Press Release

To: Local Media, Members of the King?s Community

From: Bob Ruhlman, Principal of Student Life

Dan Blackmer, Athletic Director

Date: 5/11/2005

Sports Illustrated Ranks King?s Athletic Program Best in Washington State.

Sports Illustrated has a special report in this week's issue re: the best high school sports? programs in the country. They generated two lists:

-- The Top 25, which ranks the best of the best

-- Best in State, which names the best sports program in each state plus the District of Columbia. (You'll see that some states have more than one school in the Top 25, but the Best in State is simply that: one school per state, no rankings involved.)

--Of the more than 38,000 high schools in the U.S., fewer than one in a thousand made SI's list. Their criteria emphasized all-around excellence during the last 10 years and included state titles won and college athletes produced.

--SI rated Long Beach Polytechnic High School the best sports program in the U.S. Alumni include Billie Jean King, Willie McGinest, Gene Washington, and King?s coach John Hubbell.

Ø Since 1994, King?s teams have captured 23 state championships at the 1A, and 2A levels. They include:

Boys Cross Country: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002

Girls Cross Country: 2001, 2002, 2003

Girls Basketball: 1997, 2005

Boys Basketball: 2001, 2002

Girls Track: 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004

Girls Golf: 1999

Boys Golf: 1994, 1997, 2000, 2001

Ø In the past year, Girls Basketball coach Eric Rasmussen was named 2A Coach of the Year and Cross Country coach Rod Wilcox was named Coach of the Year for all classifications in Washington State.

Ø King?s is a private, Christian school in Shoreline that has an enrollment of 385 in grades 9-12. The school ?opts-up? to the 2A classification and competes in the 2A-3A Cascade Conference.

Dan Blackmer, King?s Athletic Director remarked, ?There are hundreds of excellent athletic programs throughout our state. To somehow be picked as the number one school is very humbling. What a tremendous honor for our coaches and staff. Our athletic philosophy minimizes winning and emphasizes each individual and team performing at their best with no regrets and pleasing God, our Audience of One.?

Bob Ruhlman, King?s Principal of Student Life said, ?Our school community is blessed with a truly premiere coach at the helm of each of our athletic programs and a first-rate faculty that has very high standards for all students. We say that ?Inspiration Happens Here? when we describe King?s and this statement becomes crystal-clear when our students are asked about their teachers and coaches. Our coaches have a passion for teaching more than a game. They seek to teach about life, faith and character through the framework of sports.?

Ruhlman continues, ?This honor reflects a rich heritage that has been built over our school?s 55-year history. Whether it is the volunteers on community-elementary teams, committed members of our Booster Club or our faithful coaches and teachers at the Junior and Senior High level, it has been a tremendous team effort. We?re very thankful!?

King?s Varsity Coaches include:

Rod Wilcox Cross Country

Steve Bain Volleyball

Jim Shapiro Football

Marv Morris Boys Basketball

Eric Rasmussen Girls Basketball

Daunte Gouge Boys Track

John Hubbell Girls Track

Josh Vick Boys Golf

Fred Williams Girls Golf

Laurie Darrow Cheer

Please contact any of the following for comments on this press release:

Dan Blackmer, Athletic Director, dblackmer@crista.net, 206-546-7216

Eric Rasmussen, Superintendent/Girls BB Coach, erasmussen@crista.net, 206-546-7211

Bob Ruhlman, Principal of Student Life, rruhlman@crista.net, 206-546-7245

Sally Ralston, Director of Marketing, sralston@crista.net, 206-546-7218