Sporting THE FORT

THE FORT, an indoor sports and turf facility located in Evergreen, is providing Flathead Valley sports enthusiasts of all ages the opportunity to play and be active year-round.

Located behind NORCO on U.S. 2 East, baseball teams, soccer squads, adult leagues and individuals have already scheduled time for games, workouts or conditioning this winter and spring while waiting for weather and field conditions to improve outdoors.

Nate Evans, Director of Operations for Northwest Soccer Club Montana, and Kyler Blades, who owns Blades Athletic Performance Academy, are the two forces making the facility work.

“We’ve been full all winter,” Evans said.

“It’s been super humbling, super nice to see. We are very optimistic. People have said that the Valley has needed something like this for quite some time.”

Cameron deNeeve, a recent Flathead graduate, is THE FORT manager.

“Having six months of winter here, there is not a whole lot of (outside) activities for some of the kids to keep them busy,” Evans said.

“The whole goal of the building was to invest in our kids and community, so we have healthier and active kids. To give them some place to go all winter long to keep them active and out of trouble.”

Ivan O’Neil, founder of Western Building Center, is the owner of the building.

“When we met in November and showed him what our plan was, our vision, he was supportive,” Evans said.

Kelmont Distributing, a metal door workshop company, was one of the building’s last tenants.

“We pressure washed it, cleaned it up,” Evans said. “We made it safe for kids.”

THE FORT consists of a 3,200-square foot soccer field, a weight room, locker rooms and batting cages.

“It allows you to play small-sided games,” Evans said for soccer.

“It’s good for developing kids. It’s way more fun for them as they are more involved this way. They never get lost like they do on a giant field where they never get the ball.”

The Kalispell Lakers and Glacier Twins have held workouts at THE FORT in preparation for their American Legion baseball season openers this month.

THE FORT can also accommodate golfers and hopes to help with softball and lacrosse teams.

“The community support has been outstanding,” Blades said.

“It has surpassed my expectations and Nate’s. We had a hunch it was needed in the Valley. All most all the parents have said: ‘Wow! We needed something like this.’”

THE FORT opened for business on Jan. 31. Right now, large groups and organizations can reserve space by appointment.

“At the same time, we have individuals rent out space, work out with their kids,” Blades said.

“We also do a lot of private stuff — one-on-one for soccer, baseball and golf.”

Evans coached soccer at Flathead High School for three seasons, turning around a struggling program before stepping down. Blades helped Evans with conditioning those teams.

“He gave me a call one day (about sharing THE FORT),” Blades said.

“I was working on a business plan, on something like this for the last three years, saving money and trying to get it rolling. This has worked out pretty well.

“It’s pretty jam packed through our connections of coaching teams in the Valley,” he continued.

“We plan to do camps (in the summer). Parents can drop off their kids for up to 10 hours a day for fun activities and games. We will also do strength and conditioning in the morning.”

THE FORT will hold an open house on Tuesday from 6:30-8 p.m. There will be games, prizes and food by Delectable Desserts and Catering of Whitefish.

“Show people who we are,” Evans said of the open house. “Give them a chance to meet us.”