 Islander Sports Foundation Honorary Hall of Fame Award for his service to country, community and support for Coronado High School Athletics. Mr. Martin was accompanied by wife Cindy and daughter Callie. He was introduced by Islander Sports Foundation Board Member Mr. Ben Vaughan and members of Mr. Martin’s race staff. Mr. Martin, a U.S. Navy SEAL icon, enlisted in 1960, and reported to SEAL Team ONE training at NAB in 1967. MOKI is a highly decorated Navy officer, authorized to wear the Navy Special Warfare Device (SEAL “Trident”). Mr. Martin is founder of the longest running long distance triathlon, SUPERFROG hosted in Coronado since 1978. Despite being injured in a bike accident in 1982 resulting in a medical discharge from active naval service, MOKI continues his work to benefit the Islander Sports Foundation, the Optimists of Coronado and the Navy SEAL Foundation. Mr. Martin shared with guests his own experiences with coaching sports while stationed on the island. The Islander Sports Foundation presented MOKI an Honorary Hall of Fame Certificate, along with two lifetime Islander passes to any Coronado High School sporting event. The Executive Director of the Islander Sports Foundation, Mr. Stephen Daluz, also presented MOKI, as promised, a small branch of macadamias from his tree, a remembrance of MOKI’s home in Maui. Mr. Martin is one of the great ones on this great night of Islanders, those that pioneered and now sustain Coronado High School athletics. Coronado Schools, middle and high schools, have thriving, championship caliber athletic programs today in large part due to those recognized at the annual GOT GAME Bring IT! Islander Sports Foundation annual event.

For more information about The Islander Sports Foundation, Coronado's nonprofit dedicated to Coronado School Athletics,click here.

Photos and press release submitted by Steve DaLuz.

Kellee Hearther

Online Editorial Intern

eCoronado.com

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