The Deer Lodge football coach was recently suspended pending an investigation after he recently switched sidelines during a home football game. The school board voted Monday to keep Coach Andrew Verlanic.

In an interview with the Deer Lodge News Network (DLNN), coach Verlanic detailed his decision and his disappointment in the lack of support from the school district.

“When you get booed at the pep rally as a football team, who wants to go out? Who wants to be a part of it?” Verlanic told DLNN. Later in the interview he continued, “As we stand on the sideline the crowd creates distraction. Are we sure that the kids are really being supported? Are we sure that it’s positive feedback? There’s some negativity that comes with it.”

Verlanic said his concerns aren’t just about sports. “Right now mental and physical health are at the forefront of what the school needs to be a part of and to help kids be better in that area. It’s not just about sports. It’s about the opportunity that sports creates.”

The Thompson Falls Blue Hawks have had similar struggles with their football team this year. After going down to 8-man due to a lack of participation, Coach Jared Koskela built his program into a state championship team. Last year the Hawks didn’t lose a game.

This year has been a different story for the Hawks as they moved back to 11-man football. They haven’t won a game all year. Where the Deer Lodge and Thompson Falls experiences differ is in community and school support.

The sideline fences this year, despite the Hawks’ losing record, are still packed with fans. The community is still bursting with pride for the team. I checked in with Blue Hawk Coach Jared Koskela, who said he has not felt any negativity from the community. I was happy to hear that what I’m seeing on the sidelines in terms of community support is what he is experiencing as well.

“It’s not about winning. It’s about what these kids become after the fact,” Koskela said. And he’s right. The Blue Hawks have experienced some of the highest highs and the lowest lows in the last couple of years, but they are still showing up to practice, they are still showing up as a team, and they still have a school district and a community who supports them.

Teams win, and teams lose. Either way, continue to support all our athletes and students and show your community pride.

— Annie Wooden