SEQUIM — Evan Still has resigned after three seasons in charge of the Sequim High School girls basketball program.
“There are quite a few reasons, a couple of them personal,” Still said Wednesday.
“But a big one to me, and one I’ve been going back and forth on, is my little sister [Madison Nute] is going to be a freshman next year, and do I really need to coach her?
“It can be strenuous on our relationship, and I don’t want her to deal with any issues caused by her playing on the team, any perception of [me] playing favorites. It’s just a headache I don’t want her to go through.
“Girls basketball can be a pretty drama-filled sport, and that kind of put it over the top.”
Still said his resignation is the best thing for the program.
“Every coaching clinic you hear the same things: if you aren’t happy or you can’t commit, you shouldn’t be doing it,” Still said.
“And right now I’m not in a position to give all of myself and give that effort to the girls.
“I can’t ask a team to make a 100 percent commitment if I’m not prepared to make the same sacrifices.
“I feel better about this than I would about coaching.”
Still said the personal reasons which played into his decision to resign had nothing to do with former Sequim volunteer assistant coach Jerry Pedersen.
Pedersen was sentenced to 30 days incarceration, followed by 30 days of electronic monitoring, in October 2014 for communication with a minor for immoral purposes with a then-15-year-old girl on the team.
Still was cleared of any wrongdoing and Pedersen was removed from the volunteer position with the team after Still learned of the relationship.
“That was dealt with and investigated and it’s over now,” Still said.
Still transitioned from junior varsity girls basketball coaching duties under former coach Stephanie Lewis to varsity head coach before the 2012-13 season.
His teams went 27-37 overall but showed improvement each season, finishing 7-13 and missing the playoffs his first year, going 10-12 with a district playoff appearance in his second season, and 10-13 with a 1-2 showing at districts this past season.
In January, Still coached the Wolves to their first win against rival Port Angeles since 2007, a span of 17 games. And Sequim’s district playoff win in February was the school’s first since 2008.
Still said some of his happiest moments as head coach didn’t take place during games.
“My best memories aren’t necessarily from out on the floor,” Still said.
“They had more to do with seeing the program progress and grow.
“Getting phone calls from players who have graduated like Alexis Besand, Taylor Balkan, Vanessa Martinez and Melanie Guan, who have come back from college and are asking if they could come and play open gym with us.
“That means they had a positive experience not a negative one, and they are interested in coming back and helping make us better.”
Still said he feels he’s leaving the program in better shape than when he took over, but was quick to point out he had plenty of assistance in improving the team.
“I’d like to think I had a positive impact,” Still said.
“Justine Wagner and Kathleen Keile were amazing assistant coaches for me, and the administration has been pretty awesome.
“My job was made pretty easy for me, just focus on the basketball stuff and [athletic director] Dave Ditlefsen and the athletic department would handle the rest.”
Wagner, head coach of the Sequim boys and girls tennis teams, is an early frontrunner to take over from Still.
“I’d recommend her,” Still said. “She has my vote. I don’t have one, but I support her.”
Still said he plans to work on his finishing up his college degree and continue to work for his father’s landscaping company.
“I’m going to be enjoying less stress, and I’ll still be there to support the team, just in a different role,” Still said.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 5250 or at mcarman@peninsualdailynews.com.
