Federal Way Public Schools presents athlete Hall of Fame awards

Federal Way Public Schools on Monday evening inducted three new members into its athletic Hall of Fame and presented honors to three other individuals.

HALL OF FAME AWARD INDUCTEES

Mike Bressler

Mike Bressler came to Federal Way Public Schools in 1997 and quickly established himself as an extraordinary coach and teacher. His first teaching position was at Lakota Junior High where he taught history and served as the head football coach, winning a district title in 1998. At the same time, he took over the head wrestling position at Decatur High School.

During his tenure at Decatur, Bressler took a struggling program and made it a state power, earning three regional titles, three South Puget Sound League championships, two SPSL NW division titles and a central division championship. Individual wrestlers accrued eight state titles, 15 state finalists and 37 individual state medalists. As a team, Decatur finished second twice in state tournament and became a consistent top ten team.

Bressler’s honors include SPSL Coach of the Year four times and a two-time state Coach of the Year. He was a four-year varsity athlete at the University of Washington, captain, and Outstanding Wrestler who placed second in the PAC-10 two times, and twice as a national qualifier.

Greg Flynn

Greg Flynn has a distinguished career of 49 years in education, with the majority of his service in Federal Way Public Schools.

Through his dedication and willingness to serve, Flynn is a leader that is trusted and highly respected in the athletic community.

Beginning in 1979, Flynn worked in several capacities at Decatur High School and the Federal Way Public Schools – including as teacher, coach, athletic director and the Federal Way Memorial Stadium Manager. Spanning 21 years at Decatur, Flynn was a head coach for multiple sports including football, girls’ basketball and softball.

He received several honors, including Teacher of the Year, South Puget Sound Coach of the Year and was inducted into the Northwest Fastpitch Hall of Fame after being part of the National Championship Peterbilt team.

Flynn is a graduate of West Seattle High School, earning eight varsity letters and received the Tyee Athletic/Academic Scholarship to play football at the University of Washington. He later earned a masters in sports management from the United States Sports Academy.

Karen Oswald

Karen Oswald spent the majority of her career in education at Kilo Junior High School from 1970 to 2001.

Oswald led several athletic teams at Kilo including track, volleyball, basketball and gymnastics. She also coached girls’ basketball at Decatur High School in 1975. Oswald was a strong leader in the physical education department at Kilo. As the chair of the department, Oswald developed a program that promoted student participation in extracurricular activities.

Oswald played an instrumental role in the growth of girls’ sports in Federal Way Public Schools. At the start of her career, girls did not have the same athletic opportunities as the boys.

She provided girls access to sports through the Girls Athletic Association. It was the only athletic opportunity for girls until Title IX changed the landscape. As an example of her strong vision and leadership, Oswald was responsible for the development of the district Middle School Gymnastics Meet.

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Yattah Reed

Yattah Reed attended Federal Way High School for three years, where he lettered in basketball and track and field. Reed earned a full-ride athletic scholarship to Northwest University, where he attended for two years and then transferred to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he completed his basketball career. He earned many athletic awards, however, it was always his goal to be the first in his family to earn a college degree. He reached that goal by completing his bachelor’s degree in criminal law.

Reed’s passion for basketball led to coaching, and in 1998, he began his coaching career alongside Federal Way High School coach Jerome Collins as junior varsity boys’ basketball coach. After 10 years of coaching, Reed decided to earn his master’s degree in education and teaching credential because he knew the greatest impact he could have on his players was to be a role model in the classroom as their teacher. To Reed, coaching was another opportunity to impart wisdom and life skills to the next generation. In 2007, Reed started his teaching career at Federal Way High School where he continues to coach basketball coach.

Amy Davis

Amy Davis is a product of Federal Way Public Schools, attending Star Lake Elementary, Totem Junior High and Thomas Jefferson High School. She is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and health and is a National Board Certified teacher.

In 1999, Davis won the title of Ms. Auburn and was a member of the Seattle Sea Gals for the Seahawks. During that season, Davis and the Sea Gals performed at Super Bowl XL.

As a scholar-athlete at Thomas Jefferson High School, Davis excelled in dance, gymnastics and track.

Davis currently teaches Physical Education and coaches gymnastics at her alma mater.

BUD HATLEY ADMINISTRATOR AWARD

Joe Bullock

Joe Bullock began his coaching career at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, as assistant football, assistant basketball and assistant track coach.

He spent three years at Mount Tahoma before becoming the head basketball coach at Ballard High, where he was also assistant football coach. At Ballard, Bullock became the first African-American head basketball coach in the state.

Bullock’s career in athletic administration began in the Metro League in 1981 as the assistant athletic director in charge of the Seattle School District’s 10 high schools.

In 1992, Joe brought his strong athletic background and experience to Federal Way Public Schools, where he served as the director of athletics and assistant principal/athletic director at Saghalie Junior High School. He served as the South Puget Sound League commissioner for boys and girls tennis and track and field. He was the SPSL athletic director of the year in 1994, served as the league president in 1995 and helped establish the SPSL Friendship Connection Sportsmanship Conference.

Bullock also ran the WIAA State Basketball Tournament for 11 years, WIAA Star Track for seven years, West Central District track meet for five years and served as a member of the NFHS Track and Field Rules Committee.

In 2003, the Washington Secondary School Athletic Administrators Association inducted Bullock into the Hall of Fame.