Dick Logston shares these pictures, facts and memories of Eatonville’s fabulous basketball coach Ernie Cope.
“Ernie Cope was a coach at the old Kapowsin high school in the early forties before coaching at Eatonville. His first Eatonville Basketball team was in 1945. He coached at Eatonville from 1945 to 1967 before retiring.
“Many former players, fellow coaches, teachers and friends attended his retirement party held at Eatonville. His record was 350 wins and 160 losses — a Pierce county record and may still be. He won eight league titles and six state tournament appearances playing for the state championship in 1952 losing to a Monroe team.
His teams played a fast break style and strong zone defense. He was adamant about running the plays on offense. Eatonville played Pacific Lutheran Jr. Varsity home and away back in the fifties. Eatonville would win at home and lose at Pacific Lutheran. Coach Marv Harshman was the head coach for the Lutes. Eatonville played in the old Pierce County League and the West Central League including teams from Federal Way, Fife, Orting, Peninsula, White River, Yelm and old nemeses Bethel.”
Photos courtesy of Dick Logston.
Click on images to enlarge.
Eatonville To Rainier 
2 responses to “The Amazing Coach Ernie Cope”
[…] Coach Ernie Cope (top left) stands next to his 1949 EHS Basketball team. “Cope was a coach at the old Kapowsin high school in the early forties before coaching at Eatonville. His first Eatonville Basketball team was in 1945. He coached at Eatonville from 1945 to 1967 before retiring,” says Dick Logston. […]
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