Glacier hires 2 more coaches

McLean to run x-country program; O'Rourke will direct boys soccer

The Daily Inter Lake

Glacier High School's coaching roster continues to take shape as a selection committee recommended the hiring of two head coaches this week.

According to Flathead High School activities director Mark Dennehy, Mike McLean has been named head cross country coach, and Ryan O'Rourke has been tabbed head boys soccer coach. The school board will review the selection committee's recommendations in May.

"Mike McLean has been a fixture in the running programs throughout the Flathead Valley," said Dennehy, who becomes Glacier's activities director and assistant principal in the fall. "He has led the (Flathead Valley Community College) cross country program since its inception, the Highlander track program and a variety of other sports within our district. Mike combines a passion and commitment to running, and our students will be beneficiaries of his skills. Mike is a coach in the truest sense."

McLean works for FVCC's Upward Bound program and coached the Flathead Orange freshmen boys basketball team this season. He will remain distance coach with the Flathead girls track program this spring under head coach Jerry Boschee.

McLean said he is thrilled to coach at Glacier.

"Words can't describe it," McLean said. "I'm super excited about getting the opportunity to work with the high school kids.

"I think when you get high school kids and see them excited about running, you hope to keep them that way. By the time you get to college, kids are pretty set in their ways."

McLean hopes to coach track at Glacier next year and continue to coach freshmen basketball at either Flathead or Glacier.

Former assistant Kent Hoffmeyer inherits the FVCC cross country program.

McLean acknowledged that immediate success will be difficult at Glacier as the program will have no seniors this fall, but he looks forward to the challenge.

"We're going to work as hard as we can and see if they're in shape over the summer," McLean said. "I don't ever plan on going to a meet to lose."

O'Rourke, 29, was an assistant under Flathead boys soccer coach Eric Sawtelle last fall as the Braves won the Class AA state championship.

"Ryan is an outstanding young man, who was instrumental in the success of the Flathead boys soccer program this past season as an assistant coach," Dennehy said. "His calm demeanor and professionalism will be key in the development of a solid program at Glacier High School."

O'Rourke was an assistant with the Whitefish High School boys soccer program prior to last fall. He has coached at the U-16 and U-14 levels as well.

"Obviously, it's a very exciting thing to be able to be the first coach at a new program," O'Rourke said. "I'm looking forward to being able to develop a program."

O'Rourke said fielding a young team this fall has its benefits.

"I think the thing that will be nice about it is every game that they go out there, they know it's going to be a challenge for them," O'Rourke said. "They won't have to worry about having a lack of competition, that's for sure."

O'Rourke plans to guide Glacier's program much like Sawtelle runs Flathead's because he and Sawtelle have similar philosophies and personalities.

"It has been a goal of mine to be a varsity coach for a while," O'Rourke said. "Once I started coaching I didn't really realize I would enjoy it as much as I do, but once I started I realized there was no turning back. The more I did it the more I wanted to do it."