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Nation’s Winningest Coach Takes Over Flathead Wrestling

By Beacon Staff

Scot Davis, the winningest coach in high school wrestling history, has been named the new head wrestling coach at Flathead High School, the school announced Friday.

Davis of Owatonna, Minn., is a two-time national coach of the year and the “All-Time National Wins Leader” in high school wrestling with a 984-149-4 career coaching record in dual meets, according to Wrestling USA Magazine.

Davis replaces Matt Owen, who resigned as Flathead’s coach this spring after four years.

Flathead High has won a total of seven Class AA state championships as a team, including five straight from 2006-10. The Braves finished fifth in 2011 and ninth last winter.

“I feel like I’m a rookie coach again getting my first job,” Davis told the Beacon. “I’m really excited about it.”

Davis, an All-American wrestler at Augsburg College in 1973, has almost 40 years of coaching experience. He coached at Owatonna High, a school with over 1,700 students, for 25 years and won state titles in the state’s largest classification in 1998 and 2005. The National High School Coaches Association named Davis the National Coach of the Year in 1998 and Wrestling USA Magazine gave him the same honor in 2007. He was runner-up in 2006.

Davis said he learned of the Flathead opening recently and inquired with school officials. After visiting Kalispell and meeting with parents and administrators, he said he knew it would be a good fit.

“Everyone was just so nice and very passionate about wrestling. That really impressed me,” he said. “They said they really want to get the program going again … I’m fired up to do it.”

Davis said former Brave head coach Jeff Thompson will work with the program again and former assistant Jeff Anderson has been invited to help, too.

“I’m very aware of their success,” Davis said. “It’s great for our program to have those guys still involved.”

Davis was named “Honorary USA Coach” for the 13th annual 2009 Dream Team Classic, held in Stillwater, Okla. That same year he was recipient of the Master of Wrestling Award by Wrestling USA Magazine. He’s also made several instructional DVDs and written numerous articles on wrestling. He continues to coach for Down Under Sports.

“He is really embracing the Flathead tradition and is excited to bring the enthusiasm to the job and just continue that great tradition,” Flathead Activities Director Bryce Wilson said.

Davis said one of his main goals will be increasing participation numbers.

“I’m hopeful that we’ll help get some of those numbers back up,” he said.