The Winter Sports season is here and while we have yet to be blanketed with snow, or really be punished with cold weather the local basketball and wrestling teams have been busy preparing for the first week of competition.

The schedule is back to normal after a completely altered 2020-21 season due to Covid-19. Practice began Thursday, November 18 and a few teams will be in action this week. The Harlem girls and boys basketball teams will be in Cut Bank this Saturday to challenge the District 1B Wolves in their season opener. The Wildcat wrestling team will be at the Cascade Badger Tournament this Friday and Saturday.

The Hays/Lodge Pole boys and girls basketball teams will kick off their 2021-22 campaign this Friday with a road trip to Dodson to face the Coyotes. The Turner Tornadoes basketball teams will begin their season this Friday and Saturday in Glasgow at the Class C Showcase.

The Sugarbeeter wrestlers will take part in the Havre Invitational Wrestling Tournament this Friday and Saturday while the 'Beeter girls and boys basketball teams will begin play the following week in Shelby at the Coyotes Preseason Tip-off Tournament December 10-11.

The start of any new season is always filled with excitement, high spirits and a determined effort to make this season the best it can be. Every year teams begin with a new group of athletes trying to come together to form a cohesive team. It's common for expectations to very greatly amongst a teams fan-base. Some worry about how they will replace graduated players from a season ago, who will step up and fill these rolls. Some have been following the younger kids and are excited that they finally get to showcase their skills.

Coaches are all to familiar with turnover, graduation and establishing team identity. With all the questions surrounding the team to begin a season, inevitably it will turn into, 'He/she will be tough to replace next year,' by seasons end.

Seniors graduating and underclassmen stepping up are just part of the game, but what if it's the coaching staff that has changed? Change at the top does happen frequently at some schools, but the programs that have established a fair amount of success on the court, field or mat typically have had a consistent presence in the coaching staff. These programs have established tradition and a 'way' that things are done. What happens when these programs go through a significant coaching change?

The Chinook Sugarbeeters have long been a dominant wrestling team and for more than 35 years the 'Beeters were led by Co-Head Coaches Perry Miller and Adam Tilleman. In 2007 the Montana High School Association changed from a single Class B/C State Wrestling Champion to a Class B and a Class C team Champion.

Chinook dominated from the start winning State Team Titles in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2016. In addition they finished second in 2008, 2013 and 2014. Miller and Tilleman were often assisted by Robin Stroh and the trio became fixtures at the All-Class State Wrestling Tournament in Billings, Legends to many in attendance.

The duo developed a program that reached way down in the grade levels, starting kids early. They developed up and coming wrestlers through AAU in elementary school then as 'Beeter wrestlers in Junior High and finally High School. Through the years they coached more than two dozen state placers along with a number of individual state champions, including their successor. Four time State Champion and MSU-Northern NAIA National Champion Ben Stroh, who will take over this year as head coach of the program.

The Chinook Boys Basketball program has enjoyed a stellar decade under the direction of now former Head Coach Mike Seymour. In his 10 years at the helm of the boys program Seymour's teams won .704 percent of their games (169-71). The 'Beeters returned to the State Tournament for the first time in 33 years in 2019 and the first time ever as a Class C team.

Seymour developed his program through years of dedication beginning at the 5th/6th grade level, continuing through junior high and eventually on to high school.

Chinook went 25-10 at the District 9C Tournament with Seymour at the helm including District 9C Championships in 2017-18 and 2018-19. The 'Beeters were the Northern C Divisional Champions in 2019 as well. Chinook went 22-3, 25-2, 18-7 and 17-4 in Seymour's final four years as head coach leaving his successor with a solid foundation to build upon.

Mike Seymour has stepped down as Head Coach of the Chinook Boys Basketball team after 10 years at the helm. His teams compiled a .704 winning percentage (169-71) while qualifying for the schools first ever Class C State Tournament in 2019. Seymour will become the Girls Assistant Coach this fall.

Long time Assistant Chad Jones will take over head coaching duties this season. Jones has also been the Head Junior High Boys Basketball Coach for several years and is more than familiar with the entire roster which should lead to an easy transition. Seymour will still be around the gym as he has accepted the position of Assistant Girls Basketball Coach for the 'Beeters.