Haines named MCA Coach of the Year

SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School Track and Field Coach Mike Haines was voted Montana Coaches Association Coach of the Year for Class C girls track and field after winning the state title this year. Haines said his goal as a coach has always been to have the students do their best at state and this year it all came together for both the boys and the girls.

While growing up Haines participated in the decathlon, an athletic event taking place over two days, in which each competitor takes part in the same prescribed ten events (100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400-meter dash, 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1,500-meter run). This was steered by his father Kim who coached track and field.

Haines started his coaching career during the 1986-1987 school year in Hamilton. He has coached track for 33 years and basketball for 32 years. He started coaching at SSHS in 2007 and feels blessed to be walking in his father's shoes since he started the track program at SSHS.

Haines readily admits that coaching is a lot of work and a huge time commitment. During the school year he starts at 6:30 a.m. for morning workouts and does not return home until 6:30 p.m. most nights. Then there are the away games and meets on the weekends and summer camps. However, his love of coaching and the relationship he builds with the students and other coaches is what keeps him coming back every year. He said it is fun to have his basketball players go out for track and watching them compete in back-to-back seasons.

"If it is just basketball, it is just that one three month period in time," said Haines. "If they come out for track it is longer time to build those relationships."

Haines attributes this year's success to the students, coaches and program at the elementary school that continually feeds the high school. Haines brother Brett coaches at the elementary and his mother Zelda used to before joining the SSHS coaching staff.

"It is just the influx of good kids that have had good coaching and then it works up to the high school," said Haines. "With the coaching they get in the high school with David [Cahoon], my mom [Zelda Haines], Shawn [Holmes] and Kal [Kovatch] we are getting to be solid in all areas."

While it is harder for the freshman and sophomore boys to get to state because they are competing against stronger, faster upper class men, Haines said this year SSHS had the upper hand and took second at state.

"This year we had a good core team of juniors and seniors. We did a really good job there," said Haines. "We were one injury away from probably winning two state titles."

Haines said the girls had some really good freshman join with some really good kids that were already in the program.

"The more you have at state, the good coaching, the better chances you have at winning it. That is what the girls had and were solid," said Haines. "We had good relays, hurdles, high jumper, pole vaulter, two discus throwers, we had that depth. With adding in Hannah Ayers and Sariah Maughan we had the distance and Lily Mercer with the sprints, Autumn in the javelin and Ashley in the long and triple jumps. The depth in all those areas we just have a pretty good thing going right now."

This is the second time Haines has received the MCA Coach of the Year Award. He was recognized the first time after the girls won Class C State Track in 2014.

Haines feels the success at state and the Coach of the Year award is a testament to the students and coaches.

"We are a small school. We don't have a track, we have a football field. It means quite a bit to receive the award," said Haines. "The coaches that I have, the kids that I have, the things that we have to overcome in a season up here – the snow, the facilities – we just make do, keep working and carry positive attitudes. Kids compete hard and do a good job in practice."

"It was a very successful season and a lot of fun to see it all come together," said Haines. "Our future is bright. Hopefully everyone stays healthy and competing and doing a good job and we will get to state again," said Haines. "A lot of credit goes to my brother Brett and the other coaches [at the elementary schools], the parents that support [their kids], the things we overcome and the great coaches I have - Kal [Kovatch], David [Cahoon] and Shawn [Holmes] - at the high school."

Haines will be honored at the MCA Awards Program, in conjunction with the MCA All-Sport Coaches Clinic, on August 1st, 2019 at the C M Russell High Auditorium in Great Falls.