Summer Beat / Notebook -- Sursely Rejoins Snohomish As Head Volleyball Coach

Chrissy Sursely, a former volleyball standout at Snohomish High School and All-American at Western Washington University, will be the Panthers' head volleyball coach this fall.

Sursely, a 1993 Snohomish graduate, accepted the position in mid-June, days after graduating from Western with a bachelor's degree in communications/public relations.

"I've had some excellent coaches that have spent endless hours realizing the potential in me, and I owe it to the future generation of girls coming up to do the same," said Sursely, whose coaching background includes two years as the head coach of the Mount Baker Volleyball Club's 16-and-under team.

Sursely, 22, replaces Diane Hallberg, who coached six seasons at Snohomish before moving to Wenatchee this year after her husband, Rick, received a job transfer.

Sursely, who began playing volleyball when she was 12, was an All-Western Conference outside hitter her senior season at Snohomish before accepting a scholarship to Western. She is only the second volleyball player at Western to earn first- or second-team All-America honors since the program began in the late 1960s, said Paul Madison, Western's sports information director.

The four-year starter finished second in career digs with 1,260, 14 short of the school record. Sursely also is third in career kills (1,098), fifth in service aces (153) and fifth in attack percentage (.260).

Sursely led the Pacific Northwest Athletic Conference her senior season in kills (346) and digs (425) as the Vikings posted a 24-6 mark, their best record in school history and one victory short of the NAIA tournament, Madison said.

Last December, Sursely was a second-team selection on the NAIA All-America volleyball team, and also was selected as the PNWAC outside hitter of the year. She was a unanimous all-PNWAC player for three consecutive years, and a first-team PNWAC regional all-star two years.

Sursely is living with her parents, Tom and Debbie, in Snohomish. She works in the pro club at the Mill Creek Country Club, where her father is the club golf pro.

Sursely said her biggest challenge will be blending the Panthers' old system with her own tactics and coaching style.

"I don't want to overwhelm them with all these new ideas, but I want to establish a very disciplined program," she said. "I think (Snohomish) really did take a chance on me . . . I'm fresh out of college, taking on a head coaching position . . . but it's really such an honor to be back."

Sursely's assistant coaches will be Kristi Yandell and Sara LeDuc.

Rashell suffers setback

When Rob Rashell qualified for this week's U.S. Amateur golf tournament in Illinois, he knew he'd be in unfamiliar territory.

After all, the 1994 Lake Stevens graduate and University of Washington junior won his first major tournament just two weeks ago.

But in a telephone conversation with his mother, Donna Rashell, the Husky said he feels right at home on Cog Hill Golf and Country Club in Lemont, Ill.

"The rough off the fairway wasn't as tough as he thought it would be, and he said it's like playing fall golf in Seattle," she said. "There's been a lot of rain back there, and with the shape the course is in, it's like November golf in Seattle."

In Monday's first round of qualifying, Rashell shot a 1-over-par 73. He shot a 77 yesterday for a total of 150, failing to advance.

At the Wenatchee Golf and Country Club on Aug. 4, Rashell claimed his first major-tournament victory, winning the qualifying tournament for the U.S. Amateur with a 68-70. Despite 110-degree temperatures, Rashell soared past his competitors.

Less than 12 hours after winning in Wenatchee, Rashell drove to Bremerton, where he won the Washington State Men's Amateur Championship on Aug. 9. Rashell began the final day six strokes behind the leader, but birdied three of the final four holes to finish with a 1-under-par 71 and four-round total of 286 (1 under). He won by two strokes.

Rashell, 22, began playing golf when he was 10. He is pursuing a business degree at UW.

New coaches at Shoreline

Mark West and Raquel Chumpitaz-West have been named co-head coaches of the Shoreline Community College volleyball team.

The Wests, a husband-and-wife duo bringing 37 years of combined playing and coaching experience to Shoreline, replace Gaylene Page, who resigned in May.

Raquel Chumpitaz-West has played volleyball internationally and professionally in 35 countries, competing in the Olympics, the South American Championships, the World Games, the European Games and the Pan-American Games. She has played for the Peruvian and Hungarian national volleyball teams and for several clubs in Italy. In 1995, Chumpitaz-West was recognized as one of the best sports women in Peru by the Peruvian Sports Foundation.

Chumpitaz-West was the head coach at North Seattle Community College before accepting the position at Shoreline. She also has coached the Peruvian National Junior Team.

Mark West, last season's assistant coach at Shoreline, played Division I volleyball at George William College in Downers Grove, Ill.