Last week, as I stared out the front window of our office and longed for distant sandy beaches, my daydream was interrupted, not by a prudent desire to get back to work, but by a parade: Flathead High School’s homecoming parade. Everybody in our Main Street office stepped outside and took the event in, clapping and cheering as the procession snaked its way through Kalispell’s downtown. More so than even the weather, I believe high school homecoming, for me, is the clearest indication that fall has arrived. This week it is Glacier High’s turn.
For the Wolfpack, this is their first official homecoming. Since last year was the school’s first, September was more housewarming than homecoming. I’m happy for the students, teachers and administration. They have the first year, with all of its giddiness and uncertainty, under their belts and now they are beginning to create their own legacy. For many, I’m sure this week is exciting.
As with other homecomings, the culminating event of the week is the Friday night football game. Glacier, led by its emerging star Shay Smithwick-Hann, takes on Great Falls at Legends Stadium at 7 p.m. Coming off a tough loss to C.M. Russell, the Wolfpack are now 2-2, following a winless 0-10 season last year. In the football world, these numbers show that the team is relevant. In the larger world, these numbers help show that the school has come a long way in a year.
Glacier now has a senior class and a homecoming week. For many people in Kalispell who have long been accustomed to only one high school in town, this may be a reflective and encouraging time. Personally, unless plans change, I’ll be in the stands on Friday night, clapping and cheering just like I did at Flathead’s parade last week. But I’ll do so with the understanding that the moment carries a different meaning for the kids of Glacier.