SEQUIM — Chris Olson thought he’d only make a brief pit stop in the Dungeness Valley.
The place Olson’s father referred to as “God’s country,” was to be Chris’s launching pad to a job closer to home in Bothell.
Thirty years later, he and his wife, Cherylyn, are finally moving on . . . if only for a little while.
Sequim High School’s athletic director stepped down from his post, which Olson held since 2002, earlier this week after overseeing one of the most successful eras in school history.
Dave Ditlefsen, also the Wolves’ varsity baseball coach, took over the position as of Wednesday.
“I think Dave will do an outstanding job,” Olson said during a phone conversation on Wednesday. “He’s incredibly organized. He treats every kid with respect and expects it in return.
“This is something he wanted to do down the road. He loves athletics and working with kids. Sequim is in very good hands.”
Olson is technically taking a leave of absence — meaning he could return to teach in the future — to take a physical education job at the Suzhou Singapore International School near Shanghai, China.
The 57-year-old also plans to coach baseball, something he did before at Sequim, while learning the Chinese language.
“It’s something that my wife and I talked about for a long time,” Olson said of the couple’s desire to live abroad. “We’ve encouraged all of our children to travel and experience other cultures.
“They’ve all got to travel.”
Now with all of their children out of the home, it’s the parents’ turn.
“This is just one of those chances where you get to broaden yourself,” Olson said.
“When I’m done traveling, this will be home . . . this is home.”
