Column: Appreciative Vikings ‘Get to do this’

The thought was that, even though nothing is written in stone this fall, whatever opportunity an athlete gets during this pandemic should be appreciated.

So it was that Jim Benn, Bigfork’s first-year football coach, has had one of his Vikings dedicate a practice to a team that hasn’t been as fortunate.

Quarterback Patrick Wallen gave a shout out to Providence Academy in Plymouth, Minnesota; Luke Benson dedicated a practice to the Montana Tech Orediggers of the Frontier Conference. They did so via the team’s Twitter feed: @BigforkF.

“Basically, the idea is giving the kids a feeling of gratitude that we have an opportunity that other kids would trade for in a heartbeat,” Benn said.

“I thought it was a really good idea,” said fullback/linebacker Levi Taylor. “I know if I missed a football season it would be bad – it’s one of my favorite things about school.”

Bigfork has 48 kids out for football, which is getting a chance with heavy restrictions in Montana. There are a lot of teams, high school and college, that are chilling until (they hope) spring.

Coach Benn has done most of the research: A high school in Washington, D.C., here, the Montana Grizzlies there.

“It kind of drove home the point that not everybody gets this opportunity that we do,” two-way lineman Braeden Guse said. “To come up here and play football, and be tired and sore the next day. Some people would kill to do what we’re doing, and we’re super glad to get to.”

In a couple days the Vikings will bus almost four hours to play Townsend in a nonconference game. Broadwater County is allowing two fans per visiting player, along with the two per home athlete. But whatever: Benn just hopes all the games happen.

“‘You get to do this’ – that’s kind of been our motto,” Benn said. “The Frontier Conference looked like it was going to get to roll and decided not to. This is just to have some appreciation for what’s there for us, and how we live our lives.”

In a way you could say Montana teams are blessed. The coronavirus has hit hard of late but the season is a go.

“For me especially I know God has a plan for everything,” Taylor said. “If God wants us to play, we’ll play. If He doesn’t want us to play, we won’t. Everybody was dedicated, no matter what. We know we have one season to give it our all.”

Benn is used to Friday night lights, having spent nearly a quarter-century on Montana sidelines. He was the head coach in Ronan for nine seasons, and coached his son Connor.

“My son (Cormac) being a senior – it’s tough knowing how that would feel for him, if we didn’t get this chance,” Benn said. “Because really it’s been touch and go since March. Having had that experience with my older son I can’t believe how heart-wrenching that would be.”

Instead, it could be that much more rewarding – with the hope they get to do this all the way through.

Sports reporter Fritz Neighbor can be reached at 758-4463 or at fneighbor@dailyinterlake.com