The all-day event held at North Beach Junior/Senior High School Friday, June 21, was described by District Superintendent Andrew Kelly as “a ’Hall of Fame’ team working with North Beach coaches.”

Indeed, four coaches who share eight HOF honors and more than 180 years of coaching between them were among the guests who came to Ocean Shores for what NBHS Vice-Principal and Athletic Director Vernon Bruni called a “coaches summit … to visualize and put in place the pieces for a high-performing athletics program that encourages students’ excellence in all aspects of their education.”

Sid Otton, the winningest football coach at any level in Washington State history, spoke to about 40 in attendance. He retired as the head coach at Tumwater High School in 2016, after amassing an overall record of 394 wins and 131 losses, 27 state playoff appearances and five state championships during his 51-year coaching career.

Also present were HOF members Darrell White, a Montesano High School graduate with more than 50 years in coaching; and Denny “Doc” Daniels and John Eklund, graduates of, respectively, Hoquiam and Aberdeen High Schools, both with more than 40 years as coaches.

A recipient of the American Football Coaches Association National “Power of Influence” award in 2007, Otton is perhaps best known for growing the “T-Bird Way” among his players in Tumwater, which Kelley praised as “a code of behavior, expectations, and literally a way of living and developing as positive young people.”

Otton came here, Kelly said, to challenge the North Beach coaches to “come together and develop the ‘Hyak Way’ to unite the entire school community.” The day concluded with a barbeque dinner and speaker for the guests, coaches and staff, and North Beach athletes and their families.

Sid Otton, left, the winningest football coach at any level in Washington State history, spoke to about 40 coaches, assistants and others at the North Beach Coaches Summit, held Friday at North Beach Junior/Senior High School.

Photo by Scott D. Johnston Sid Otton, left, the winningest football coach at any level in Washington State history, spoke to about 40 coaches, assistants and others at the North Beach Coaches Summit, held Friday at North Beach Junior/Senior High School. Pictured with Otton are, left to right, Greg Carter, NBHS golf coach and PGA golf pro at Ocean Shores Golf Course; Ron Tinnin, basketball coach at Ocean Shores Elementary; Russell Evans, new principal at North Beach Jr./Sr. High School; and Julie Opel, volleyball coach at Ocean Shores Elementary.