Local Coaches Earn Coach of the Year Recognition
Three Flathead Valley coaches honored for guiding local athletes through stellar seasons
By Micah Drew
Three Flathead Valley high school coaches have been named Coach of the Year in their respective sports by the Montana Coaches Association.
Columbia Falls wrestling coach Jessie Shaeffer earned the Class A nod after leading the MatCats to a state championship — the second in program history and first in more than two decades.
“Every single one of our wrestlers performed at their absolute highest [at state] and left it on the mat,” Schaeffer, who’s been with the wrestling team for 17 years, said of his championship team. “They absolutely rose to the occasion. We had the most placers in school history and it was the most fun tournament we’ve ever coached as a staff.”
For girls basketball, Bigfork coach Cortnee Gunlock was named Coach of the Year for Class B after guiding the Valkyries to their first team title in program history. The Valkyries had an unprecedented, undefeated season, disposing opponents by huge margins.
“My focus coming in as the head coach was to make them believe in themselves and believe they could be the best in the state,” said Gunlock, who took over the program four years ago, making this year’s seniors the first to complete their high school careers with her guiding their actions on the court. Next year, Gunlock and the Valkyries will take their formidable team to the Class A ranks.
Finally, Jeff Thompson earned the top coaching award for girls wrestling, despite his girls team missing a third-straight state title. The Flathead girls wrestling team put together another amazing season, on the heels of back-to-back titles after the sport was sanctioned by the Montana High School Association in 2021. Thompson continues to draw the biggest wrestling team in the state and turned the Flathead Valley into a high school powerhouse for the new sport. He was inducted into the Legends Wall of Fame earlier this year.
The Montana Coaches Association names its coaches of the year across all sports and classifications at the end of each high school sports season. This school year’s winners will be honored at the 2023 MCA Awards, July 27 at C. M. Russell High School in Great Falls.