In Love Of Sport, Cv’s Jenny Coyle Finds Winning Ways

Watching state championship games has produced different images in Jenny Coyle’s mind.

She saw Central Valley’s girls win their first state title in 1993 while a seventh grader.

“I will be there some day,” she told herself.

True to her word, Coyle was on the floor experiencing the bitter with the sweet when CV reached the state finals and finished second last year.

This fall as trainer for the CV football team, Coyle was a part of - but not really part of - the Bears’ state championship. She could only stand anxiously on the sidelines as the game unfolded.

“It was weird because you couldn’t do anything,” she remember. “You want to play but you can’t.”

Still, how often does one player experience as much success in a lifetime as has Jenny Coyle, a three-year varsity player in one of the finest girls basketball programs in state.

Coyle is no idle spectator on this team, which compiled an 18-2 co-Greater Spokane League championship season.

“Now you have the power to make or break a season,” she said.

She was the team’s second-leading scorer with a 12.6 average. She can score from beyond the 3-point arc. She has been asked to provide more inside rebounding and defensive help, although she admits she is not as strong defensively as she should be.

Coyle credits her grandfather, Howard Dolphin, with instilling in her an interest in the game.

Dolphin, a state hall of fame track coach while at East Valley told her, “You will find a love for a sport, like I found a love for track.”

Her love of basketball coincided with a ninth-grade championship at Greenacres. She also enjoys being a student trainer and hopes to some day work in the medical field.

Coyle and three-year star Rikki Jackson have been together as teammates since the seventh grade and are friends.

“She has always been there and helped me lots,” said Coyle. “I love her to death.”

Coyle played sparingly for the Bears as a sophomore. Last year, she was a starter, but deferred to league scoring champion Crystal Lee, Andrea Kallas and Jackson.

This year, Jackson and Coyle have helped guide the Bears’ success.

“My head wasn’t into it at the beginning of the year,” Coyle admitted. “Then it hit me like a brick wall that I have to play or we won’t go anywhere.”

Now, she contends, this team has so many different strengths that it might be better than last season.

Nine players are back from the title-game team. Seven saw at least limited action.

“No one expected us to get that far,” said Coyle. “We had played bad in district and regionals, and came back the hard way.”

Their goal at the time was to earn a rematch with and beat Kamiakin, which they did by 24 points.

“That was all we wanted. After that our goal was done,” said Coyle.

They built a 15-point halftime lead against Federal Way. Then the Bears were outscored 40-14 in the second half to lose in the championship.

“I still haven’t watched the film of that game,” said Coyle.

It’s one image she’d prefer not to have etched in her memory.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo