Spring 2015 Newsletter
It’s hard to believe that it has been 2 years since Ralph left us, and Marian and I stepped in to direct this great organization. We have worked hard to maintain Ralph’s great legacy and also find time to enjoy a bit of life beyond MCA. One of the biggest ways that you can help is to use our online option for joining MCA and for Clinic Registration. While we have still included a paper application, your online registration saves my dear wife about 15 minutes and many typing errors! She loves her job, but she needs some time to enjoy grandkids, friends and a good book on occasion.
Another place where I need some help in the coming year, is in securing clinic speakers. The board would like to have a committee for each sport, who will find, schedule and book speakers. You know your sport and potential speakers better than I do and the job is quite overwhelming for one. If you would be willing to serve on such a committee, please contact me.
Third, on my mind, is 2016 Clinic dates. Over the years we have often gone into August and 2016 is one of those years. We either go July 27-29 or August 3-5. While August avoids the conflict with high school football and volleyball camps, it also makes it nearly impossible to secure major college football and volleyball speakers because practices are underway. I would appreciate some input from you…
Don
Please download the full spring 2015 newsletter.
- Published in MCA Newsletter
Winter Coach of the Year Winners Announced
The following Coaches were voted by their fellow MCA members, as “Coach of the Year” for their respective winter sport. They will be honored at the MCA Awards banquet, in conjunction with the MCA All-Sport Coaches Clinic, on July 30th at Great Falls High Auditorium in Great Falls.
Boys’ Basketball
AA Kevin Morales – Billings Skyview
A Patrick Hansen, Jr. – Laurel
B Matt Luedtke – Choteau
C Kyle Paulson – Belt
Girls’ Basketball
AA Bill Pilgeram – Helena Capital
A Mark Albert – Hamilton
B Nathan Hammond – Malta
C Ben Johnson – Gardiner
Wrestling
AA Steve Komac – Great Falls
A Scott Filius – Havre
B Steve French – Choteau
C Perry Miller & Eric Tilleman (Co- Head Coaches) – Chinook
Boys’ Swimming
AA M Helen Houlihan – Missoula Hellgate
A Robyn O’Nan – Billings Central
Girls’ Swimming
AA M Helen Houlihan – Missoula Hellgate
A Robyn O’Nan – Billings Central
- Published in Coach of the Year, Press Release
Dale Brown to keynote MCA Clinic 2015
MCA is pleased to announce that Dale Brown will be our keynote MCA Clinic speaker July 29, 2015.
Coach Brown is also featured in an upcoming film with former player Shaquille O’Neal.
Basketball great Shaquille O’Neal returns home to LSU in a new ESPN Film produced by Kevin Shaw: SHAQ AND DALE – debuting on the ESPN family of networks.
Shaq and Dale premieres:
SEC Network: Monday April 13 7 pm MT
ESPN: Thursday April 16 6 pm MT
You can also learn more by visiting 23 Films.
- Published in MCA Multisports Clinic
Download the MCA Spring Newsletter – April 2015
Please feel free to download a pdf copy of our spring newsletter.
Included in this edition:
- Online voting for MCA Coach of the Year
- Dale Brown delivering keynote at the 2015 MCA Clinic
- Perks of the MCA Clinic
- and much more!
- Published in MCA Newsletter
Announcing the 2015 MCA Hall of Fame
2015 MCA Hall of Fame
The Montana Coaches Association is pleased to announce the induction of five members into the MCA Hall of Fame. Their prestigious awards will be presented at the 11:30 Awards Ceremony on Thursday, July 30th in the Great Falls High School Auditorium, in conjunction with the MCA All-Sports Coaches Clinic Family and friends are invited to the Awards Ceremony followed by a complimentary luncheon in the cafeteria. Large pictured plaques will be permanently displayed in the MSU Fieldhouse. Congratulations to these outstanding coaches and fine gentlemen!
Paul Barta – Columbus
Paul has coached 37 years in Montana. Following five years at Medicine Lane and five at Glasgow, Coach Barta settled in Columbus, where he has served the last 27 years. Over the years Barta’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams have won an incredible 757 games, playing in 29 district and 18 divisional championship games while making 27 state appearances.
A 37 year member of the MCA, Barta has been a 9 time nominee for COY and has presented at both the MCA and Wyoming Clinic. He has served as District and Divisional President and managed numerous district and divisional track meets. He has coached the Radisson Senior Classic for 22 years and served as an assistant for the MT-WY All-Star Game.
Dustin Gordon – Fairfield
Serving as a head coach for 24 years, Dustin has been head mentor in boys’ basketball, girls’ tennis and also an assistant in T&F, but it is in the girls’ basketball circles where Coach Gordon is best known. His 120 game winning streak at Fairfield High is a Montana record and ranks 6th longest in the nation. During his tenure, the Fairfield girls posted four amazing, unblemished seasons as well as a “State Best” as they notched four consecutive State Championships. In his 9 years as head of the Lady Eagles, they have played in the Chipper 7 times, winning 6. He also notched a 2nd and 3rd place State finish at Chester.
Coach Gordon is a 6 time MCA COY and a finalist this year for the NHSACA COY in Girls’ Basketball. He has served 9 years as head coach for the Treasure State Classic and 2 years as the B Coach for the Hi-Line Classic. He has been MHSA State Tennis bracketing Coordinator, Divisional Tennis Director, District and Divisional Volleyball Director, and District and Divisional T&F Manager. For 12 years he was a basketball and football MOA
John LaBonty – Glasgow
John has been a head mentor for 28 of his 36 years coaching; the last 34 years at Glasgow. A 36 year MCA member, Coach LaBonty has served in a variety of sports and positions, but it is in track & field and volleyball where he has created a legacy. Under his guidance, athletes have won 20 district championships, 11 divisional championships and 9 state trophies, including 3 third place finishes, 2 runners-up and 4 State Championships (2 in Volleyball, 2 in Girls’ T&F)
LaBonty has been nominated for MCA COY 8 times and named COY twice in volleyball and 3 times in girls track & field. He has served as District and Divisional Track manager numerous years.
Rollie Sullivan – Pablo
Rollie has spent 33 years in the coaching ranks, 28 of those as head boys’ basketball coach and 3 at the helm of girls’ basketball teams. For 5 years he headed up track & field and softball teams. After stints at Outlook, Frenchtown and Circle, Coach Sullivan spent the next 23 years at Sidney. His boys’ basketball teams notched an impressive 389 victories, including 3 State Championships, one 2nd and one 3rd place trophy. His girls’ basketball teams were an impressive 62-16 for a winning percentage of 80%. Altogether, his teams made 12 appearances at the State Tournament. Rollie was nominated for MCA COY 6 times and named COY thee. A 33 year MCA member, he has spoken at several MCA clinics also served many times as district tournament manager.
Bret Thompson – Charlo
A 29 year MCA member and 28 year head coach, Bret has spent all of coaching career at Charlo and they are fortunate that he did. During his Charlo tenure, his teams have won an amazing 51 District and 13 Divisional titles along with 5 State Championship trophies. His 493 wins in girls’ basketball include 13 District, 3 Divisional and one State title. In boys’ T&F, 20 District, 8 Divisional and 4 State trophies are on the walls. His girls’ T& F teams have 18 District and 2 Divisional titles as along with 8 top five finishes.
A 5-time MCA COY and 8 time nominee, Coach Thompson has also spent time coaching the Western C Team at the Treasure State Classic and served as long-time coach of the Mission Valley All-Star Tournament.
- Published in Hall of Fame, Press Release
MCA Hall of Fame now available online
We are pleased to announce the addition of the Montana Coaches Association Hall of Fame to our website.
You can visit the sortable list of great coaches here, http://montanacoaches.com/hall-of-fame/
- Published in Hall of Fame
Two MCA Coaches to be inducted into NHSACA Hall of Fame
Montana Coaches Association MEDIA RELEASE
Montana Coaches Association is pleased to announce that two outstanding, long-time Montana coaches,
Jeff Carroll – Billings Senior and Dan Hodge – Flathead High
will be inducted into the National High School Athletic Association (NHSACA) HALL OF FAME at their annual convention’s Hall of Fame Banquet , to be held at noon June 19, 2015 at the Kahler Grand Hotel in Minneapolis, MN.
Jeff Carroll – Billings Senior High School
Jeff Carroll
Jeff Carroll has been the head volleyball coach at Billings Senior HS for the past 29 years. During that time, his teams have won 14 conference championships, 12 state championships and 5 runners-up finishes. He has been named Montana “AA” Coach of the Year 12 times, was inducted into the Montana Coaches Hall of Fame in 2009 and was selected as the NHSACA National Volleyball Coach of the Year in 2010. In 2011, Jeff was chosen National Co-Coach of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association and coached the East All-Stars in the Under Armour High School All-American match held in San Antonio that year. He has an overall record of 670–200 including a 32-1 record this past season.
Dan Hodge – Flathead High School
Dan Hodge
During his tenure as head track & field coach at Flathead High School, Dan’s teams have won 6 state and 17 divisional championships. They have also placed second in state meets 7 times and second in divisional meets 10 times. Dan has been an MCA COY 7 times, a finalist for National Coach of the Year 4 times, recognized as National Coach of the Year for 2012, and was inducted into the Montana Coaches Hall of Fame in 1998. Dan believes the major reason for his teams’ successes is due to his long-serving coaching staff and out-of-season program that he runs from mid-November until the start of the T&F season. Dan was an all-conference performer in both football and T&F at Montana State University and then served in the U.S. Army as a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War before starting his teaching and coaching career. Dan is originally from Butte.
- Published in Hall of Fame, Press Release
Montana coaches selected as finalists for National High School Coaches Association Awards
The Montana Coaches Association and Executive Director Don Olsen, are pleased to announce that eight Montana coaches have been selected as “Finalists” for National High School Coaches Association (NHSACA) Awards:
AD of the Year Dennis Murphy, Havre High School
Football COTY Terry Thomas, Beaverhead High School
Girls’ BB COTY Dustin Gordon, Fairfield High School
Swimming COTY Georga Forney, Hardin High School
Girls’ Cross Country COTY Mark Garber Belt / Centerville
Volleyball COTY Ann Funk, Choteau
Boys’ Assistant COTY Bob Raeth, Flathead High School
Girls’ Assistant COTY Paul Bills, Ennis HS
Eight finalists are selected nation-wide in each category. This is a tremendous honor for Montana and each of these well-deserved nominees.
COTY winners will be announced at the June 20th NHSACA COTY Awards Banquet at the Kahler Grand Hotel in Minneapolis, MN.
Friends, family and fellow coaches are encouraged to attend the convention and award ceremonies.
More information at www.nhsaca.org
- Published in Coach of the Year
COY Fall 2014 Sports Announced
December 7, 2014
Montana Coaches Assn. Media Release
Submitted by: Don Olsen, Executive Director
The following Coaches were selected by a vote of fellow MCA coaches as
“Coach of the Year” for their respective 2014 fall sports.
They will be honored at the 2015 MCA Awards Banquet, July 30th at Great Falls HS
Football
AA Grady Bennett – Glacier
A Rick Nordahl – Beaverhead
B Travis Rauh – Broadwater
C-8 Jeff Bertelsen – Wibaux
C-6 Rodney Tweet – Geraldine
Volleyball
AA Jeff Carroll – Billings Senior
A Jade Schmidt – Belgrade
B Deb Cole – Forsyth
C Carmen Harbach – Gardiner
Boys’ Golf
AA Lance Edward – Billings West
A Owen Burch – Hamilton
Boys’ Cross Country
AA Clint May – Bozeman
A Mark Alber – Hamilton
B Matt Schrowe – Red Lodge
C David Solem – Culbertson
Girls’ Cross Country
AA Clint May – Bozeman
A Joanne Cleveland – Corvallis
B John Sillitti – Manhattan
C AJ Chlebnik – West Yellowstone
Girls’ Golf
AA Lance Edward – Billings West
A Tim Olson – Whitefish
B & C Golf is contested in the spring.
Soccer coaches will be on the “Special Sports” ballot in the spring.
- Published in Coach of the Year
November 2014 Newsletter and more…
The November MCA newsletter is now available. Download and/or read here: MCA Newsletter Nov 2014. Please read the newsletter, which has lots of timely information. The 2015 MCA Clinic dates, and much more, are included in this newsletter. Of course, contact us with any questions or comments, etc.
- Published in Uncategorized