Eddie Lee Pepple, Mercer Island’s legendary head basketball coach of 42 years, wore his signature maroon jacket for the last time on Aug. 7 and placed it on the stage at his Meydenbauer Center Retirement Party, to become “simply a loyal fan from now on.”
Unimaginable to the 2,000 or so young men who have been groomed by the Gene Hackmanlike Hoosiers’ giant who took the Islanders to four state championships — really five, say some, counting the 1981 “uncrowned” Shadle Park match lost in the last second to a controversial call.
“My late son, Chris, was captain of that 1981 MI team that played Shadle Park,” remembers Barbara Kampe. While she is convinced that the game was mistakenly declared an Islander loss, the long-term result was unity and closeness. “When my son was ill, all the team was there for him. That’s a result of your coaching, Ed.”
Not only did Pepple’s varsity players pay tribute, but the guys who attended his summer camps, played or coached for his Little Dribbler farm programs, traveled to far places with him, or were touched in any way by his character-building efforts.
“Never sell yourself short,” cites Jeremy Schuffler, ’86, a former bench warmer now an electrical wholesaler who walks the Pepple talk. Jmar Hill, ’96, now in advertising and promotions, strives to always be prepared and positive, a la Coach P.
Jeff Thompson and Omar Parker, ’86, who were Little Dribblers, varsity players and assistant coaches for Pepple, say there is hardly a day in their lives when they don’t draw from his example to manage others, strive for their personal best, practice discipline, focus on fundamentals, sacrifice for goals and be prepared and competitive.
Josh Fisher, ’97-’99, now a professional basketball player in Spain, came the farthest to pay respect to Pepple and his teammates, being influenced to “never give up, always be on time, show respect,” not only to your team, but to the bus drivers, stat takers and all other helpers.
Petur Gudmundsson, the 7-foot-2 Islander from 1975-77 who went on to NBA and overseas pro ball, still stood above the very tall crowd. He came to MIHS as a “shy but stubborn” exchange student from Iceland, came under Pepple’s wing, and left with a recast future.
“Ed stressed the importance of repeatedly practicing the fundamentals,” says Gudmundsson. “I noticed some of the greatest pro players in the game also include these in their regular workouts. He also taught us that sports shouldn’t define you; rather, it should be our families and the people who stand by us unconditionally.”
With more than 300 fans looking on, Pepple passed his legacy to new MI coach Gavin Cree, who came up through the program and was on the 1999-2000 team. “I was molded by my idol,” said Cree, who intends to “continue to build confidence in young men, hold them to the highest standards, and breed humility and grace, win or lose. Tonight, we know that our passion, camaraderie, traditions and keys to success live on.”
While he served MI for 42 years, Pepple also coached and taught 10 years prior at Fife, Meadowdale and Mark Morris high schools. MI’s Einer Handeland was in Pepple’s first English class there, and calls it memorable.
A former Marine, graduate of Lincoln High School ’50, University of Utah ’55 and Oregon State University ’57, Pepple was raised by a single mom, “who taught me self-reliance.” He named the mentors who instilled in him the importance of mentoring others. And, he especially thanked his family for supporting his 52-year career: wife, Shirley, of 54 years; sons, Terry and Kyle, who played for him and helped him coach; daughters, Jody and Jill, his best cheerleaders and assistants; his many grandchildren, particularly Matt Logie, a ’97-’99 Islander.
“This program is the story of my childhood,” said Matt, who now coaches at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. From being ballboy at age 5, to coming up through Little Dribs, being embedded in the travel, the camps, meeting MBA players, pep rallies, Thanksgiving retreats, and other Islander and basketball inner sanctums.
“Thanks, Grandpa, for providing me all the opportunities, for being there for me in times of trouble, for just talking hoops, and teaching me about life. You believed in me, guided me and taught me how to be a man. I love you.”
Gifts and recognitions came from Hall of Fame basketball coach Marv Harshman (PLU, WSU, UW), U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, Morgan Wootten, the winningest head coach in the history of basketball, and Mike Colbrese of the WIAA. The Rev. Greg Asimakoupoulos referred to Pepple as “The North Star, in a league of his own, teaching that TEAM is never spelled with an ‘I’.”
Coach P’s last five varsity players presented him with a plaque to honor “the man who is always early and is therefore on time. See you at the Pancake Corral, Coach.” (The owner of Chase’s Pancake Corral in Bellevue — Pepple’s watering hole — put a “coach’s pick” on the menu honoring Pepple’s favorite apple crepes.)
Pepple thanked the multi-producing moms who have provided him with such good material — the Misses Hawes, Biehn, Brown, Nordstrom, Snyder, Jack, Jerue, Moscatel, Schwabe, Marriott, Smith, Scalzo, McMillan, Pepple, Matthews, Gottlieb, Uczekaj, Sullivan, Palmerton, McCullum, Houle, Huhs, Cahill, Light and Brazg — to name a few.
Even in retirement at age 77, Pepple has goals.
“I want to help save the environment,” he says. His company, Tree-Free Technologies, will launch after nine years in preparation. It will make green paper from reedlike grass (arundo donax), provide a cash crop for farmers and help clean up the atmosphere, contends Pepple. It’s likely that his entire clan will be involved in this enterprise as well.
For more information about Coach Pepple, his coaching record and the upcoming Islander basketball season, go to www.mibasketball.org.
