Mike Vlahovich

To get an idea of how far and rapidly Rachael Schurman came in volleyball, until the eighth grade, Mead coach Judy Kight didn't even know her. "I usually know the kids from the third grade on," said Kight, who, like most high school volleyball coaches, follows the youth programs. "I had no idea who she was."

If required to write a report on one's summer vacation, it would be tough to top the experiences of Tonya Schnibbe. Juggling basketball and soccer and traveling coast-to-coast, Schnibbe was a contributing member on two national championship teams.

The good news is that Larry Schreck's Wenatchee fruit stand between Frederick and Empire on Argonne Road in Millwood has been in business this summer. The better news is that Schreck has been there to man it. For years Schreck has been bringing in produce from Wenatchee, where he's a resident and longtime teacher, for sale on the family property.

Clarkston High School wrestling booster Steve Barham's $25,000 labor of love, a bus he donated to the school for use by the team, sits in storage at a cost of $200 per month to Barham. The 25-seat airport shuttle-style vehicle, painted in school colors and with a school mascot Bantams decal, is dazzling. The inside, with such amenities as drop-down LCD monitors and sound system, even specially installed seat belts, is even more impressive.

The boys basketball coaching situation at Ferris High School took another turn with the announcement Wednesday that junior varsity coach Barry Olson would replace Don Van Lierop to head the program, but the former coach's saga isn't over yet. "I'm kind of surprised they announced it already," said Olson. "I wasn't sure whether they'd wait until they knew what outcome they had."

For Spokane Stars players like Angela Hartill, the month of July is vital. They will, over the next three weeks, hone their basketball skills against some of the nation's best high school players, be scrutinized by college basketball coaches and, yes, simply enjoy the experience. "I'm just trying to improve and get better every game," the 6-foot-3 Riverside High athlete said, "and just have fun along the way."

There'll be a certain sense of nostalgia when C.J. Nuess rubs elbows with some of the world's best swimmers next week at the United States Olympic Trials. His mother, Diane Giebel-Nuess, will watch him compete for a national team berth in the same city, Long Beach, Calif., where she qualified for the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.