School: Sehome

Sport: Baseball

How long: Second season

Outside of coaching: Works at Barron Heating

How he got started coaching: “That’s always been a dream of mine to come back and coach with Coach (Gary) Hatch and Coach (Monte) Walton. They’re real good people. I worked for Hatch’s brother here growing up. Then I was in California … we keep in touch, he says, ‘Hey, we got a shot at maybe winning it all,’ and we haven’t won it since the last time I was here 24 years ago. I said, ‘If I come up, we’re going to win it all. I’m going to bring the magic.’ It’s just been a fairy tale, storybook tale that I’ll never forget.”

The lucky charm?: “We’re back in the state playoffs again, so until we’re dethroned I’ve got to think that there might be some karma or some good energy there. That’s a dream come true, it really is. Not for me, but for the kids and Coach Hatch. You can imagine him and coach Walton being together 31 years or so. That’s what really makes it special. That’s the frosting on the cake for me. I mean, what are the odds, winning it as a player and then coming back as a coach and winning it again?

Why he likes coaching: “I like teaching the kids and I love baseball more than anything in the world. It’s just a passion. I’d die for baseball. I like to teach these young men not only about baseball, but about life as well. They’re great kids. I was one of them when I was growing up here. It’s just the satisfaction and the smile on their face.”

Favorite aspect of baseball: “I like it because you have to do the little things. As a player I wasn’t the big guy who got up and hit home runs and stuff. I took Hatch’s class on baseball theory all four years. I’m a big theory guy. It’s a team game and anyone can do it. If you’re in football playing quarterback or running back, you’ve got to be a certain size or a certain way. Not in baseball. You’ve got to be able to do certain things, but really anybody can do it. Also, being around the guys, that’s always the best.”

Biggest strength as a coach: “I like to think that I have a belief that I know things can happen. I’ve got two state championships, I’ve got a world championship in softball; it’s a game that if you do the little things and get a little bit of luck, and you have the guys to stick to it and stay positive that anything can happen.”

Sehome coach Gary Hatch on Ivie: “I don’t think there’s anybody more energetic and enthusiastic about high school baseball and Sehome baseball. He quit his job in California because he always had an idea he wanted to coach with me and Coach Walton again. He does a great job, he’s enthusiastic and he’s a great guy to have around.”