BILLINGS — Welcome to the inaugural edition of the Beyond the box notebook, a space dedicated to the people, personalities, and leadership moments that make Montana’s high school sports scene so much more than scores and stats.
Each week, this column will step beyond the box score — hence the name — to shine a light on the stories and voices that define our teams: the captains whose example echoes beyond the field, the motivators who keep the dugout loose, and the unsung leaders who bring their teams together on tough days and good ones alike.
This first volume sets the stage with an example of leadership from the softball diamond, where senior Anna Elam didn’t just react to a crisis. She changed her community for the better.
We’ll also hear about the upbeat spark plug of the CMR boys tennis team, and in Hamilton, coach Trevor Paro’s “unintentionally funny” antidote to baseball’s drawn-out, building drama.
Beyond the box is here to celebrate students and coaches who lead with character, support their teams, and remind us why high school sports matter.
Thanks for joining us on week one, let’s get started.
LEAD STORY
A lasting impact: Anna Elam turns personal experience into team safety
Lewistown senior Anna Elam hopes no one ever has to use the newest piece of equipment at the D’Autremont Complex. But after what she witnessed at a summer tournament, she wasn’t willing to leave it to chance.
Last July at a softball tournament in Helena, Elam was in the outfield warming up when a player on a nearby field collapsed after sliding into third base. At first, Elam thought it was a routine injury.
“I figured that it was like a shoulder or something like that. I didn’t know what was happening,” she said. “And then they called the ambulance in. I just knew that it was some sort of medical emergency.”
Later, through Facebook posts and a family connection who was on the scene, Elam learned the player had suffered cardiac arrest and survived in part because an automated external defibrillator (AED) was on hand and used quickly. That realization hit close to home.
“Seeing it happen to somebody my age really kind of made it click for me that there’s nothing at my complex if something were to happen like that,” Elam said.
Within weeks, she began working to get an AED for Lewistown’s softball fields, applying for grants and researching sudden cardiac arrest in young people.
The first foundation she approached turned her down with a one-line email. Instead of giving up, she turned to the Central Montana Medical Society — “all the doctors in Lewistown,” as she put it — which agreed to cover most of the $2,500 cost.
Elam then raised the remaining $500 by organizing bleacher-cleaning crews after basketball games, enlisting teammate Shyanne Ricks and friend Payton Hersel to help.
The trio quickly raised the remaining funds, and the AED was just recently installed at the complex. Elam said the device can give athletes and parents some “peace of mind,” that it’s available. She also wants to spread awareness that cardiac arrest can happen to anyone.
“I hope it shows my younger teammates and just other people in Lewistown that we can really come together as a community to make things happen if we want to,” she said, “because my community really did back me up in supporting this project.”
Said Golden Eagles coach Mike Mangold: “As a coach you want each team and individual to leave a lasting impression on your program, and setting this example will leave a lasting impact on future players. And it could have a huge impact on those that have to use the resource.”
It’s safe to say in this instance that Elam knocked it out of the park.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
The Voice of CMR tennis: On the tennis courts for Great Falls CMR, you can always count on one voice to keep things light and positive. The Rustlers could use some of that as they chase a third consecutive Class AA state championship. According to boys tennis coach Byron Boyd, that voice belongs to junior Howard Daniel, who placed third at state a year ago.
"He is very positive, upbeat and loves to talk," Boyd says. "He has a great outlook, always happy, always talking. You can always count on Howard to lighten any situation."
Cool, calm, and unintentionally funny: In a sport defined by tense moments, Hamilton baseball coach Trevor Paro says he has the perfect antidote: Jude Widmer, a player he calls "unintentionally funny."
"Jude’s relaxed, go-with-the-flow personality is exactly the leadership a baseball team needs," Paro said. "He’s the guy who can break the tension with a single comment, keeping the dugout loose when things get tight and ensuring the moment never gets too big for the team."
A column like this relies on the insight and generosity of coaches and athletic directors across Montana. Thank you for sharing your stories and helping shine a light on the personalities and positive moments that define our teams. I look forward to hearing more and sharing the best of high school sports in the weeks ahead, so coaches, check your email inbox for upcoming notebook prompts. Or if you have a story or update to share, please email me at mike.scherting@ktvq.com or scores@montanasports.com.
