Flathead Valley Montana Sidelines: Kalispell, Montana News

The city of Kalispell is looking for people willing to coach Runnin' Rascals football for one hour each week. A $10 credit certificate will be issued to each coach at the end of the season. There will be a coaches' meeting on Aug. 29.

Runnin' Rascals is a non-competitive introduction to football for boys and girls between the ages of 4 to 6. Games will be played once per week on Saturdays. They are intended to be fun and for instructional purposes only. The dates are Sept. 5, 12, 19 and 26 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the Kalispell Youth Athletic Complex off of Four Mile Drive. The cost of participation is $24 and this includes a tee-shirt. Registration deadline is Aug. 7.

For information on registering, call 758-7848.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is seeking public comment on a proposed purchase of 70 acres on Flathead Lake's north shore for the purpose of fish and wildlife habitat conservation. According to a FWP press release, "the project would cost about $1 million and would be funded by the Bonneville Power Administration to help mitigate harm to resident fish caused by construction and subsequent habitat loss associated with Hungry Horse Dam."

The full release can be found after the jump.

The fastest kid in Montana high school track history has been named the Montana Gatorade Athlete of the Year for boys track and field. Chris Wilson, a senior at C.M. Russell, set state records in the 100- and 200-meter dashes en route to two state championships in both events.

Here is the story by the Associated Press:

GREAT FALLS – C.M. Russell sprinter Chris Wilson, who set state all-class records in the 100 and 200 meters this spring, has been named Montana Gatorade athlete of the year for boys' track and field.

Wilson automatically becomes a finalist for the national award, which recognizes athletic and academic achievement and character.

Wilson's state records are 10.67 seconds in the 100 and 21.06 in the 200. His time in the 200 meters ranked No. 6 in the nation among high school competitors. He ran a 10.48 in the 100 meters at the divisional meet, but official state records can only be set at the state meet.

Wilson plans to play football and compete in track at Montana State University. Billings Senior's Alexa Aragon won the girls' award.

A women's horsepacking workshop will be held on June 27 in Kalispell. The course is co-sponsored by the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks's "Becoming an Outdoors Woman" program and the Backcountry Horsemen of the Flathead.

According to a press release from FWP, "participants will learn about the variety of packing equipment available; defensive horse handling; how to pack a decker, sawbuck and riding saddle; and leave-no-trace camping. This class is for beginners who want to learn the basic skills needed to pack with their own stock."

The workshop will be held at an indoor arena in Kalispell and and lunch will be provided. The $35 entry fee includes the use of all equipment and packing stock – participants don't need to bring their own horse or mule. For more information or to register, call instructor Andy Breland at (406) 212-1183.

Before you take to the Flathead's many rivers this summer, check out this information from Denise Germann, public affairs officer for the Flathead National Forest, to make sure you're following regulations and safety recommendations:

As summer begins, all river enthusiasts are reminded to be prepared, wear required life jackets, know your abilities, have the proper safety gear on board and know how to use the gear, and treat the river with respect. Those planning to float the three forks of the Flathead River are encouraged to obtain an updated Forest Service publication, Three Forks of the Flathead Float Guide, for information on new river regulations, accurate river locations and river flow information, and historical interpretive information of the area. The waterproof guide is an excellent resource for anyone recreating on the Flathead River and is available for sale through the Glacier Association and is available at any Flathead National Forest Office.

The Flathead River System has some outstanding qualities, including 219 miles of the river that are congressionally designated as a Wild and Scenic River Corridor. The North Fork, Middle Fork and South Fork sections of the Flathead River have different origins and personalities, and each river offers opportunities for a variety of recreational opportunities.

Read on for more.

This from John Fraley, communication director with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks:

Bowhunter education students age 18 or older may take the bowhunter education course online (http://www.bowhunter-ed.com/mt/index.htm). Montana accepts an independent study method that involves a two-part process-this online course, completed on your own time and your own schedule, followed by a 4-hour field day exercise led by certified Montana bowhunter education volunteer instructors. Students must present their online certificate of completion when they arrive at field day, and during the field day, must demonstrate that they possess the necessary knowledge and skills to become certified. The field day must be completed within 365 days from the time students successfully complete the online portion of the course.

The online course is available to anyone 18 years old and older. Anyone 17 years and younger is required to take the conventional classroom-based course of instruction. However, anyone may use the online program as a resource to learn about bowhunting. The cost to take the certification test is $20.

Field day options are limited. You must register seven days in advance for a field day as prompted on line, after the completion of the online test. This is the only way to ensure that you can become certified in time. You will not be able to simply show up at a field day and expect to participate; you must register ahead of time. For 2009, a special field day for online students is scheduled for Saturday, July 18 in the Kalispell area. Call FWP at 752-5501 for more information.

Please note, in Montana all bowhunter education courses and field days have to be completed by July 31 of each year.

The Flathead Attention Home is hoping to send you running, biking and paddling through 50 miles of Montana scenery -- all for a good cause.

The Glacier Challenge is a 6-leg multi-sport relay involving a 5- and 10-K run, canoe, kayak, and road bike. Racers enter as solo, partner, and teams and compete both recreationally and competitively. This year's race is on July 11, starting at Riverside Park in Whitefish.

The Glacier Challenge is the primary fundraiser for FAH, which cares for kids who are in a crisis situation – runaways, kids dealing with bad family situations like abuse or neglect and teens with chemical dependency problems, among others. The group provides short-term housing for up to eight kids at a time between ages 10 and 18.

Flathead Anglers, a local community group formed to help the sportsmen and women of the valley stay informed about the management of Flathead Lake, is holding an informational meeting Wednesday, June 17. The free event will be held in the event room at Snappy Sports Senter at 6:30 p.m.

Guest speaker Barry Hansen from the Salish-Kootenai fisheries division will be giving a presentation on The Flathead Lake Co-Management Plan and The Mack Days contests, and how they tie in to the current fisheries management on Flathead Lake.

Flathead Anglers founder Mike Howe said he invited Hansen to speak in hopes of giving fishing enthusiasts a better understanding the existing plan, the processes in place and a glimpse into the future. He also said the event will be an opportunity for anglers to offer feedback to the people implementing lake management plans.

"I know Barry is receptive to ideas that we can implement to assist them in getting an accurate count of harvested lake trout," Howe said in an email. "Many ideas I have heard mentioned in the last couple of years have been tested and implemented, specifically regarding the Mack Days contests."