Coaching mindset shines through in Dave Kopczynski’s work at CWU

In every workplace, there are people who anchor the team — those who bring a calm presence, a steady hand, and a level of care that doesn’t seek attention but inevitably earns respect.

For those who have work alongside CWU Construction Project Coordinator Dave Kopczynski, that description likely feels familiar.

Though he spent 10 years (2005-2015) coaching Ellensburg High School softball players, it’s not the scoreboard or the batting cage that define Dave’s impact today. It’s the way he shows up — for his team, for his work, and for the people around him.

“I prefer to be a leader more than a boss,” he says. “And, to me, there’s a big difference. I believe a team is only as strong as its weakest link, and here — just like on the softball field — we may need someone to step in and do something different to help team. I believe in teaching and mentoring other people so we can have the strongest possible team.”

Whether in a meeting room, a project conversation, or a casual hallway chat, Dave’s presence reflects something rarely taught but always felt: a deep-rooted work ethic grounded in purpose and humility.

Much of that work ethic was formed long before his professional career began. Raised in Ephrata, he grew up surrounded by people who lived by example. There was no fanfare in their labor, just a consistent drive to do things right and support those around them.

Dave’s dad worked for Grant County PUD; his mom was a legal assistant. Those early lessons stayed with him and eventually became central to how he lives and works.

“I was raised to have a good work ethic, and I believe in honesty and integrity in everything I do,” he says. “I also believe in good communication and building relationships with my coworkers, and I’ve been fortunate to have that during my entire career at CWU.”

Before moving over to Capital Planning and Projects in 2023, Dave worked in the Control Shop for 25 years. No matter who he has worked with, he has always found a way to build up the people around him as they work toward a common objective.

“At the end of the day, I just want to get the job done right and be a good steward of taxpayer dollars,” he says. “We all make mistakes, but as long as we can own up to those mistakes and learn from them, then we are going to be successful more often than not.”

Dave’s coaching background is often mentioned, but for him, it was never just about sports. As he is quick to admit, mentoring young athletes was more about building something through shared effort.  

That same mindset followed him to CWU. He approaches his role with the same steady focus: preparation matters, relationships are important, and the way you do the small things says everything about how you handle the big ones. When coaching, he never had team captains.

When the umpire would ask, “Where’s your captains?” for the coin toss, Dave would respond, “I got 12 of them. You want them all to come out here?”

For Dave, every single person plays an important role.

“You have to play to people’s strengths,” he says. “That’s the way I approached coaching and that’s how I approach my work. You want to challenge people, but you don’t want to set them up for failure, either. The most important thing is to put people in situations where they can excel.”

Colleagues know him not for needing the spotlight, but for consistently pointing out how things could be better. In his role as a Construction Project Coordinator 3, Dave coordinates logistics, collaborates across departments, and interacts with contractors. He has a way of bringing clarity, offering direction without ego, and moving projects forward with calm resolve.

If you ask his colleagues, perhaps what stands out most is Dave’s dependability. He’s the kind of person who can be counted on to follow through — every time.

He listens closely and communicates clearly even in the midst of the most complex or fast-moving challenges. He doesn't rush to be the first to speak, but when he does share his insight, people listen. His insights reflect both experience and care.

In many ways, his work speaks for itself, but it’s the way he treats people that leaves a lasting impression. He remembers details. He checks in. He offers encouragement, often in small ways. There’s no performance in his leadership, just presence.

“You can’t just act like you care; you have to truly care,” Dave says. “It’s a give-and-take thing, and I feel like we all do that pretty well around here, for the most part.”

And while Dave is committed to his work, he’s just as grounded in his role outside of it. Family has always been a central part of his life. Whether coaching games, attending other sporting events, or simply being available for the people who matter to him, Dave’s life reflects the same core values he brings to the workplace: commitment, consistency, and care.

Dave and his wife, Kelli, raised three children, each with their own unique paths. Their son Josh works for Amazon Web Services in Hermiston and has three children of his own.

Their daughter Meghan, a former CWU softball player, is an office manager at Creekside Dental and, last year, she added to her growing family with twins, giving Dave and Kelli six grandchildren.

“All six of them now call me ‘Papa,’ and when I hear that, it just melts my heart,” he says.

His youngest daughter, Allie, also played softball at Wenatchee Valley College and pursued athletic training at Oregon State University before shifting careers. She now lives in Albany, Oregon, and is working toward a medical coding license.

Through it all, Dave finds deep joy in being a grandfather, often reflecting on the special bond it brings and joking that if only there were a way to skip straight to that part. If there were, he wouldn’t have missed a minute of it.

“They all just have me wrapped around their finger — and they know it,” he says.

At a time when workplace culture can easily become reactive or transactional, Dave models something different. He shows what it means to bring your full self to your work. To take pride in the effort, not just the outcome. And to lead, not by pushing forward, but by creating the space for others to grow beside you.

For those who work with him, that example has been both grounding and inspiring. His is a kind of leadership that doesn’t need a title to be felt; it shows up in the way people treat one another, how they take ownership of their work, and how they navigate change with purpose.

“I think the number one rule to live by is ‘just be a good human being,’” Dave says. “It doesn’t matter if you agree or disagree with someone else. You still need to treat them with respect.”

In the end, the legacy Dave Kopczynski continues to build at CWU and in Ellensburg isn’t measured in scores, metrics or milestones. As he said, when he retired from coaching softball, “My philosophy is simple: My players need to leave their heart on the field with every pitch.”

He expects the same from his co-workers. His impact, whether on the field or in the workplace, is measured in trust, respect, and the quiet strength of someone who reminds us all what real work — and real leadership — looks like.

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Author Staci Sleigh-Layman is the former Associate Vice President of Human Resources, who retired from CWU in August 2025. She completed a series of CWU employee features last year, and they are running periodically on Central Today.

Associate Director of Strategic Communications David Leder contributed to this article.