Flathead picks Williams as next softball coach

Flathead High has selected its new softball coach, and pending school board approval Brittany Williams will guide the Bravettes in 2024.

Williams replaces Jack Foster, who guided the Bravettes for six seasons. She was his assistant the last three post-pandemic campaigns.

“She will build on our program,” Flathead athletic director Bryce Wilson said in a release sent out Friday. “She has a clear-concise vision to build the program with hard work, commitment, positive attitude and a family atmosphere. She will build our program at all levels and within the Flathead community.”

Williams has a long resume, having pitched and played first base at Division II Sonoma State University in California, then coaching at the junior college, NAIA and NCAA ranks. She was at Lafayette in Pennsylvania in 2010, head coach at Pasadena City College in 2012-13, then at NAIA Finlandia in Michigan in 2014, and then back at the University of Antelope Valley in California in 2016. She then was head coach Thousand Oaks (Calif.) High School in 2017.

It was after that 10-17 season that Williams, along with husband AJ Burnham, decided to move to the Flathead Valley. Burnham’s mother lives in Kalispell; both he (business and physical education) and Williams (special education) teach at Flathead High; Williams is entering her fifth year teaching at the school.

She takes over a program that has been down for a while, though last season’s 5-17 squad made the school’s first State AA tournament appearance since 2007. Foster’s teams went 22-104 in his six seasons.

“We’re on the right path,” Williams said. “We made it to state for the first time in almost two decades. What’s great is we return everyone. We only had one senior. There’s a lot of experience back.

“We have a solid group of freshmen coming in that could be impactful the first couple years of high school. … There’s just a lot to work with.”

Williams is also in her fourth season as a volleyball assistant, and is coaching the Bravette freshmen this fall.

“I’m really grateful for the opportunity,” she said. “I love Flathead High School. I think this coming year and the years after are very promising for the softball program. I’m excited to get started.”