It’s been three years since the Central Kitsap school district opened the gates to it’s new school, as well as the athletic complex. Top of the line athletic facilities are evident upon entering the school parking lot. Up first you will see the schools striking all turf fastpitch field, which has only hosted a partial season for the high school girls. Here you can find Coach Courtney Cotter can be found spending most of her time.

Coach Cotter is the current head coach for girls fastpitch at Central Kitsap High School. Cotter grew up playing and is now taking her skill set as well as her knowledge to  share it with others in the form of coaching.

Cotter says she got into fastpitch when she was about eight or nine years old, which was the year she also started pitching. This is where her love for the game began, and she continued to play in high school throughout college. She graduated from Kentridge highschool in 2002 and North Dakota State University in 2006 where she continued to play the game. 

In Cotter’s senior season in 2002, her team won the Washington state 4A fastpitch championship. 

“It was nine innings and we were the visiting team,” Cotter says through a smile. “So we had to go out, and you know, close out the game.” 

The game was tied 1-1 after the first inning with a lot of going back and forth. 

“I drove in the first run in the first inning, and then I actually laid down the sac bunt to move the runner to third in the top of the ninth, and then held them in the bottom… and I actually struck out the [opposing] pitcher to end the game,” Cotter said. 

The team that took second to Kentridge was Shorecrest. Cotter said it was nice to knock Shorecrest off because the year before they had won the state championship and they were back again that year.

Cotter’s father, and assistant coach for CK, Stu Lacock, also has great memories of watching Cotter play throughout her career. As both a fan and long time supporter, one of his favorite memories was also the high school state championship.

However, Lacocks second favorite memory was from when Cotter was in college. 

 “In college, her first year as a freshman at North Dakota State they were division two; and they went to the playoffs, College World Series for division two, and they took third in the nation,” says Lacock with welling eyes. 

After Cotter graduated from Kentridge she went to North Dakota State University. Cotter said that NDSU was welcoming and felt like home, and she knew that was where she needed to be. She also said that it really came down to the fact that she was going to play in the field as well.

“Basically it came down to at NDSU my coach, Darren was like you’re gonna play, you’re gonna pitch, you’re gonna hit, you’re going to play in the field,” Cotter says. “And I wanted to do that. I love pitching but I didn’t want to be singled out as just a pitcher.”

In college Cotter says she learned many lessons throughout her years of playing in highschool and college, such as gaining mental strength, pushing boundaries, and focusing on small things. She puts these lessons into her coaching. 

Together her playing and skill set has brought a breath of knowledge to her coaching. 

“I try to take those lessons … passing on that you’re stronger than what you think and you can push past those boundaries… I still want to push you hard but I want you to enjoy it, ”  says Cotter. 

Ashley Chamburs, a junior at Central Kitsap, has played under Cotter since the 2021 season. 

Chamburs says, “[I have learned] to always appreciate the game and never be disappointed…  [and Cotter’s] always made it clear that this is a game and as much as it is our life at the time that we do play, we still need to have fun with it.”

Cotter also has a coaching style which is both personal and connected.

“very hands on … she does [workouts] with us and she does it step by step… [practice is] definitely fun when she does it with us, ” Chamburs describes.  

Not only do players see her unique coaching style but so do her colleagues.  

“Her skill level in all facets of the game are incredible… and she enjoys teaching others and she can demonstrate and articulate how to do things,” Lacock says. 

When she is not coaching, Cotter gets her boys out of the house, goes to work, comes home and depending on the time of year goes to practice, a game or some other sports function. Cotter is pretty much always on the go, but when she gets some down time she loves to travel: anywhere there is sun. 

Even with being busy, spending lots of time on the go, and working on athletics Cotter loves coaching. She loves helping to improve and motivate girls.

“I love coaching, I really do. And I feel very fortunate to be where I am today,” Cotter says.