Terry Welling - 1969

Bryan and associates working on the history of East High Basketball…I congratulate each of you on your dedication for the memory of our old school.

What do you remember from your experience playing at East High?
The lessons started well before High School. Les Eathorne started molding each player while they were in grade school and Junior High, mostly in Junior High. The opening of the Gym on Sundays was where the coach(s) were able to look at you and mold you into the player and person they thought you could be.

While I was a Freshman, I made the team. My sophomore year 1977 I set out to make the JV team, and would have made the team, if not the School Levy failing. This left me dejected, but continued and played Boys City League, which turns out was a blessing. As I was able to play the entire game, and not have to sit the bench of the JV team. Allowing me more playing time and developing my game.
(Coach Eathorne has reminded me several times that I would have made it if not for the levy failure)

I made the team in 1968 and 1969 and the obvious run and gun style of Les Eathorne was embedded into our lives. Playing as a team, defense, and by god you better make your free throws. And there was nobody who knew each color of lines on the gymnasium floor better than each player who played for Coach Eathorne…..Not even the painters! As Coach Eathorne related……People come to watch East High Basketball, to see us run…run…and run some more.

The lessons we gained by playing for Coach Eathorne were many: Giving 110% no matter what the odds were; Giving back to the community after graduation; Dedicating yourself in anything you would attempt.

After Graduation, I began giving back to the community and officiated Basketball for over 10 years; and Football for 31 years. I went into PSNS and graduated from the Apprenticeship School as a Shipwright.
I then embarked in my Career as a Policeman in the City of Bremerton, achieving the rank of Lieutenant, before retiring. I continued with sports throughout my life…Basketball and mostly Softball with the latter having accomplishing ten state titles, and in Fast Pitch softball the team finished 3rd and 9th an the national level.